Guide
The questions that separate the quotes
Ask all three contractors the same list. Comparing the answers is far more revealing than comparing the totals.
Get it looked at
Three questions, and up to three Costa Mesa contractors. Free either way.
You are on the list.
No provider in Costa Mesa is taking requests through this service yet. We are lining them up, and yours is kept until one can.
- Nobody gets your details yet. Your request stays with us and is not passed to any company.
- One email when someone can help. When a provider covering your area can take it on, we email you once and ask whether you want that company, by name, to contact you.
- Deleted after 90 days. If nobody can take it on, or you do not say yes, your contact details are deleted 90 days after your request.
- You decide, or you do not. There is nothing to cancel and nothing to pay us.
Nobody will call you about this request unless you say yes to a company by name.
"What underlayment, and how are the valleys done?"
This is the question that reveals whether you are comparing the same roof. Underlayment, ice-and-water placement, drip edge and valley treatment are where quotes quietly diverge.
"What does your workmanship warranty cover, and for how long?"
Ask for it in writing, in the company name, with a term. Five to ten years is common; the term matters less than whether they will still be trading.
"Who is actually doing the work?"
Ask how long this specific crew has worked together. Roofing companies keep their name and change their hands more often than most trades.
"What is your licence number, and who holds it?"
Then look it up. You are checking that the licence is current and that the name on it matches the name on the contract you are being asked to sign.
"Can I see a job you finished five years ago?"
Anybody can show you a roof completed last month. A roof that has been through five winters shows how the edges, valleys and penetrations were actually detailed.
"What happens if the decking is rotten?"
You want a rate, not a reassurance. Some rot is likely on any older roof and the rate is the only thing that keeps that predictable.
In short
Six questions, three contractors, one afternoon. It is the cheapest insurance available on a job this size.
Related questions
Is moss on the roof a problem?
Yes, eventually. Moss holds water against the shingle and lifts the edges as it thickens. Zinc or copper strip at the ridge suppresses it. Pressure washing an asphalt roof strips the granules and does more harm than the moss did.
What warranty should I expect?
Two separate things. The manufacturer covers the material for its rated life, but only if it was installed to their specification. The contractor covers workmanship, commonly five to ten years, and only for as long as they are trading.
What if the decking is rotten underneath?
Some of it usually is. The important thing is that the price per sheet is agreed in writing before the tear-off, so the conversation on day two is about quantity rather than rate.