Germantown Roofing Contractors

Common Questions and Answers About Germantown Roofing and Roof Contractors

Below are a few roofing tips and a short guide to hiring a professional roofing contractor in Germantown, MD.

What are some simple steps to hiring a quality roofer in Germantown?

1. First, contact Germantown roofing companies, discuss your needs, and schedule a time for a roofing estimate.
2. During the estimate, ask a few questions of the roofing company representative.
• Do you have evidence of license and insurance certificates?
• What type of guarantees do you offer on materials and workmanship?
• Is the estimate and the guarantee in writing?
• Do you have any recent homeowner or business owner references from other Germantown re-roofing projects?
• If you're requesting estimates for a specialized roofing material like metal, does the roofer have experience as a metal roofing contractor, or is their experience solely in shingles?
3. Call or email the roofer's references to determine how satisfied they were with the quality of the roof contractor's work.
4. Select the Germantown roofing contractor that you trust and offers you the best overall value. Value includes quality and price. Don't automatically choose the roofer with the lowest price. There are a lot of "fly-by-night" roofing contractors out there that may provide a low bid and then proceed to provide you poor service and a poorly done roof. Select the contractor that is trustworthy, offers professional credentials, and a fair price.

Do roofing contractors in Germantown, MD charge for estimates?

Most Germantown roofers will provide a free written estimate on your roof. A few roofers charge a small service call fee for roof repair estimates (while roof replacement estimates remain free). The small fee for roof repair estimates charged by some roofers can often be applied to the cost of the repair if you hire that particular roofer to complete the repair.

How much does roof replacement cost?

Roof size, location, number of layers to remove, roofing material, slope of the roof, and complexity of the roof all can have a major impact on the cost to replace a roof. All of these variables make it nearly impossible to give an accurate "ballpark" roof estimate. Roofing prices for a full roof tear off and replacement range from $250 per square up to $1200 per square. A "square" in roofing means 100 square feet of roof. "Per square" is often the way roofing prices are quoted.

Here's a ballpark example (remember, this example may bear no resemblance to your circumstances or estimate... so don't hold your Germantown roofer to this number). A 20 square roof (2000 square feet of roof) with one layer of shingles to tear off, low to moderate slope and complexity, and a medium quality shingle selected may be installed for around $350 per square, or $7000 (20 square X $350 per square).

How can I be certain that a Germantown roofer has professional credentials?

The best approach is to ask for the roofing company representative to provide their license, insurance, and references at the time of the roofing estimate.

At Hometown Roofing Contractors, we try to give you a good head start in the process of assessing Germantown roofers. We prescreen roofing contractors to confirm that a workmanship warranty is offered and that the roofing company has the appropriate state license (if required by your state) and liability insurance.

It's possible that the roof contractor's license or insurance status could have changed since our original screening. So, it's still very important to ask to see evidence of the roofers' license and insurance certificates at the time of your estimate.

Do roofing contractors in Germantown, MD complete roof replacements and roof repairs in the winter?

Most roof work does not have to be put off during the winter. Roof repairs are done year round. It's much better to repair any roof that is leaking than to wait until spring, regardless of the type of roof.

Shingle roof installations are affected by cold temperatures, which can prevent an immediate seal between shingles. But if your roofer is knowledgeable about weather impact, the surrounding area isn't overly dusty (ie.. an active construction site), and a high quality shingle with ample wind rating is used (typically architectural shingles), a shingle roof can be successfully installed during the winter. Nails from the nail gun will adhere the roof through the winter and when the warmer temperatures come in the spring the glue on the shingle backing will further adhere the shingle.

Metal roofing, slate roofs, and shake roofs can be successfully installed during the winter months without regard to temperature.

Severe weather conditions do require adjustments to timing and techniques, but roofers can work all year.