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Learn the 5 Questions to Ask before Hiring your next Contractor

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Selecting a contractor can be one of the most important decisions you make. The right contractor can mean the difference between a great home improvement job that beautifies & increases the value of your home – and a disaster, causing you even more money and needless heartache.

But how do you protect yourself from the bad contractors out there? The answer is easy. By doing your homework, and asking the right questions before choosing a northern Virginia roofing contractor. But what are the right questions? Unfortunately, most homeowners only ask two: “How much?” and “How soon?” And although these are valid questions, they are not the most important ones.

We believe every homeowner should ask the following five questions when selecting a contractor:

Question #1:    Does the contractor have a permanent place of business?

No this is not a no-brainer. There are plenty of fly by night contractors out there who may not be available when a warranty issue occurs.  Many unscrupulous contractors operate out of their trucks and cell phone. A contractor with a permanently established place of business is likely to be more stable and available when you need them.

Question #2    Does the contractor have adequate insurance?

Don’t Don’t just ask. Get a copy of their workman’s compensation and General Liability insurance. Marshall Roofing provides this information with every estimate, which is something that many other Northern Virginia roofing contractors don't bother to do.

Question #3  How long has the contractor been in business?

If he doesn’t have a long established track record, how do you know he will be around to fix any warranty work you may need? Marshall Roofing Inc. has been in business since 1980, providing customers with quality northern Virginia roof repair and other services for over 25 years.

Question #4:  What warranties are offered?

Remember, there are product warranties and workmanship warranties. The product warranties are provided by the manufacturer, and protect against defects in the materials. All major manufacturers offer them.  So make sure you ask about workmanship warranties. These protect you against faulty installation and workmanship, and are offered by the contractor only. And don’t forget – the manufacturer’s warranty is voided, if the contractor does not install the product properly!

Question #5   Is the contractor providing enough detailed information about your unique job?

Although this really isn’t a question to ask, it is something you need to think about. Every job is different. Is the contractor treating your job as a new, unique project – or as a cookie-cutter job – just like everyone else’s? Is he taking the time to provide you with enough detailed information to answer all of your questions and make you comfortable? Or does it feel like he is avoiding your questions, or trying to hide something?

Summary:  If you take the time to ask these 5 questions you can rest assured that you have done what you can to assure a positive contracting experience.

Naturally, we hope you ask these questions of us, too. Our estimators will be glad to answer any additional questions that you may have.