Need a roofer in Nashville for your upcoming roofing project? Are you worried about finding a Nashville roofing company you can count on?
This is understandable, especially considering it’s the most important decision you’ll make during the entire process. Unfortunately, it’s hard to spot a roofer you can trust in the Nashville area without knowing what to look for.
However, most reputable roofing companies have more or less the same qualities. You just need to know what they are.
For over 30 years, Bill Ragan Roofing has provided Nashville residents with transparent roofing advice, even if they don’t become customers. That’s why I want to give you the qualities you must look for when hiring a Nashville roofing company.
This article breaks down the following 8 qualities of a great Nashville roofer:
- Positive reviews
- Established in the Nashville community
- Licensed, bonded, and insured
- Strong workmanship warranty
- Certifications from shingle manufacturers
- Honest and thorough roof inspections
- Estimates are broken down by line items
- Nothing is hidden in the fine print on the final contract
1. Positive reviews
When you first start looking for a Nashville roofing to contact, you need to read their recent Google reviews from the last 3-6 months. I tend to trust Google reviews because the company can’t remove or hide negative opinions.
If a Nashville roofing company stands behind their work, interacts positively with homeowners, and does things the right way, it’ll show in the reviews. It’s also a good idea to read the owner's responses to see how they handle negative reviews.
Now, you should take all reviews with a grain of salt because some people exaggerate to the extreme. However, positive reviews are one of the first qualities you need to look for in a Nashville roofing company.
2. Established in the Nashville community
You always need to make sure any Nashville roofing company has a physical office address in our area and a phone number with a Middle Tennessee area code. While being local is crucial, you should also look for a roofing company with a strong history in the Nashville community.
This ensures they’ll still be there to take care of your roof investment and honor their workmanship warranty if problems show up. This isn’t to say there aren’t good young companies in Nashville; everyone has to start somewhere.
However, most young companies don’t know how to price jobs correctly to have retained earnings to get them through the slow months, which leads to shutting down. That’s why newer Nashville roofing companies usually have cheaper prices than established ones.
3. Licensed, bonded, and insured
Every Nashville roofing company must be licensed, bonded, and insured in the state of Tennessee. Reputable roofers have no problem showing you all three to back it up, so don’t be afraid to ask for proof.
You should avoid any Nashville roofing company that isn't licensed, bonded, and insured. If they’re missing even one or aren’t willing to provide proof when asked, don’t even consider hiring them.
The last thing you want is to have zero recourse if something goes wrong during your roofing project. After all, a Nashville roofing company being licensed, bonded, and insured isn’t just what they need to run their business, but it’s also to protect your investment.
4. Strong workmanship warranty
Every Nashville roofing company should provide a workmanship warranty in case installation errors cause leaks or other problems. Workmanship warranties vary from one year, two years, three years, five years, ten years, 25 years, or even a lifetime.
How long a Nashville roofing company is willing to stand behind their work is a good indication of their installation quality. For example, a company that relies heavily on caulk will give a two-year workmanship warranty because the caulk will fail within a couple of years.
That’s why you should only consider Nashville roofing companies that offer long-term protection with at least a 10-year workmanship warranty. Some companies, including us, offer lifetime guarantees, so don’t be afraid to shoot higher.
5. Certifications from shingle manufacturers
The top shingle manufacturers pick six to ten established roofing companies in the Nashville area that are known to do top-quality work to get certified on their products. Certified roofers can offer the best warranties on a given manufacturer's roof system.
However, it also tells you a shingle manufacturer views them as reputable and trusts them to install the product correctly. So, being certified is a quality you must look for in a Nashville roofing company.
Simply visit any manufacturer’s website and type in your zip code to get a full list of certified roofing companies in Nashville, TN.
6. Honest and thorough roof inspections
The roofing industry doesn’t have the best reputation, and it comes down to one big reason: dishonesty. Plenty of bad roofers do inspections and immediately try to sell homeowners a roof without explaining why.
So, obviously a quality any potential Nashville roofing company should have is providing honest and thorough inspections. Now, I understand this should automatically be expected anytime you get roof work done.
However, a reputable roofer actually gets on your roof for an inspection, takes pictures of the facets and any issues, and explains why you do or don't need a new roof. This quality is so important today, especially with the state of the industry in Nashville and the United States.
7. Estimates are broken down by line items
Every Nashville roofing company should provide a roof estimate (quote, proposal, etc.) with an itemized list of everything included in your roof replacement. This quality ensures you understand everything you’re paying for, from the roofing materials to labor costs to what’s actually being done in certain areas.
A transparent estimate is one quality, but another quality of a great Nashville roofing company is that they go through it with you before signing. This ensures you know what you’re signing, plus this is the perfect opportunity to ask questions, and voice any concerns or hesitancies.
In my opinion, going over an estimate is the most important part of selling a roof. But even if the estimate is broken down correctly, it’s a red flag if a Nashville roofing company isn’t willing to go over it with you.
8. Nothing is hidden in the fine print on the final contract
Just like every contract, a roofing quote or proposal includes fine print. Obviously you need to read it, but a reputable Nashville roofing company will be upfront about anything in the fine print.
Unfortunately, it’s common for companies to hide exclusions or “not responsible” clauses in the fine print. Some even tell you the one thing to make you feel confident in signing, but the fine print says otherwise.
This is simply to clear them of liability for damage to your property, like landscaping, gutters, windows, light fixtures, sprinkler heads, and even things hanging in your home. If something ends up broken or damaged, all they have to do is point to the fine print in the contract with your signature on it.
Trust me, this isn’t a quality you want in a Nashville roofing company. If the fine print isn’t there or you find it hidden deep in the contract (like on the back of a page), move on to another roofer.
Are you ready to hire a Nashville roofing company?
Now you know 8 qualities you need to look for in a Nashville roofing company. I guarantee you’ll find the right roofer by looking for these traits.
But if you want a roofing company in Nashville that exemplifies these qualities, look no further than Bill Ragan Roofing.
For over 30 years, the team at Bill Ragan Roofing has provided top-quality residential roofing services to homeowners in Nashville and surrounding Middle Tennessee areas. We offer roof replacements, skylight replacements, roof repairs (repairs on hold for new customers right now), and insurance claim guidance for roof storm damage.
We take extreme pride in what we do, and back up our workmanship with a lifetime craftsmanship guarantee. That’s why we say, “When you work with us, you’ll never have to worry about your roof again.”
Get a Free Quote here or call our office at (615) 242-0333 today to schedule your free roof replacement inspection and get the peace of mind you deserve.
