It helps to have someone on your side that you can trust—especially when it comes to roofing. Roofing systems are particular and complicated, especially on rental properties, where (depending on the use of the building) they often have unique needs and issues.
But how do you, as a property manager or property management company, find a roofing company that you can count on to protect your portfolio? Well, there are a few key things to look out for when trying to choose.
Things to Look For When Choosing a Roofing Company for Rental Properties
Experience With Rental Properties
First and foremost, when you’re trying to choose a roofing company, you want to make sure that they have experience working with rental properties. Depending on the types of rentals in your portfolio, you specifically will want to see if they have experience working on multi-unit apartments or commercial buildings.
You may not think it matters—every roof is the same, right? Wrong! The roofing needs and issues of single-family homes can differ greatly from those of townhouses, for example. Ask any potential roofing companies if you can see examples of work they’ve done on rental properties from the last 3 to 6 months. (You want to make sure they’re not showing you a one-off from 10 years ago!)
If you like what you see, and the type of buildings they service match the ones you manage, you’re one step closer to choosing a rental company.
Positive Online Reviews and Business Ratings
The Internet is a great source of information—so use it accordingly! All you have to do is type in the name of a potential roofing company and let the World Wide Web do the work for you. Google is one of the most popular search platforms, so we recommend going there first and reading through reviews on their business page. (It helps to sort them by most recent.)
After that, go onto the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and check their ratings there. The BBB compiles information about the company and complaints from customers, and then rates businesses on an A+ to F scale. Typically, you want to work with roofing companies that fall somewhere within the A range.
Standard Roofing & Restoration, for example, has been awarded an A+ by the BBB! (That’s the highest rating you can get!)
Good Local Reputation and Word of Mouth
When in doubt, don’t be afraid to ask around! Word of mouth is a great way to learn about roofing companies in the area. Many communities or neighborhoods have Facebook groups or message boards where you can post questions to get some local insight.
If you’re friendly with any other property management companies or property managers nearby, contact them and find out which roofing company they work with and how they like them. This will be a good way to not only find out which roofing companies to check out, but, if they tell you about bad experiences, which ones to avoid at all costs!
Licensing, Insurance, and Warranties
Before you choose a roofing company to work on your rental properties, you want to make sure that all their paperwork is in order! Ask potential roofing companies for copies of their business license (If they don’t want to give you their license, you can look up Wisconsin-based companies here) as well as their insurance coverage for their employees and subcontractors.
That may seem like a weird ask, but if a roofing company doesn’t have insurance, you may be held liable for any accidents that occur on your property! Also ask for copies of their warranty, so you can better understand what products and services are protected. Doing all of this will ensure that you are financially safeguarded in the unfortunate event that someone gets injured or a repair fails and needs to be re-done.
Transparent About Process & Pricing
Open communication and honesty are key to forging a successful relationship between a property management company and a roofing company. That’s why it’s so important to contact any potential roofing companies in order to not only gauge how well future interactions would go but to also get information straight from the source.
Ask them questions relating to their roofing processes and pricing. Are they transparent in their responses, or do they seem to be withholding information? Are they quick to respond to your inquiries, or do they take a while to get back to you? Do they refuse to give you an estimate when it comes to pricing? All of these may be signs they’re not the right roofing company for you.
Other questions you can ask them to get a feel for their business may include:
- How will you protect my rental properties?
- What do you do to minimize disruptions to tenants during repairs or maintenance?
- How do I get a hold of you? And how prompt will you be to respond?
- Do you do emergency repairs? How fast do you get on-site in those instances?
- Do you accept various payment methods?
- Do you employ subcontractors? Or will your employees be working on my roofs?
Contact Us Today For Your Roofing Needs
At Standard Roofing & Restoration, we not only have years of experience working with rental companies—we’re a trusted business with a dedication to high-quality products, premier service, and open and honest customer service.
If you’re a property management company trying to find a roofing company, then contact us today for more information or a free estimate. The care of properties in your portfolio, as well as the comfort of the tenants who reside in them, will always be our number one priority.