If you’re thinking of getting a new roof – or if your roof simply needs repairs – do you really need a roofing company to do it for you?
Should You Hire a Roofing Company?
The short answer to whether you should hire a roofing company is yes. Unless you’re a licensed roofing expert yourself (and you have a team of friends ready to help you), you do need a professional roofing company to repair or replace your roof.
Here’s why:
- Roofing is dangerous.
- Roofing can be a lot more complicated than it looks.
- You need a workmanship guarantee you can fall back on if something goes wrong.
For most people, DIY roof installation is a bad idea. It’s nearly always better to hire a roofing company to take on the job for you – especially if you want to save money on materials.
The Dangers of Roofing Work
Roofing is dangerous – there’s no better way to put it. In addition to walking on a sloped surface high above the ground (a risk in itself), roofers have to deal with tools like nail guns and big sheets of material. If you’re not experienced, you could be putting yourself in unnecessary danger. There are power lines, heavy objects you have to carry up a ladder, and safety equipment you’ll have to wear, too – so for most people, it makes sense to hire a roofing company to handle the whole process.
Roofing Can Be Complicated
Before you can install a new roof, you have to tear off the old one. That’s a really labor-intensive job, and you’ll have to plan to cart away the materials once you’re done.
So what happens when you get up on your roof and discover that there are major issues? You’ll have to tackle them one by one. For example, you may discover a few unexpected leaks while you’re up there; in that case, you’ll need to survey the extent of the damage and repair the damage – often by replacing parts of your home’s structure rather than just applying a patch.
One other thing to remember: You have to install a new roof quickly. The longer it takes you, the more exposed your home is to the elements.
It’s not unheard of for someone to start a DIY roofing job only to discover that they’re out of their depth. In unfortunate cases like those, the person ends up hiring a roofing company to repair whatever damage they’ve done plus replace the roof – and the money and time the homeowner spent working on the roof just go down the drain.
You Need – and Deserve – a Guarantee 
When you hire a roofing company, you get a workmanship guarantee. That means if something went wrong as a result of the roofer’s work, you can call and let the roofing company know – and they’ll come fix it. Some products that come with warranties are only covered when a professional roofer installs them, too, so that’s another thing to keep in mind.
For most people, the best way to get a top-quality roof is to hire a professional roofing company. A DIY job is incredibly risky, and if something goes wrong, you’ll be entirely responsible for the costs associated with it.
