Whenever you need exterior home repair or roof repair in Toronto, you’ll need to get in touch with contractors for the repairs. But dealing with contractors can be overwhelming, especially when you’re not familiar with home repairs or are a new homeowner.

The good news is that you can follow a few simple steps to make the process easier, honest, and generally ensure that you get the repairs you need for the right price.

Here’s what we’ll cover in regard to dealing with contractors:

• Getting an estimate
• Understanding the price
• Negotiating warranties
• Checking reviews
• Assessing Their History
• Comparing with other contractors

Remember that the average roofing job costs thousands of dollars – depending on the project, we’re talking five figures. But when you follow these tips, you can help ensure you’re protected. 

Getting an Estimate

Whenever you first approach a contractor with a roofing or similar issue, the next step is of course to get an estimate from the contractor so you can better assess if they’re the right contractor for you (and in your price range!).

While sometimes this can be done on the first call with them, reliable and accurate estimates will the majority of the time require that the contractors come in person to your home to inspect the issue in person.

That’s the only reliable way to they can provide a true, accurate estimate in most circumstances.

Now, it’s worth noting that roof repair contractors in Toronto may discover more issues with your roof upon inspection, impacting the estimate.

But generally speaking, you can compare the estimate you’re given with information you find on the web regarding the cost to fix the particular issue you’re facing.

Understanding the Price

The estimate will necessarily come with a price . . . but it won’t always come with an appropriate level of explanation for that price.

By that I mean that it won’t break down exactly where your dollars are going. Labour, materials, equipment, etc. – all these factors can impact how you’ll end up paying for your roof repair.

But without a detailed estimate, the price becomes a black box that simply returns a number without much information about that number.

It’s important when dealing with contractors to get a detailed estimate, in other words, that can help you determine the price more effectively.

That way you can make sure your money is going to the right place.

Negotiating Warranties

You’ve found a contactor you trust, and the price is within your budget/fair for the type of job they’re doing – great! Now it’s time to begin work. But here’s the catch; not all contractors are made equal. Some do better work than others, and there’s really only one way to guarantee that the job you’re paying for is the job you’ll get: by negotiating a warranty.

A warranty will give you the peace of mind that your roof will last for months or even years after the job is done. That way you won’t have to keep calling back to have your roof looked at multiple times or have to pay for additional repairs after the first job.

• What to ask for in the contract

In addition to negotiating your warrant, you can also include in your contract:

• The name of the contractor or their company, their address, and contact information
• A detailed description of the project (what’s to be done, roofing materials to be used, dates, etc.)
• The written estimate or quote with an itemized list of labour/material
• Payment terms (time period, method, etc.)
• Responsibilities clearly outlined (who cleans up after the job, for instance)
• Liabilities (who would be responsible should your neighbour’s property get damaged, for instance)

Checking Reviews

When checking reviews, you have the remember the rule of extremes: most people will only leave reviews if they’ve received extraordinary service or are deeply dissatisfied with the results.

So reviews can be a bit misleading.

That said, over the years, a good contractor in Toronto will receive a number of strong, positive reviews that can help you avoid working with a weaker company.

Assessing Their History

If you’ve got a contractor in mind, one great way to tell if they’re the right one for you is how long they’ve been in business for.

Longevity means that the company has been delivering successful results for years – otherwise people wouldn’t keep coming back and keeping them in business.

If the contractor can demonstrate that they’ve been around for a while helping out clients, then you can be more certain that they’re a company that you can reliably work with.

Comparing to Other Contractors

Whenever you’re looking to buy a product it’s important to do your due diligence and compare it to other providers on the market.

There are a variety of ways you can compare two contractors (many of them mentioned above), including:

• Price
• Availability
• Location
• Time in business
• Reviews
• Timelines
• Warranties
• Safety measures in place for their workers (they should follow Occupational Health and Safety Act)

Doing a bit of extra research may take a bit of time but it’s almost always worth it. It can save you thousands and help ensure you don’t work with a contractor that simply won’t get the job done right.

Work with Toronto Contractors You Can Trust – Work with Dominion Roofing, Celebrating Over 100 Years of Success

You’re now able to more capably vet Toronto contractors. But we’ll go ahead and save you some time – Dominion Roofing is a contractor that you can trust to get the job done on time, without hidden costs, and without headaches. 

How do we do it? With over 100 years of experience helping millions of residents of the GTA get roof repairs or roof installations, we know a lot about roofing and repairs. 

No matter the roofing project – whether you need flat roofing (industrial roofing) or residential, new roof installations to roof repairs to roof tune – we’re your go-to contractor. 

We maintain an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. We’ve been in this business for decades for a reason. Good word backed by transparent contracts and estimates with no shocks at the end of the job are our hallmarks.

Get a quote today or give us a call at 416-789-0601. You can also email us at info@dominionroofing.com. We’re ready to handle any roofing job you need done.