As a commercial property owner, maintaining your commercial roofs is essential to the soundness of your portfolio. Nothing can compromise the integrity of your commercial buildings or multi-family housing properties faster than roof leaks and water running amuck through critical interior building systems. With this in mind, consider the following criteria for choosing the right commercial roofing contractor for your peace of mind and investment.
Check Credentials
The first items on your list to vet potential commercial roofing contractors are ensuring they follow best business practices, have a well-established history and maintain superb customer-oriented focus — up to code, so to speak.
- License: Your commercial contractor should be legally licensed to work in your area.
- Bonded and insured: If your contractor isn’t bonded and up to date with insurance — liability and worker’s comp — you may be financially responsible for damages to property and body during roofing service, repair and installation.
- Testimonials: The clients your contractor services are some of your best resources for vetting companies. Check references of recent work similar in scope to your needs.
- History: Choose a company that has been in business many years or even decades. This is not to say that newer companies aren’t talented. However, to best ensure your property, go with a company with a proven track record.
Centrally Managed Contractor
Whether you are hiring a commercial contractor for one project, such as an commercial roof installation, or you’re looking for a maintenance contract and long-term relationship, look for a company with the resources, service consistency and communication assets.
- Resource management: A centrally managed contractor ensures the roofers working on your project are permanent employees (no sub contractors), trained in the same manner and deliver superior services and results. This should hold true no matter if your commercial properties are in Blaine, MN, or span from Arkansas to Nebraska and back to Iowa.
- Consistency: An product of a successful resource management contractor is mission consistency. You can expect uniformity from one property and project to the next. This proves essential for your time management and maintaining maintenance contract agreements for multiple properties.
- Dedicated contact: Your time is valuable and should be respected by your clients, vendors and contractors. Look for a commercial roofing contractor that provides you a dedicated contact to answer questions, report problems and keep you up to date on your roofing assets.
Roof Service Contract
Invest in a service contract with your commercial roofing contractor. Covering the costs of maintenance contracts each year for the roofs that cover your properties is smart and a small price to pay to ensure your buildings are sound. Analyze service contracts from multiple contractors for:
- Costs: As a savvy property owner or manager, money matters, but not at the expense of working with an unprofessional and unproven company.
- Service and coverage: Who will be working on your roofs? Interior systems inspection? How many properties are covered?
- Time frame: What is the length of the service contract? Are there annual, semi-annual or quarterly service calls and inspections? Get all the details in writing!
These are all important questions, and you probably have more from your commercial roofing contractor. For the right answers, contact Welter Construction today!