Questions To Ask Your Roofing Contractor – Part 2

Following on from our last blog, here are the questions 6 to 10 on what to ask your roofing contractor before signing a contract.

• Will you remove any old debris or roofing from repairs?

Who gets rid of any debris from works? Whether your contractor is repairing a hole in the roof, or installing new plant to replace an old unit, make sure you know who is responsible for getting rid of the rubbish.

• How do you protect the roof during larger repair projects?

If your roofing contractor is required to make any structural changes or conduct large repairs, what happens overnight? How do they waterproof the building, and whose responsibility is it? What happens if a leak occurs?

You also need to consider the security of the building if there is a large hole in the roof: can someone access your normally secure business premises if they were able to get onto the roof? These are all questions to discuss with your roofing contractor.

• Will you arrange any scaffolding permits?

Some roofing work will require a scaffold which will need a permit. Make sure you know who needs to arrange this permit, how much it will cost, and if the cost is in addition to your original quote. Determine how long the permit is required for, and who is the responsible contact at the roofing company for the scaffold.

• What safety training do your employees have?

This is vital! If possible, ask to see proof of training records for your roofing contractor employees, to make sure that everyone working on your roof is qualified to do so.

You should also include questions about personal protection equipment. Are staff expected to supply their own? How regularly is the safety equipment checked, and can you see evidence of this?

While it’s your responsibility as a business to provide a safe working environment, such as by having perimeter safety railings and rooflight guards, it’s important to make sure the people working at height on your rooftop have had the relevant training, too.

• What is your out-of-hours emergency policy?

What happens when the roof suddenly starts leaking in the middle of the night? What if a structural problem becomes an emergency? How about if your roofing contractors are responsible for maintaining your essential air conditioning unit on the rooftop that fails during the night?

Make sure that your roofing contractor has an out-of-hours emergency policy, for which you won’t experience high penalty fees for accessing in a genuine emergency. You need to make sure you have access to a specialist contractor in order to make emergency repairs, so establish the protocol in writing before signing a contract.

There you have it! A large list of questions to ask your roofing contractor – but an essential one.