A Review of Booth & Little Roofing
Knowing what is involved in a roofing project is the first step to good communication. What you don’t want is someone promising the moon, only to deliver far less than the verbal conversation suggested.
That’s why Booth and Little provides a detailed estimate of what a specific job will entail.
One homeowner knew she needed a new roof, simply because she’d lived in the same house for about 40 years. The roof was done soon after she moved in. Cash strapped after the purchase, she and her husband went the cheaper route, a few years later and hired a roofer who agreed to add shingles over an existing two layers.
At the time, it was still within code. Now, the entire roof needed replacing and that meant tearing off all the old layers and hoping the original plywood remained intact.
She called Booth and Little and arranged a site inspection.
“Darren Little arrived on time, prepared to do a roof inspection,” said Kate Fitzsimmons. “I was a little embarrassed that it had been so long since anything had been done with the roof. The shingles were not in terrible shape and the roof had not leaked, but the rafter ends were rotting, and the plastic gutters had warped with age.”
“He took great care when he walked the roof. He’s trim and still a big guy, but his tread was like a big cat, wary and cautious. He didn’t walk on the roof any more than he needed to, in order to get a good look at what might be needed.”
An inspection helps the roofing professional get a bird’s eye view of the age and condition of a roof. It also allows for an assessment of where the house is located on the lot, ease of access from the road and how any vegetation like trees or large shrubs might make it difficult to place a receptacle close enough to toss the debris from the roof.
A roofing estimate will take into consideration the square footage of the entire roof and the type of roofing materials a homeowner wants. In a case where a roof has three layers, and hasn’t been replaced in more than 30 years, it is hard to determine whether the roof decking is still usable, as it is.
“Darren suggested we factor in new decking material, since there is a good chance it could be rotted underneath. He also knew what building permits are required in my county and the estimate included the price along with the expense of debris removal.”
An estimate details what is to be done, with what materials and by whom. Also, it should include how long it will take to accomplish all the tasks outlined.
To be sure you are protected, you will want to know whether the company you hire carries liability and worker’s compensation insurance, along with a license.
Be sure to ask what would happen if someone fell off the roof, or if the roof was not completed.
Remember, whatever roofing materials you choose will affect the overall cost of your roof replacement.
“One of the other things I wanted to know is whether Darren and his company uses subcontractors to do the actual work, or if the people who will be on my roof are employees of Booth and Little,” said Fitzsimmons. “Darren assured me the work would be done by his employees.”
“I received a detailed estimate and I feel comfortable moving forward with this project, since a already got estimates with two other roofers, to compare.”
Contact us today, to arrange for one of our roofing professionals to set an appointment for a free estimate.