Choosing the right contractor and materials is crucial to ensuring a successful project. In this article, local roofing contractor State Roofing shares five essential tips for a smooth and stress-free roofing project — from finding a trustworthy contractor to preparing your home for construction.

1. Hire a reputable roofing contractor. The success of your roofing project is mostly hinged on hiring good roofers for your project. There are many factors that go into finding a reputable company with a solid track record: licenses, insurance and certifications, reviews and testimonials all add up to a prospective contractor’s reputation. You will need to make the time to look them up and find out details like their workmanship, customer service quality, and how long they have been in business.
2. Choose high-quality roofing materials. As the homeowner, you have the final word on the choice of roofing materials. Quality materials will cost more, but they can make the finished roof more durable and long-lasting. Your contractor can help you select the best roofing materials based on your budget and specific roofing needs.
3. Get everything in writing. Before you commit to your roofing project, make sure that every detail is put in writing. Bill of materials, scope of work, payment terms, project timeline, warranty coverage should be among these important details. Read them thoroughly, make sure that they’re what you have agreed to during your consultations, and have them corrected where they’re not. This will help keep your project on track and protect you from disputes that may arise.
4. Do not pay upfront. Consider it a red flag if a roofer asks for the full payment upfront. The standard payment scheme for roofing projects are paid in installments: a downpayment that’s usually 30% of the contract price, one or more installments after material delivery and similar milestones, and a final payment upon project completion.
5. Prepare your home. Once the project is on track and you have a start date, you should prepare your home for the construction work. Roofing work generates a lot of debris and waste material that creating paths, moving things out of the way and protecting areas around the roof will be necessary. Your roofer should have information on which parts of your home will need to be protected. You also have to make sure that pets and children are kept away from the work areas — maybe set them up with relatives until after the new roof is up.

State Roofing offers decades of roofing experience that will help ensure the success of your next roofing project. Call us at (360) 794-7164 or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment. We serve Tacoma and Kirkland, WA as well as the surrounding communities.