The roof of your home is the most important component of all, as it protects the property from the harsh elements, and like most things that are exposed to the weather, a roof does sometimes require a repair to keep it in good order. As most people are relatively in the dark regarding roofing repairs, what might look like a top job could actually be a bad patch that will soon lead to leaks, and with that in mind, here are a few tell-tale signs that your roof repair is only temporary.
This is an invisible layer that runs under the roof tiles and into the guttering, thus keeping water away from the internal roof components. It is unlikely that a roofer would omit such an important thing as this, however, he may have used some old materials, and if so, this would give you a year or two before leaks would appear. If you climb a ladder, you can easily check that the material is new, and if it isn’t, this is something to mention when talking to the roofer.
If the roofing contractor wanted to save some money, he might have some old tiles that don’t exactly match the existing tiles, but it is close enough for him. Of course, you have likely paid for new tiles, and when inspecting the roof, look carefully at any replacement tiles, which should match. However, when you are dealing with professional roofing contractors, they would itemise every aspect on the invoice, making it easy to see where your hard-earned money went.
When the roofer has packed up and ready to leave, there should be nothing out of place, and if there is, this is not a good sign. A tradesperson that doesn’t clean up probably cuts some corners somewhere along the line, so do inspect the roof extensively if the area still has a few roofing tacks and broken bits of tiles around.
It is possible that roofer could damage soffit and fascia boards, or even the exterior walls, so do inspect carefully, looking for hammer prints or other types of damage that might be apparent. When looking at roofing contractors, see if they have customer reviews or testimonials, as these are good indicators of what to expect should you decide to use the company.
As the customer, you should be informed of every aspect of the repair, and if the invoice simply states the amount, you need to know a lot more than that. The number of man-hours, plus a list of the materials and fixtures used, along with a short, written description of the work carried out.
If you check carefully regarding a potential contractor before coming to any agreement, this should ensure that your roof will be repaired correctly, but either way, you do need to thoroughly inspect the roof when the job is completed.
