Opportunistic roofing contractors fudge contracts to rip customers off. They rely on the probability that the other party will spend less time reviewing the written agreement just because there’s already a clear verbal understanding.
Before you sign on the dotted line, look for these things to make sure your residential roof construction contract is reliable:
Contractor Basics
The official roofing contract should provide the roofer’s legitimate, physical address, telling you where you can track your roofer for your after-sales service needs. If it only includes the P.O. box, demand to include the actual location of its office. Otherwise, don’t place your signature anywhere.
Estimate Elements
Honest roofing contractors will tell you that the estimate you initially received is the unabridged version of the contract. The latter should expound on everything the former says. It should spell out the project timeline, payment term, cost breakdown, responsibility list and product information (including the warranty).
In addition to detailed explanations of the contents of the bid, the contract should also contain provisions for change orders and termination. These parts of the agreement will lay ground rules to facilitate modifications to the original plan and back out without any penalty. This way, disputes are less likely to happen and either party can make informed decisions.
Undocumented Promises
Did some promises fail to make it to the estimate? Make sure they appear on the contract, but if they still don’t, ask your contractor about them. They won’t be enforceable if they’re not in black and white.
License and Insurance Copies
Trusted residential and commercial roofing contractors attach verifiable copies of their credentials to the written agreement. If the proof of license and insurance wasn’t given much earlier, use the time to vet your prospective contractor further while mulling over the contract.
Entrust your roofing project to McGuire Roofing and Construction to receive a transparent, detailed contact. Call us at (865) 338-7663 to discuss your needs and get a free estimate in Oak Ridge, Maryville, TN, or any neighboring community.