3 Common Mistakes Made When Getting a New Roof

 Hundreds of homeowners will have their roofs replaced each year.  Choosing a high-quality roofing system for your home is critical to ensuring that your home will be capable of withstanding the harsh winters that we tend to experience in New England.  

This decision can be hard to figure out. So in order to help you make the best roofing decision possible, here is a look at the three common mistakes that you can avoid when getting a new roof installed on your home.

SELECTING CHEAP MATERIALS:

One of the the single biggest mistakes that homeowners tend to make when getting a new roof is purchasing materials that are low quality, and cheap roof. When it comes to making home repairs, homeowners tend to select the most cost efficient options. This is especially true when it comes to choosing between roofing bids. Unfortunately choosing cheap materials can end up costing homeowners more in the long run.

Selection cheap materials like 3-tab shingles are not made to withstand the weather conditions that we tend to experience.  The harsh New England winters can cause cheap materials to wear out quicker and will cause them to fail. This will lead to more repairs or having to have your roof replaced quicker than normal. 

We’re not saying that three-tab shingles are a bad material. In the correct climate, three-tab shingles can be a decent roofing solution for people on a budget.  You want to keep in mind that cheap materials will need to be replaced far more often and will eventually end up costing more than choosing high-quality materials the first time.

Another thing to consider is cheap underlayment materials. This is also common when more inexpensive roofing materials are chosen.  Selecting cheap underlayment materials won’t keep your home as protected from water, snow, and ice, which is essential for homes in out climate.

CHOOSING AN UNTESTED ROOFING COMPANY:

We have been installing roofs 25 years now and have seen plenty of roofing companies come and go. A mistake that homeowners tend make when having a new roof installed is by choosing a company that is very new or who  haven’t been operating in the area primarily.

There are three big reasons as to why you want to choose a reputable local roofing company:

1. You want to be sure you are receiving a reliable warranty,
2. Feel like you are protecting your home properly
3. Being able to turn someone in case of emergencies.

Over the past 25 years, we have witnessed homeowners choose to work with a newer roofing company, only for that roofing company to go out of business a few years later. This leaves the homeowner out of luck when something on their roof fails or needs to be repaired.

Also if you decide to select an untested company then you might open yourself up to a lot of headaches in the future.  This is especially true if you were promised a warranty.  Unfortunately we have witnessed this happening often when homeowners were sold their roof with a workmanship warranty that can’t be redeemed because the company is out of business. 

By choosing a reputable local roofing company, you can ensure that you will receive the best roofing solution.

INCORRECTLY COMPARING BIDS

When you have made the decision to get a new roof, you are likely to get multiple bids for your roofing project. Having all of these bids can be a little overwhelming and you might overlook some key details on the roofing bid.

A key thing to compare when getting multiple bids, is price. This is one of the biggest elements that homeowners will compare. This is obviously an important aspect to compare as a homeowner to ensure that you are getting a fair deal. However it is just as important to compare the scope of work, materials, and processes that will be used on your project. You don’t want to just stop at the price comparison, but you want to take in everything that is being offered.

The quality of the investment tends to go beyond the price. While the price is good to look at, it is far more critical to examine the scope of work. The scope of the work will let you know if you are getting a cheap roofing system or if your home is going to be appropriately roofed for our climate.

Often times the price difference on bids will come down to better material choices and better installation practices.  

CONCLUSION

Our roofs are put to the ultimate test due to our unique climate. Having an excellent roofing system installed on can be essential so you don’t face any issues in the winter.

We have seen many homeowners make some common mistakes that can easily be avoided. This will help ensure that your roof will last a long time and will protect your home in all types of weather.

There are three most common mistakes: not properly comparing bids, selecting cheap materials, and choosing new or not reputable companies.

If you avoid these three mistakes, then you are more likely to have a quality roof installed on your home.

Call us:

At BP Builders we know about roof repairs. We also know when to replace a roof. Ask for our advice. Call us today for all your roofing needs.