When making a decision to hire a home or building improvement contractor, many important factors are often overlooked. Price seems to be the most sought after answer, which is just human nature. However, once you understand the various contractors’ bids for the work, it is critical to understand the following:

1) Are the products, methods, and materials the same?

2) Are the contractors equally qualified?

3) What are the terms of payment?

4) What is the scheduling window for your project?

If you have asked and answered these questions, you are far ahead of the average home or building owner.

Washington State has distinct rules, regulations, and laws that govern both residential and commercial roofing work. For example, it is unlawful, and punishable by severe monetary fines, and possibly jail time, to disturb any inplace construction materials, without first having an AHERA Asbestos containing materials survey completed. Surprisingly very few, if any, of the prospective “Professional Contractor’s” even know that this law exists, or even worse they know the law, but chose to ignore it. The law places the burden of this surveying on the residential homeowner or commercial building owner, not their contractor(s).

Washington State Department of Labor and Industries provides online information regarding each and every licensed contractor in the state. Visit the L&I Website and know the statistical performance of your contractor’s before you sign any contract agreement.

Worker health and safety is tracked and published by the Department of Labor & Industries. Any contractor with an “Experience Rating” (money paid into Workers’ Compensation vs. losses paid out). This is an excellent barometer in measuring the workplace safety history of any registered contractor. Each new contractor starts out at a 1.0, and moves up or down from that point depending on claim costs. Any contractor below a 1.0, statistically is a safer than average company. Understand the EXPERIENCE RATING of any prospective contractor.

The lowest price is seldom ever the best deal.

In 2009, our company was awarded the designation as one of the “Top 100 Roofing Contractors in the Country for 2009″ by Roofing Contractor Magazine. I have been asked the question many times since; “What does this mean”?

What a great question! What it means to us, and to our clients, is this; A continued and uncompromising pursuit of excellence in the service of our clientele. The proof is in the systems we have established to 1) safeguard quality; 2) improve communication; 3) emphasize safety; and 4) provide unsurpassed follow-through. The past 18 years we have learned alot. We believe that if processes are measured, they will inevitably improve.

What it continues to mean to us is that we honor each and every person or business that contacts us for assistance with the planning of their project. We honor them by doing our very best to ensure that the process of roof repair or replacement is as professionally administered as possible. We also honor them by responding quickly and deliberately when they have a problem or a question.

We are honored to have been selected as one of the “Top 100″. It is part of our continued journey to be Number 1.

Jeff Rankin, CSI, CDT
President

Winter in Western Washington

The experts have predicted an unusually wet and cold winter this year… are you prepared?

Should I do anything before winter? How will my roof system perform during or after a freeze? Will my roof be OK if we experience a significant wind event here in the Northwest?

These are all very good questions.

Our crews are available to work year round. Residential and Commercial roof systems can be replaced during the winter months. In fact, it is very often some of the busiest times of the year for our crews.

Please contact us directly to have your roof, gutters, flashings, and other weatherization systems inspected. We will be happy to provide you with a condition assessment and recommendations about what is best for your building and your budget.