To get insider tips on how to hire a reliable roofer, we spoke to a top real estate agent who often coordinates with roofers and the Director of the National Roofing Contractors Association, one of the most respected trade associations in the country going back to 1886.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Get a preliminary home value estimate in as little as two minutes. Our tool uses information from multiple sources to give you a range of value based on current market trends.<\/p>\n \n Here’s what they had to say about how to find a reliable roofer when it’s time to replace or repair your roof.<\/p>\n Knowing when to replace your roof isn’t always straightforward, but there are key indicators to guide your decision.<\/p>\n Maciek Rupar<\/span><\/a>, Technical Services Director of the <\/span>National Roofing Contractors Association<\/span><\/a>, advises homeowners to schedule roof inspections twice a year \u2014 once in the fall to address any necessary repairs before winter comes, and once in the spring to check for damages after the harsh cold season takes its toll.<\/span><\/p>\n Sometimes worth investing in a new roof before listing your home. This not only promises a <\/span>50%-68% return on investment<\/span><\/a> but also serves as a key selling point for potential buyers, offering them peace of mind against a large-scale maintenance issue. \u201cIf a house has a nice roof and it\u2019s in good condition, it\u2019s a more sellable piece of property and you\u2019ll get a little bit more money for it,\u201d explains <\/span>Nancy Rogers<\/span>, a top real estate agent in Lowell, Massachusetts.<\/span><\/p>\n Old roofs are often the <\/span>first deal-breaker for any home buyer<\/span> since a roof with decades of wear and tear is easy to spot. Rogers explains that \u201cmany first-time buyers will have to take an FHA or VA loan, which won\u2019t lend on a house that needs a new roof. The roof has to have a couple years life expectancy left.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n If your roof\u2019s age or condition raises red flags during the inspection, options such as reducing your asking price, <\/span>offering repair credit to the buyer<\/span><\/a>, or fixing the roof before closing are viable strategies. \u201cI could look at a roof and 99.9% of the time I can tell you about how old it is,\u201d says Rogers. \u201cIf it\u2019s in question, then I call my roofer and have him go look at it.\u201d However, Rogers advises most sellers to wait for an offer from a buyer and negotiate pricing with the roof in mind.<\/span><\/p>\n Beyond the realm of real estate, other critical situations necessitate roof replacement. One such scenario involves structural damage, often caused by severe weather events, aging, or neglect. Signs of structural damage might include sagging rooflines, significant water damage inside the house, or visible light streaks from the attic. If any of these issues arise, immediate action is required to prevent further costly damage or even catastrophic failure.<\/p>\n Lastly, when navigating an insurance claim, the process becomes slightly more complex but can also be a good opportunity to update your roof. Insurance companies will often cover the cost of roof replacement following incidents like storms or fires, providing the damage wasn’t due to neglect or regular wear and tear. An experienced roofer can assess the situation, provide an estimate, and often assist you in dealing with your insurance company, making the process smoother and less stressful.<\/p>\n Roof repair and installation is not a DIY job, so you\u2019ll need to find a reliable contractor to perform the job.<\/p>\n Before you begin your search, identify the scope of your roofing project and what type of service you require. <\/span>Without an idea of your roof\u2019s basic materials, structure, and condition, it\u2019s hard to talk to a roofer about what needs to be repaired or replaced.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you don\u2019t know the details of your roof\u2019s condition and materials, schedule an inspection through your real estate agent or local roofing company for a general check-up. This saves you time and helps you find out how much of your roof needs repairing or replacing.<\/span><\/p>\n \n\n\n\n\n Tell us a little bit about your property and get a preliminary estimate of value in as little as two minutes.<\/p>\n \n \u201cIt\u2019s not easy to put a time frame on roofing,\u201d says Rupar. \u201cIt\u2019s best to provide as much time as possible.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Rupar advises that you speak with multiple roofing contractors to shop around. Each one will tell you approximately how long it will take them to complete the job. They\u2019ll consider the material of your shingles, the extent of your repairs, weather forecasts, and most importantly, the company\u2019s current schedule.<\/span><\/p>\n Quite simply, your timeline needs to match up with the <\/span>contractor\u2019s, <\/span>and the only way to find a good match is to speak with more than one roofer.<\/span><\/p>\n You can\u2019t repair a quarter of your roof if the entire piece is rotting, and you can\u2019t arrange for a new roof when a snowstorm is about to hit your city. The one variable you can control is finding a roofer who meshes with your schedule.<\/span><\/p>\n Your \u201cin\u201d with roofers starts with your real estate agent, who can refer you to their network of reliable contractors.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t know how many houses I\u2019ve sold in my lifetime; I have a slew of people that I use repeatedly. They\u2019re honest, fair, and they give good prices,\u201d says Rogers. \u201cMine are dependable<\/span> \u2014 <\/span>they know they have to be because they get a lot of repeat business from me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Real estate agents like Rogers have been in the business long enough to build up a rolodex of connections and relationships with professionals in your <\/span>area, <\/span>roofing contractors included.<\/span><\/p>\n Tap into their wealth of local knowledge and cross \u201cfinding a few good roofers\u201d off your to-do list with one conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n Another great way to find a qualified roofer is through your friendly neighbors!<\/span><\/p>\n Nextdoor<\/span><\/a> is a neighborhood social networking platform where your community members can comment and post reviews of local companies and services.<\/span><\/p>\n To start your research, <\/span>first you\u2019ll need to set up a Nextdoor<\/span><\/a> account if you haven\u2019t already (it\u2019s free).<\/span><\/p>\n Once you have an account, you can use Nextdoor in two different ways to find a roofer:<\/span><\/p>\n This feature is kind of like a Facebook post, but for a neighborhood or home-related topics.<\/span><\/p>\n Nextdoor comments are from actual community members who are previous roofing contractor clients, so you can trust their opinion.<\/p>\n Soon you\u2019ll likely see suggestions pouring in from your fellow neighbors about their favorite roofing companies. You can reply to their comments, then pick and choose who to search, which narrows down the vast amount of options.<\/span><\/p>\n Use Nextdoor\u2019s search engine to find roofing companies in your area that your neighbors have reviewed. Search \u201croofers\u201d or \u201croofing companies\u201d under the Businesses tab and sort by \u201cMost recommended.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Click on some of the top options and read candid reviews from your neighbors.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s say your real estate agent did give you referrals, but those contractors are stacked with appointments and unable to fix the roof on your timeline. You might want to turn to your own online research for a roofer. Here are four sites that can help get your search started:<\/span><\/p>\n We still recommend double-checking with your real estate agent for their best roofers, as it\u2019s one less step in your home selling process that you have to worry about.<\/span><\/p>\n \n\n\n\n\n Tell us a little bit about your property and get a preliminary estimate of value in as little as two minutes.<\/p>\n \n ![\"homelight](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/ccprototypev5\/images\/logo-small-cta.png\"){kind=logo}
\n <\/div>\n \n A quick (and free) way to check your home value<\/h3>\n
When to get a roof replacement<\/h2>\n
Investing in a new roof before selling<\/h4>\n
Making roof updates due to issues raised during inspection<\/h4>\n
Dealing with structural damage<\/h4>\n
Navigating insurance claims<\/h4>\n
Summary: Consider re-roofing in the event that:<\/h4>\n
\n
How to find the best roofers<\/h2>\n
Step 1: Understand your roofing needs<\/h3>\n
Common roofing problems<\/h4>\n
\n
Choosing the right roofing materials<\/h4>\n
\n
\n <\/div>\n \n What's your home worth today?<\/h3>\n
Step 2: Set a realistic time frame for getting the job done \u2014 and prepare to be flexible.<\/h3>\n
Step 3: Select your roofer candidates<\/h3>\n
Ask your real estate agent for a roofer referral before you look online.<\/h4>\n
Hit up your block for roofer recommendations.<\/h4>\n
Post a callout asking for referrals<\/h4>\n
\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Screen-Shot-2023-06-13-at-10.08.06-AM-775x765.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nSearch for roofing businesses with positive reviews from your neighbors<\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Screen-Shot-2023-06-13-at-10.03.18-AM-775x800.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nCheck out these sites for roofer referrals<\/span><\/h4>\n
\n
\n <\/div>\n \n What's your home worth today?<\/h3>\n