If you're like me, when faced with the need to make an informed decision on a major home…read moreimprovement project, you want to make sure you "do your homework". Such was the case for my wife and I when after building our home 22 years ago, we were in need of replacing our roof.
I spent countless hours reading reviews on Yelp, Angi, the app Next Door, and a myriad of other sites. What I found was not extremely helpful. For every positive review a given company had, there was a negative review. In essence, they canceled each other out. I then remembered the old adage "word of mouth" was the best kind of advertising. After all, it wasn't someone hiding behind words in print, it was speaking to someone, with the ability to ask questions of their actual experience with a contractor.
I remembered that a neighbor last year had their roof replaced. I decided to pay him a visit. My neighbor had nothing but positive things to say about his experience. He said the crew arrived on-time daily. They worked hard all day with great workmanship. He said the job went on without a hitch, nor surprise. He was pleased with the fact that at the end of every day, they would clean up after themselves, and leave his home looking as clean as if they had never been there.The project was finished on-time, and on budget. What more could one ask for, right?
The name of his contractor was Winter Roofing. I marched right home and called Winter. I explained I needed my roof replaced and requested they prepare a bid. They said they would send out their estimator, who would listen to my needs, answer my questions, and address my concerns.We made an appointment for him to come to my home and meet with me. They said his name was John.
John showed up on-time, which is huge in my book. He first shared his years of experience in the roofing industry. I could tell right away he was not like the others who seemed to just want to "sell me something", or to just "close the deal". He was what I call "old school", when a simple handshake was as good as a contract. My dad taught me a man was only as good as his word, and John fit that description. After discussing what was most important to me, he said he would put a bid together; one that would provide options from which I could choose the best ones for my needs.
John called and indicated my bid was finished. An appointment was made for him to present his bid. It was no surprise he showed up on-time, and presented his bid, including potential add-ons. After his presentation, he invited my questions and concerns. The overall bid was more than fair. It wasn't the lowest, but the cheapest is not always best. But it was very competitive with the others I received. The range from other bids received were anywhere from $20,000 to close to $50,000. The highest of bids included things like 50 year guarantees on the shingles, and other options I didn't need nor desire. Being almost 66 years old, I didn't need nor want to pay for a 50 year warranty. I was impressed with John's presentation, as his bid was at the lower end.
So, after doing "my homework" reading countless roofing company reviews, discussing with my neighbor his experience with Winter Roofing, their A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, my wife, and gut feeling, I decided to go with Winter Roofing. The bid indicated it would be a 4-day job, as my house is a single level with a larger "footprint" than a 2 story home, and my roof, with many "peaks", was extremely steep. I was relieved; my extensive research was complete and the decision had been made. Day 1 of our project couldn't come fast enough.
I was told that the crew would arrive at 8:00am. And, just as promised, the crew was on-time having arrived shortly before 8:00am. Once they got all set-up, they went right to work. And, with the exception of their lunch break, they never stopped working. My uphill next-door neighbor, whose windows overlook our roof, even stopped by to say they noticed the crew just kept working with limited to no "down-time". It was a pleasure to witness such good work ethic and craftsmanship
Their work ethic and focus on the task at hand, endeared them to my wife and I. It was as if we "adopted" the crew members, and throughout the day, we would share popsicles with them as an afternoon treat. Even the heat of the day didn't slow them down. At the end of each day, they took the time to clean-up the work area around our house. You truly had no idea they had been there.
If you are like me, you're still reading this long review. You've done your homework. But, you're trying to find that "one more piece" of information that enables you to make your choice of which contractor would be best to replace your roof. That is not a decision I can make for you. But, I can only recommend you contact Winter Roofing. Ask for a bid. See if you don't feel the same way my wife and I feel; Winter Roofing is the best choice we could have made.
