Home Improvement Blog

 Finding a great roofing contractor in St. Louis Metro is a lot like trying to find to find a four leaf clover in a field of ordinary clover – there are so many St. Louis roofing contractors – so do you go about choosing the best?  What strategies can you use to narrow down your roofing contractor choices?  First, you should brainstorm what type of roofing you are looking for.  In St. Louis, like most places in the country, the most popular choice for roofing is composite shingles.  These are popular because they are less expensive that slate, tile, cedar and metal roofs and because they can mimic so many different materials.  If you have an historic home, for example, you may want a cedar roof or, if that is not feasible, a composite shingle that mimics the look of cedar.  Every year, composite shingles get more convincing in their ability to replicate different materials. 

Years ago I wanted to put a clay tile roof on my St. Louis Spanish style home.  The problem?  Well, aside from the expense of a tile roof, my rafters were not built to support the weight of a tile roof.  As a result, I went with something that is remarkably similar to a tile roof without the weight or expense. 

Once you have figured out whether you are considering an asphalt composite roof, clay tiles, cedar shingles, metal roof  then you can refine the list of contractors to contractors who install the roofing material you wish to install. 

Finding a roofing contractor is a lot like hiring any contractor.  I look for someone who is organized, honest and provides a detailed estimate.  You contractor should also have a valid contractor’s license and be bonded and insured.  Check out the Missouri Secretary of State to determine if the contractor you have chosen has a current license.  The better business bureau may also be a good reference point.  Better Business Bureau will have unbiased reviews from past customers.  Unless you have prior references, it is also a good idea to have about 3 contractors come out to your house or business to give you a quote to compare their estimates.

The estimates should be detailed and include warrantees on materials and workmanship.  Don’t just look at the total – consider what is included in the quote.  What type of underlayment? What is the roofing material and did they provide a sample? How long is the warranty?  When is payment required – most contractors will not require payment for anything until the end.  Sometimes they do require upfront payment for materials only, but not the actual labor.  In short, make sure that when you compare your three roofing estimates, you are comparing apples with apples – that is: the quotes provide roughly the same quality of material and workmanship.

After you have decided on a contractor, ask for references.  This is important.  You should ask “Was the contractor on schedule?” “Were they neat – did they do any property damage or require cleanup?” “Have they honored their warranty?”

Price is not everything.  So if the contractor you have chosen comes with so-so references, it’s time to move on.  I once hired a roofing contractor who did the work OK but it was the small things that added up to a major hassle for me and my family.  It took him about a month to finish my house because he only had one laborer to help him.  In addition, he left a massive amount of garbage on my property both during and after the roofing was finished.  My yard was filled with nails that he had promised to pick up.  This was a big problem with a toddler walking around the yard all day.  I was left cleaning up the mess for months and my son suffered the consequences by not being able to use the yard!  Needless to say, cleanup is an important question to ask of your roofing contractor’s references.

Finding the right St. Louis roofer can be a lot of work like most home improvement plans, but in the end, you will be glad you made the extra effort because you will have a roofer who is organized, a great communicator and takes care of everything himself – including cleanup!