We needed to have our roof replaced as it was past its useful life as one can tell from the pictures.
I had 4 or 5 companies come and provide an estimate.
We had offers ranging from extremely low priced to ridiculously expensive.
I cannot stress enough how important it is for one to do his homework BEFORE talking to contractors ! Do your research not only on the companies but also on the roofing process itself - what's involved, the most important terms and what they mean, materials used and the difference in quality etc. There is plenty of information on the web and you don't need to become a roofing expert but 3-4 hours of research will pay for itself many times over. The reason is that you must understand at least the basics of roofing so that when the estimators come you will understand what they are telling you and have an idea of what to expect.
In short, here is why we went to Tom and his company MegaCity Roofing:
- MegaCity responded to our request for a quote very promptly
- Tom was very thorough in explaining every detail of the job and the different options we have with their advantages and disadvantages
- He manages his own crew and no sub-contractors are used
- MegaCity is registered with BBB with good standing
- they have a very high rating on homestars.com - the important part here is that the ratings go back several years and are consistently good
- the price was reasonable - we were not looking for the cheapest option anyway and were ready to pay a bit more for quality work (within reason) given the importance of the work
We were not disappointed. Pretty much everything went as planned.
- the work started on schedule
- the crew was skilled and professional
- we had two previous layers of shingles that had to be removed - so lots of waste came from the roof but the site was well prepared for the job
- the clean-up job was outstanding - I found only 2-3 nails after the finish and they had fallen between the cracks of our back yard patio
- Tom followed up to make sure that everything was fine a few days after completing the work.
Great job and we would not hesitate to recommend this company to other people!
- Approximate cost of services:
- $5,500.00
- Any advice to offer fellow homeowners facing a similar project?
- - do your homework on the process itself so that you have an idea of what is involved and will understand the jargon and what the contractors are telling you - there is plenty of information available - make a list of all the important questions, review them a few times and add more as needed - and don't be shy to ask the estimators everything that you deem is important - talk to neighbors or other people that might know that have gone through this process and ask them for their experiences - do an extensive research on the companies that are on your short list - check the Better Business Bureau site and reference sites such as homestars.com - When you are looking at references for companies on the internet make sure that you don't select one based on the single good review that they have - you need a history of at least 2-3 years with consistently good reviews. If there is a bad one - check to see if the company has resolved the issue - get a company that does not sub-contract their work - otherwise you will be at the mercy of chance since all companies that sub-contract have good crews and bad crews - what you get is out of your control - make sure you are covered on the legal side - ask for the business license, Workers Compensation and Liability (Property Damage) Insurance; written, itemized contract with all costs and final total amount; two written warranties - one for the material and the other for the labor
- Company Response
Hi Ianko, WOW this is great of you to do.
Our many thanks for writing such a great review on us and giving the general consumer an outlook on roofing. Making sure you find the right company for the job and not just based on price is what everyone should understand. Making the right decision matters to ensure your roof has been installed correctly and professionally. Thanks again and keep well, Tom Geo MCRINC