How to Choose Trustworthy Roofing Contractors in Gaithersburg MD

Roof repair or replacement is serious work for your home. Finding a contractor that can complete the job—and complete it well—is undoubtedly important so that you can be confident your roof will protect you and your family for years to come.

Plenty of roofing contractors are in operation here in Gaithersburg and throughout the DMV. The challenge is finding one that is trustworthy—one you know will perform quality work and won’t rip you off. Doing your homework and asking plenty of questions are essential to choosing a contractor; don’t settle for a business that gives you any reason to doubt it.

Are you not sure how to even start this search? Here are some avenues for finding and choosing trustworthy roofing contractors in Gaithersburg:

Your friends and neighbors

Word of mouth remains perhaps the most popular—and most powerful—way homeowners find and hire trustworthy roofing contractors. Think about it: You likely rely on friends and family for recommendations for everything from restaurants to how to keep your cat from scratching furniture; trusting the professionals they trust is a natural extension of that reliance. The great thing about word of mouth when it comes to roofing is that you can actually see the completed work a contractor has performed on a friend or neighbor’s home.

Contractor referral sites

Unless you still prefer to consult a phonebook, the Internet will be a primary source of finding a trustworthy roofing contractor. Here are a few sites that focus exclusively on home-improvement contractors:

• GuildQuality: Simply type in a few terms and GuildQuality will return search results that will provide a good launching point for finding a contractor. The reviews that customers leave are generally thorough—more so than what you might find on Yelp or Google.
• Angie’s List: The granddaddy (grandma?) of online home-improvement reviews is now free to use.
• Porch: Besides offering online reviews, Porch will find you contractors if conducting online research isn’t your preference.

Online review sites

Your first thought about Yelp and Google might be that they wouldn’t be good sources to find a roofing contractor. However, both sites focus on local businesses, which is great for restaurants and auto repair shops, but also can be a resource when finding a contractor to work on your home. Granted, the reviews you see on Yelp or Google (or even Facebook) might not be as deep as those found on Angie’s List or GuildQuality, but some people are more likely to post their feedback there than to a more niche review site.

Professional Organizations

The National Roofing Contractors Association offers a handy contractor search on its homepage, which is another great resource if you aren’t sure where to start your quest for a roofer. Also, the Maryland Roofing Association will connect you with a contractor for an estimate—simply fill out a form on the homepage and the organization will provide a reference.

The BBB

The Maryland Better Business Bureau offers reviews and accreditations that can help homeowners choose a trusted roofing contractor. Perhaps more important, the BBB catalogs complaints made against businesses; don’t hesitate to check here when you are considering a contractor to handle a job as important as your roof.

Manufacturers

Finally, manufacturers of roofing materials and systems may offer their own recommendations of contractors they trust to install their products. Moreover, many of these companies offer rigid master certification standards to contractors and then do everything to promote and improve those certified businesses. For example, take GAF, an industry leader in roofing materials. It insists upon vigorous standards before it will award Master Elite status to any contractor. GAF then lists these trusted contractors in its online directory so that homeowners know that a roofer found there has already demonstrated a commitment to excellence. And for your home, excellence is the standard you should always be seeking.

How do you usually find trustworthy contractors in Gaithersburg?