Installing a new roof or repairing an existing leak requires trusting the roofing contractor who you have chosen to do the job. That’s not easy since if you don’t know what questions to ask or truly understand the roofer’s capabilities.
Roofing poses unique challenges as a business and certain skills are needed, along with an understanding of building science.
Here are tips for screening contractors and how we present our qualifications at Garvey Roofing.
We hope you choose us, of course. Our service area is typically north along the foothill cities stretching from La Crescenta and east toward Azusa and south toward the 60 Freeway between the 110 and east of the 605. A large area, to be sure, but if you live elsewhere in Los Angeles County then you can apply these same guidelines for choosing a roofing contractor.
Roofing versatility is key
We roof historic buildings
Roofing contractors who have worked on newer homes or tract homes like those in the San Dimas area can struggle when roofing a historic home like the bungalow-style residences in Pasadena and Monrovia. We’ve received commendations from the Bungalow Heaven association in Pasadena.
We’ve also installed roofs on the historic homes in Heritage Square off the 110 freeway, just north of downtown Los Angeles.
We roof contemporary residential and commercial buildings
Every building needs an environmentally friendly roof. We keep up with the latest technologies to install and repair homes, apartment buildings, churches and businesses with the roofing materials that work the best.
Some contractors won’t handle flat or low slope roofs with internal drains while others shy away from steep roofs.
Our 30 years of experience working throughout the San Gabriel Valley, along with staying up to date with manufacturer’s standards and best practices, have made Garvey Roofing a firm that’s versatile and able to handle a variety of roofing installations and repairs.
Roofing licenses and certifications are valuable
Insurance companies needing expert testimony related to roofing cases around Los Angeles County often call on Thomas Garvey due to his qualifications that include licenses and certifications for:
- Roofing
- Installations including fire proofing and preventing leaks
- Solar roofing
- General contracting
Being licensed as a general contractor allows Garvey Roofing to handle carpentry-related tasks including structural framing and woodwork.
Roofing isn’t just a matter of calling over friends and having them tear-off shingles. It requires an understanding of building science and the impact on families or employees.
Following and surpassing roofing manufacturers’ guidelines
We know the latest guidelines and best practices that manufacturers release—from GAF/Elk and their library of roofing knowledge to CertainTeed and our partners in the tile industry.
Roofing as a Career and Lifestyle
Thomas Garvey began his roofing career as a teenager. The lifestyle aspect of roofing is that he understands how a roofing system affects everyone in the house.
While working on a job once, he and his crew wondered why the roof didn’t have any vents protruding through the decking. He discovered the vents had been covered during a previous job. It was a major health hazard for everyone inside.
Thomas has said, “I do all the things that you don’t know to ask about” meaning that he’s not going to take shortcuts. We understand each customer is making an investment in their roof and we want to do the job from their perspective.
Roofing is Knowing What Customers Want
Homeowners, and sometimes commercial building owners, will have specific ideas about how they want a roof to appear. Thomas once had a customer tell him that she wanted her roof to look like one that was back east, so he spoke to her and then custom-designed a roofing solution using a combination of materials and colors.
Garvey Roofing has delivered roofs for all seasons in the San Gabriel Valley for over 30 years. Contact us for a free estimate.
As always, we guarantee labor and materials.
We want to keep you informed so here are other roofing posts to read and learn from:
Choosing Between Tile and Asphalt Shingles for Your Roof
Why High Winds Won’t Blow Off Properly Installed Roofs
Installing and Repairing the San Gabriel Valley’s Wide Variety of Roofs
