Roofing is an expensive project, and most homeowners have zero previous experience in selecting the right roofing system. It is very difficult for homeowners to select a roofing system, and to make that easy, we have designed this five-step guide. If you follow the instructions in this guide, you can easily choose the roof that will last a lifetime.

The process of selecting a roofing type starts with clearly identifying what you need and then comparing the available options to see which one most closely fulfills your requirements. It is important to follow the steps and make your own decision rather than leaving it to your contractor. Remember, you are paying a lot of money for that roof and only you get to decide what it should be.

The Five Steps for Selecting the Correct Roofing:

• Identify your requirements:

First of all, you need to chalk out what do you want from the roof and what’s your budget for the project. Identify the “must-haves” of your new roof, and all the next steps will be based on this.

• Select the product you want:

The next step is selecting the right product for your roof. You can get a list of available roofing products and their qualities from the websites of roofing material manufacturers. Select the product that fulfills the requirements you identified in step 1 and select the product accordingly. The market is full of options ranging from shingles, tile, slate, wood, and metal. Select the product with the qualities you need to have and the colors and finishing that match your house’s architectural appearance and your own taste. You can always ask for help from the roofing material producer to make the right decision within your budget.

• Make sure you have selected the right option:

After you’ve arrived on a decision and selected the roofing material you want; you need to make sure it will work for your home. To do this, you can consult the roofing material manufacturer. You’ll need to send the manufacturer, the photos of your home, especially your roof so that they can tell you if you can use a specific product for your roof.

The most common error in roofing is selecting the wrong material for the wrong job, and this possibility can be eliminated by consulting the manufacturer as they can always give you the best advice about using their products.

• Find the right roofing contractor:

Here, again the manufacturer can help you more than anyone else. They know who can handle their products in the best way; hence their input is immensely important. Contact the manufacturer to get recommendations for hiring a contractor who can undertake the job and complete it in the best way. Some manufacturers even train the contractors to install their products, and such contractors can do the job for you better than anyone else.

• Your meeting with the contractor matters:

Finally, when you have a meeting with the contractor, you need to observe some important points to make sure they are the type of company you want to work with. Pay attention to the following things in your meeting with the contractor.

1. Do they treat every roofing project as a unique one?
2. Ask them if they’ll be inspecting your attic before installing the new roof to eradicate issues with ventilation and leakages.
3. Ask them for references/reviews from previous clients.
4. Inquire how many people will be working on your project and make sure they all are well trained and properly experienced.