You wouldn't trust your doctor to repair your car. You wouldn't trust your mechanic to perform laser eye surgery, and you probably wouldn't want the chef at your favorite restaurant to be your children's school teacher. In their own fields, these professionals excel, and their experience has made them trustworthy. When it comes to your home, seeking out a qualified home improvement specialist is no different.



Most people count their homes as their biggest investment. Monetary value aside, homes also tend to have strong emotional value and ties to family. When any type of major work is done on the home, there's the potential for it to become an emotional and financial roller coaster of missed deadlines, poor workmanship and the struggle to get things done right.

Working carefully to choose the right home improvement company can be the difference between quality work that you'll be proud to see on your home and a nightmare of an experience. With something as important as your family's home, taking a risk on an unqualified contractor is never worth it. When dealing with a roofing or re-roofing job, hiring a risky company can lead straight to disaster.

It can be tricky to ensure that an Atlanta roofing company is qualified, since the state of Georgia doesn't hold roofing contractors to any particular standards or require them to be licensed. That means it's even more important to do your due diligence as a homeowner when you're considering different roofing contractors. The following tips should help you weed out the inexperienced or unqualified roofers so that you can feel confident in the roof company you do select.

Before you even meet with an Atlanta roofing contractor, check out their company.

- Do they have a physical address, rather than just a post office box?

- How long have they been in business?

- Have they been awarded any certificates from roofing manufacturers? This shows that they've completed manufacturer-specific training and are striving to learn more about their craft.

- Is the company reviewed by previous customers on any websites?

- Are they willing to provide recent, local referrals?

- Most importantly, check that they don't have any complaints filed against them at the Better Business Bureau. If there are past complaints registered, did they work to resolve the issue to everyone's satisfaction?

Once you've established that the Atlanta roofer you're considering meet the first criteria, it's time to set an appointment for an estimate.

- Timeliness matters! If they don't arrive on time for your first appointment, can you really trust that they'll stick to timelines for the rest of the project?

- Any competent Atlanta contractor will want to actually climb up onto the roof to inspect it and take accurate measurements during the estimate meeting. Whether it's a complete reroofing or just a roofing repair, the contractor should want to examine the roof and siding, gutters, chimneys and even the inside of the roof in the attic.

- The contractor should be able to explain the process of working through your reroofing or roof repairs, as well as the different material options you have. The cost of the final project can vary greatly depending on what material you use, so be sure to ask any questions you need to in order to understand the benefits and costs of each option.

- To protect yourself and your property, ask to see proof that the roofing company carries liability and workers comprehensive insurance.

Finally, you'll receive a written proposal.

- Reputable roofing companies typically require payment when a project is completed, not in advance. The proposal should spell out your payment details.

- It should also be very specific, mentioning brand names of materials used and itemizing services and prices.

Reroofing can be an overwhelming project, but ensuring that your roofing company is reputable and qualified will make it go much more smoothly.