There are lots of variables to finding the right roofer, but you'll be able to do just that if you remember one thing:

The trick to finding the best roofer is choosing one with the most experience installing the type of roof material you've chosen on the type of job you have. And while we know that a new metal roof is the superior choice in nearly any re-roof project, this statement remains true no matter what material you're going to use!

Here's Why:

You don't want anyone learning on your job - at worst, it'll end up costing you money and time. Despite the fact that almost every roofer claims to be good at every type of job, it's simply not true. Having worked with hundreds of roofers over the past three decades, I can say for certain that the differences between their stories and their workmanship is more often than not quite vast. I can also tell you that many roofers can provide glowing references - but all too often from clients they've recently completed.

Unfortunately, the value of a positive review from a client who has never been up on their own roof to actually verify workmanship is dubious at best. And a review from a client whose roof has gone through only one or two calendar years tells you little about the real quality of a job.

What to Do Instead:

A better way of screening roofers is to first determine the material you intend to use, and then ask the manufacturer or distributor of that material to recommend a couple of local people that they know have installed their material for a few years. Make sure to mention the type of job you have as well, as some roofers are better equipped for some kinds of jobs than others. I speak from experience here, as I've suffered through many jobs where a "good roofer" was completely out-matched by a particular combination of material and job and ended up creating a fiasco for the client. Worse yet, many horrible roof installations don't reveal their deficiencies for some years! Think about the implications of that fact for a while before making a decision. A new roof is a major investment by any standard, so doing one's homework is never a wasted effort.

Want more tips on finding the best roofer? Download our FREE re-roofing booklet, 50 pages of re-roof information that will prepare you for the entire re-roofing process. There are entire sections devoted to the topic of choosing a roofer, so do yourself a favor - download this valuable booklet and read it before you do anything else.