For most of us, 98% is good enough for almost everything in life. If my kids would obey me 98% of the time, I would be pretty happy. If I would be making 98% of the money that I want to make, I would be happy. I am petty sure you would agree with me.
When it comes to home improvements in your house, being 98% perfect is not bad either. Most of us don’t expect our homes to be 100% picture perfect; as long as it looks great, we are happy and ready to write the final check.
I have worked in the home remodeling industry for over 10 years and a roofing contractor for the last couple years. I have done countless final walkthroughs with homeowners to look at the results of our work together. What has always surprised me during these walkthroughs is realizing that most people don’t know what a good residential roof should look like.
When I ask people, “What do you think, does it look good to you?” The most common response I get is, “I don’t know, you’re the roofing contractor, you tell me.”
When I perform roof inspections on leaky roofs that are only 5-8 years old, I am forced to explain to the homeowner why their relatively new roof that looks great on the outside is failing. “Your roof is almost perfect,” but it will cost you this much to fix it.
When you have a leaky roof, “almost perfect” is just not good enough! Unlike a squeaky floor or a wall in need of new paint; when your roof is only 98% right, I promise you that 2% will leak.
Where do we loose this 2%? Believe it or not, in the details.
This is why I started the Storm Group Roofing YouTube channel. 98% is not good enough for roof shingles. If you miss the shingle’s nailing zone with 2% of the nails used, there will be hundreds of nails that pop up all over the roof causing shingles to become dislodged and blow off.
Small details like kick out flashing takes 2-3 minutes to install, but miss it and you will end up in thousands in rotted wood/foundation/siding and wood repairs. Trust me I have seen it all.
Of course, you can call me and I will take care of the problem, but consider this:
When you hire a roofing contractor, always remember that it’s not an estimate it is a job interview. You are talking to a person who will be responsible for waterproofing and protecting your biggest investment: your home.
What to look for and ask when interviewing for a roofing job:
Is the roofing contractor thorough in their work? How good are their measurements? How detailed is their information?
Many older roofs are in need of some upgrades whether its in ventilation or something to prevent larger problems, like ice dams, from occurring?
All of the above can and should be identified during the initial estimate with the roofer.
98% is not good enough in the roofing industry. You don’t have to settle for less. Find a trusted local roofer who is organized, can manage their time, has a good reputation, listens to you when you speak, answers your concerns, and offers solutions that make sense.
At Storm Group Roofing, we don’t recommend you signing estimates or contracts that don’t specify what brands of accessories or fasteners will be used. A reputable roofer knows every roofing accessory, understands the terminology, and what it takes to get job done 100%.
Did you know that hiring a “certified” roofing company is a big plus when it comes to registering extending warranties? However, it is useless if the certified roofing contractor doesn’t register your roof with manufacturer. It is very common for “certified roofers” to really push their certification only to not register the warranties. Typically, there are only 30 days to complete this process and it requires an organized worker in the office to register the warranty for the homeowner then answer any questions on the specifics of the roofing job. Again, it’s 98% great using certified roofing installer, but make it 100% right and have them register your warranty!
In my humble opinion, if you can’t complete a roofing job 100% right every time you shouldn’t be in the roofing business. Period. 98% is not good enough for the roofing materials you use either.
