The 9 Questions You Need To Ask A Roofing Contractor Before You Accept The Quote

Question #1: Are you licensed and insured?

In Alberta, almost anyone with a truck and ladder can call themselves a roofer, there’s little provincial enforcement. But hiring an unlicensed contractor risks voided insurance, denied claims, and personal liability if someone’s hurt on your property.

Licensed roofers with Alberta-specific insurance and WCB protect you legally and give you peace of mind knowing trained, vetted pros are doing the job right.

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Question #2: Do you use subcontractors or your own crew?

You’ll find some companies cut costs by sneaking in low-cost subcontractors to do the actual work. If something goes wrong, the contractor can blame the crew, and the crew can disappear.

You should work with a roofing company that has their own in-house teams that stand behind their work. At SW Roofing we have 9 in house crews that go through our rigorous 5-point hiring process.

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Question #3: What is your workmanship warranty?

Don’t settle for anything less than a 10-year workmanship warranty. In most cases future issues are going to happen because of poor installation. So make sure you find a company that has confidence in their work.

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Question #4: How long will the full replacement take?

Most contractors send just 2 workers, dragging the job out over 3 to 5 days of noise, mess, and disruption.

But at SW Roofing, we put 6 skilled workers on your roof so it’s replaced in a single day. Letting you get back to normal life fast.

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Question #5: Are you certified by shingle manufacturers?

Manufactured certified contractors give you another layer of trust, showing they’ve gone through a rigorous certification process, and are backed by industry leading shingle manufactures

For example, an IKO certified contractor, like SW Roofing have gone through the training courses and been accepted into the program to be a certified IKO installer.

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Question #6: How do you protect my property during the roof replacement?

The last thing you want is to come home from work to find your lawn covered in shingles, nails, and debris, while the crew has peeled out.

Ask your contractor if they’re using tarps, plywood, and magnetic sweepers to keep your home and yard protected.

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Question #7: Are you HAAG Certified and help with hail damage insurance claims?

You’ll want your roofers to be HAAG Certified if you’re replacing the roof because of hail damage. HAAG certified roofers help you get the absolute most from your insurance. Plus they help breeze through the paperwork 

A HAAG-Certified inspector has undergone rigorous training in storm damage assessment, specifically learning how to identify, document, and explain hail and wind damage in a way that insurance adjusters recognize and accept.

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Question #8: What’s your cleanup process?

Ask if they do a full site walk, use magnetic sweepers, and take the time to leave your property spotless. 

Ask if they do a full site walk, use magnetic sweepers, and take the time to leave your property spotless. Aside from your beautiful new roof, a team that cares should leave your home looking like they were never there.

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Question #9: Can you give me references of your last 5 replacements?

Don’t just rely on online reviews, those can be misleading or in some cases fake. Ask your contractor for references from their last few jobs. If they are truly the best like they’re claiming, they should be happy to send you some examples.

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