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Whether you are looking for a new roof or a roof repair
3. Request the names and phone numbers of a contractor’s trade references and call them.

Call the suppliers of roofing materials with whom a contractor has worked. Identify yourself as someone who is considering hiring (blank) contractor and he gave the supplier’s name as a reference. The following is a list of questions you should ask the supplier:

• How long has the contractor done business with you?
• Do they pay their bills on time?
• What is their credit limit?
• What is their current balance?

A Local Roofing Contractor serving Seattle and Mercer Island including Bellevue, Sammamish, Issaquah, Everett, Redmond, Wa and the Pacific Northwest

Whether you are looking for a new roof or a roof repair:
2. Always ask for references and follow up by making calls to those listed.

You will gain valuable information by talking to other clients. Believe me, a building owner who has found a good roofer won’t mind telling you about him.

Run the other way if a roofing contractor is unable to produce at least ten references that highly recommend him.

A Local Roofing Contractor serving Seattle and Mercer Island including Bellevue, Sammamish, Issaquah, Bothell, and Redmond, WA

and everywhere else in the Pacific Northwest

Whether you are looking for a new roof or a roof repair

1. Get several bids and conduct a roofing contractor inspection of your own.

Check to see if the bidding contractor maintains membership in regional or national industry associations. (i.e. National Roofing Contractor’s Association).
www.nrca.net

Call the Better Business Bureau as well
www.bbb.org

A Local Roofing Contractor serving Seattle and Mercer Island including Bellevue, Sammamish, Issaquah, Bothell, and North Seattle to Everett and South through Burien, WA

Roofing Contractor Seattle or Bellevue
Help with selecting Your New Roof
You know that it is time for a new roof. What you don’t know is the type of roof that you want or need. With the selection of so many roofs out there, it can easily get very confusing.
His is really where your roofing contractor seattle bellevue can be assistance.
By hiring a great contractor that you have qualified, they will be able to help you choose the roof that will work for you and your budget. Search for the contractor that will give you the most roofing help. One that cares about getting you the roof that you want, one that will sit down and discuss you roof options with you.

Before searching online, or in the phone book, I recommend that you do some research before hiring the first roofing contractor seattle that you find. As you are aware, your roof is actually one of the most important aspects of protecting your home. By properly choosing the right roof for your home, you are ensuring that your property value and moreover usability is maintained. Much goes into roof selection as there are a lot of choices, so ask your roofing contractor for help.

By detailing the differences between roofing products and roof systems for your house, a best roofing contractor seattle bellevue will aide in your decision. Frequently, homeowners have one particular roof in mind only to find out that for the type of dwelling they have, means a different roofing solution.

Open discussion is essential in selecting a roof and a great roofing contractor seattle bellevue. By picking a contractor that wants to help you in the decision process and get involed as opposed to just selling something to you, you will know you have a good partner. By asking questions of your reliable roofing contractor seattle bellevue expect them to be open and honest, if they are not, then keep shopping!

Lastly, by enlisting the assistance of your roofing contractor seattle bellevue, they should be knowledgeable about your new roof type and moreover the related building components such as venting and gutters.
Look for a roofing contractor that is helpful, honest and knowledgeable and you will be making great strides toward a successful reroof.

As our energy costs continue to increase in the upcoming years, solar panels have become more viable as an option. Here is what you need to know if you are looking for solar on your roof in Seattle, Bellevue, and thereabouts.

Best system is a “net metering program” that actually drives a meter backwards thus creating a “credit” to you energy bill. Your energy credit will depend upon the solar system, sunlight exposure and energy usage that you currently have. All solar installers in our area are familiar with it.

Roofing Considerations? there are many..
First, be sure that the solar contractor that you select is one that is very skilled in electrical work, prefereably a licensed electrician. Also, make sure that wherever the system is installed on your roof, the roofing beneath it will last for at least 20 years. No one wants the expense of having to reroof a portion of your home beneath a solar panel because of leaking. Working with an experienced roofing contractor as part of the overall team will ensure that you are getting a leak proof warrantable installation for your solar system.

Roofing Specialists Northwest has teamed up with TerraMatters, a design-build solar power provider and consultancy located in Seattle, Wa and Galaxy Electrica and solar, an expereinced electricain trained in solar installations throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Check ‘em out. I think you will find they are reputable and work to provide the best solar installation in our area.

www.terramatters.com
www.galaxyel.com

Kelly

I’ll be the first to admit. No one really enjoys buying a roof. You roof is leaking, is old or worn out. Roof replacement only serves to rpotect your home, and may, depending on the house, improve the curbside appeal. Fewpeople budget to have their roof replaced.

What to do? You have your estimates, selected the contractor, negotiated and finalized on the price.

What financing options for roofs, either replacing or repair are out there?

Like ourselves, most companies accept credit cards, and in fact, if they don’t I’d be wary as perhaps their financial standing as a roofing contractor is questionable.

If your roof estimate is less than $3,500 it is best to go with the credit card option. Most people have air miles, so go get them!

If your estimate is over $3,500 then you can try your local bank for a HELOC or home improvement loan. Personally, I have had great experience with BECU. If you are in Seattle, Bellevue, Edmonds, Mill creek, Woodinville, Laurelhurst or wherever regionally in the Puget Sound. Give them a try.

www.becu.org

If you have good equity in your house and limited income, and you are in the Seattle area you may qualify for City of Seattle Homewise Program.

http://www.seattle.gov/housing/homewise/

Selecting a roofing contractor in seattle, or bellevue is a process for sure but with some good financing options, hopefully not as painful!

Thanks

Kelly

Ok, you live in Seattle, Bellevue, Everett, Edmonds, Lake Forest Park, Queen Anne, Shoreline, Redmond, Issaquah, Woodinville, blah blah, or thereabouts….AND…you have a flat roof.

I’m sure you are wondering what roofer ever thought it was a good idea to have a  flat roof in the Pacific Northwest. Frankly..It wasn’t up to your roofer, the decision was with the builder and architect. Typically there are two criteria for flat roofs on homes and residential buildings such as apartments and condominiums. 1) Appearance and 2) Cost. It is generally cheaper to build with a flat roof.

Flat roofing problems in Puget Sound are notorious. Despite the good summers (2 months) it rains here a lot and we do live in   rainforest with lots of trees. If you have a flat roof, clean it at least 2x per year. Fall and Spring. This alone will make your roof last hopefully its useful life.

What should you look for in a new flat roofing system? That will depend on your timeline for keeping the house and of course, as always the cost.

Most roofing in Seattle, Bellevue and adjacent areas is done in modified bitumen or “torch down” membranes. This is simply an asphalt\oil based product that is rolled out onto the roof deck and “torched” down using propane torches. The advantages are that it is the cheapeast solution, can be warrnatieed from anywhere from 10-20 years depending on the roof manufacturer, roofing contractor and roof system.

Another option which is becoming more popular as of late (as we all become more ECO conscious and Green friendly) are the single ply roof membranes. Two basic types here PVC and TPO. Warrantiees can range from 15 years on up. These products come in a  variety of colors, although mostly white are are based from a po0nd liner industry and have been re-engineered for roofing. The downside, more pricey at the outset but then ou have a longer lifespan to work with.

If you are interested in hearing more about flat roofs, and flat roofing in our area, take a look at our Services page http://roofingspecialistsnw.com/services/services-overview/ or  better yet give us a call.

Its September 2010 and the rains are coming in. This year our company has seen more roof vent and roof attic venting related issues than ever before. In my personal 19 years of roofing experience I really haven’t seen anything like it. Not only have we seen some pretty bad examples on homes, but also multi-family and even commercial buildings too, both in Seattle and Bellevue!

Whether its roofing in Seattle, Bellevue or Bothell, Edmonds, Queen Anne, Lake Forest Park, Sammamish or wherever in the Pacific Northwest, when its time to replace your roof….look at the venting that you currently have.

Questions to consider…

Is there any mositure in the attic space?

Do you see any mold? or Algae in the attic? (the algae will be black in color and typically appear on the underside of the plywood or on framing members)

Is your house unseasonable hot in the summer? or too cold in the winter?

Are your bathroom fans, kitchen range vents, and clothing dryer vents, exhausting into the attic space? or properly out onto the roof?

When its time for a new roof , or a roof repair, consider the venting as a critical item that you should relook at. Select a roof that is right for your home should only be one aspect to review, along with gutters, venting, tree coverage over your home. Selecting the right roofing contractor who will identify the current problems that you are having and one that is knowledgable about roofing shingles, and roofing types for flat roofs is a key part of getting a proper job done.

That said, be sure to ask about their opinion on your current roof venting, good news is that it is relative easy and cheap to correct, and will make your new roof last for many years to come.

Kelly