If you’re tired of being frustrated when searching for a contractor, we have that in common.
If you’re like me, your family and your Westchester County, NY home are important.
Even as a roofer and exterior contractor myself, I have a hard time looking for reliable contractors to work on my home.
When I need to hire someone to do work inside my home (we do exterior), it’s not easy.
Did you know that there are over 80 contractors listed on the Westchester County Consumer Protection Departments Renegade Renovator list?
It’s stressful asking yourself, who is the best roofer near me?
But…
It doesn’t have to be. Contractors are supposed to be there to help you solve your problem. Not make it worse.
The after has to be better than the before! You need simple solutions to your problems.
With so much information at our fingertips, it should not be that difficult to hire someone that cares about your project.
You need a reliable, qualified local roofing company that keeps your family safe during your roof replacement or repair.
Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to tell the honest, experienced roofers from the dishonest, unqualified ones.
With over 370,000 homes in Westchester County, NY, there’s no shortage of roofers chomping at the bits to replace your roof. Over 200,000 of those homes are owner-occupied.
That means not only does your roof provide your family shelter, but it protects one of your most expensive possessions, your home.
I know how to help you find a reliable roofer that takes care of your roof. So I want to share a few tips.
More importantly, we want to help you find a roofer that will keep your family and your finances safe and secure.
There are some things that are more important than our profits….
There are things that are more important than beating our competition….
So please, if you find this helpful, share it with your family, friends and other contractors you work with. No matter what roofer you hire, you’ll be able to have confidence in your choice if you follow our advice.
These questions are going to help you find a roofer, or really any local contractor, that puts you first.
But first, why is hiring a reliable roofer so important? There are a lot of things that can go wrong.
What is the cost of hiring the wrong roofer near me?
Before you search the popular phrase, roofer near me, learn how to spot the best roofers in and around Westchester.
Hiring an unqualified contractor to replace your roof can be a financial disaster.
According to HomeAdvisor, a roof replacement is one of the top 5 most expensive home renovation projects. When installed by a qualified roofing contractor, your roof will last. Paying for quality is the better decision.
On the other hand, choosing the wrong roofer for your project may lead to financial ruin….
Not only can shoddy roofing work hurt your wallet, but financial strain can lead to stress and other family problems.
It’s about time qualified roofers come together and take a stand to help you avoid that.
What is the average cost of a Westchester County, NY roof replacement?
You’ve probably asked yourself, how much does it cost to hire a roofer near me? Many factors impact the cost of a new roof installation or a roof replacement.
The type of roof, size of your home, and history of your roofing material are just some of the key factors.
For example, according to Fixr.com, in 2023 the average cost of a quality shingle roof replacement for a home in Westchester is between $7,975 and $10,500.
However, for many homes in Westchester and Putnam County, a roof installation can cost more (or less). It really depends on the size of your roof, the slope of your roof and the material you use.
That’s why it’s so important to get the job done right, the first time. If you have to hire a second roofer to come in to fix the job, that cost could double!
Did you know complaints against roofers are among the most common consumer complaints?
I was fortunate enough to have some incredible mentors that taught me how to deliver quality roofing at an affordable price.
The best roofers in Westchester, NY and the surrounding area strive to exceed your expectations as a local homeowner. Each qualified roofing contractor might have their own way of doing things.
But…
…we all have one thing in common.
We understand the value of building long-term relationships in our community. To do that, we have to deliver you a superior roof, and excellent customer service.
The best roofers use high-quality materials for your roof. They offer transparency during your roof replacement project, and deliver quality.
The problem is, the shoddy roofers know how to blend in with the crowd. For you, and your family’s home, the result is a much too common catastrophe.
According to the 2018 Consumer Complaint Survey Report, the home improvement and construction industry was the subject of the second highest number of consumer complaints from people like you.
As local roofers, our customers in Westchester County and the surrounding area are our neighbors. We understand how important your home is to your family, and want to do everything we can to help you protect it.
As community business leaders, it’s our job to arm you with the information you need to protect your most precious assets. Your family, and your home.
Who is the best roofer near me in Westchester County, NY?
You’re searching hard for the best roofer near me. Lots of small businesses will say they’re the best, but isn’t it really up to you to say?
We do what we can to earn our reputation as one of the best roofers in our community. But, we prefer to let you judge for yourself.
It’s naive when a roofing company tells you to trust them, when you don’t even know them.
As a local, family run roofing company, we get it…
So instead of telling you to trust us, we give you the info you need to make your own decision.
Reviewing qualifications, photos of recent work, online reviews and a roofer’s online reputation goes a long way in selecting the best Westchester roofer for your family’s home.
We like to show you that you can trust us.
The best roofing companies focus on building long term relationships in Westchester. Word of mouth is still the best way for roofers to get new business. So it’s a win, win for both of us.
You need a roofer that gives you an honest assessment about your roofing needs.
A roofer that cares about you should help you find the perfect balance between quality and affordability. They should perform an expert installation (including what you can’t see) and guide you through the process until your roofing project is finished.
By making you happy, we hope you might tell a friend about us, or use us again in the future.
Learning which questions to ask yourself, and your roofer, before signing on the dotted line will help ensure you only entrust qualified, honest roofers with your family’s home.
Ask any roofing contractor you are considering why they think they are right for the job. It should be clear that they have thought about their answer before.
Your roofer should clearly communicate the value they can deliver above other Westchester County licensed roofers. If they can’t, find a roofer that can.
You searched for a roofer near me in Westchester County, NY, but now what?
It isn’t always clear which roofer companies are honest, qualified and reliable.
Asking these 9 simple questions will help homeowners like you hire a roofer that will protect your family, and your home.
Time to Read 12 minutes
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Is the roofing company a licensed roofer in Westchester County, NY?
Avoid unlicensed contractors at all costs. If you learn one thing about what to do after you search for a local roofer near me in Google, let it be this.
Roofing contractors in Westchester County, NY must be licensed.
A roofer who installs your roof without a home improvement license is breaking the law.
A cheaper roof might seem like the best option if all you look at is price. But, it’ll cost you much more in the long run if it isn’t installed by an honest, qualified roofer.
Visit the Westchester County Department of Consumer Protection to check a roofer’s licensing. If you can’t confirm the roofer is licensed, don’t bother with an estimate.
If you have questions about licensing requirements, or past complaints, call the office of Westchester County Consumer Protection at (914) 995-2155.
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Which roofer company near me has a comprehensive insurance policy?
Obtaining proof of a comprehensive insurance policy is a must. Hiring an uninsured roofing company in Westchester can be very bad.
If someone gets hurt, a worker, a family member or a passer by, you will be liable.
Unless a roofing contractor has general insurance, worker’s compensation insurance, coverage against faulty workmanship (products & completed operations), action over and commercial auto insurance, don’t hire them.
Your contractor must be able to provide proof of insurance like the one we provide our customers.
We also highly recommend you work with contractors that have a Written Contract Policy. This is also known as additional insured.
This makes you, the homeowner, a party to our insurance policy if anything were to happen during your project.
We do everything we can to avoid any accidents, including weekly safety meetings with our staff.
I am also OSHA Safety Certified and must demonstrate a thorough understanding and compliance with roofing safety regulations. Always ask your roofer about their safety measures.
In the off chance that an accident does happen when working with a qualified contractor, you want to make sure your home is protected. Being named as an additional insured party specifically names you as a covered party once you sign your contract with us.
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Has the roofing company recently worked on jobs similar to mine?
In upstate New York, asphalt shingle roofs are the most common types of roofs. Most qualified, licensed roofers will be experts working with asphalt shingle roofs.
These are sometimes referred to as shingle roofs, or composite roofs. What sets the best asphalt roofers apart from the others is the attention to fine details.
For example, I love to use copper flashing around chimneys and roof valleys to add a unique feature that makes your roof pop. Copper flashing also protects your Hudson Valley roof from water damage.
If you’re thinking of another type of roof, such as slate roofing, flat PVC roofing, metal roofing or other types, it’s even more important to see recent similar projects.
These materials also make for great roofs, but they’re not as common. That means not all roofers will have the experience working with tough materials like slate roof shingles.
Reviewing photos, and asking the roofer about recent roofing projects will help you assess the quality of the roofer company’s work. Don’t just look at the roof, look at the quality of the photo. Do they look professional?
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How long has the Westchester roofing contractor been in business?
Just because a roofer is new to town doesn’t mean they aren’t qualified.
Everyone has to start somewhere, and we don’t think you should penalize our competitors just because they haven’t been around as long.
However, when you’re working with a new roofing company, it’s essential you verify each of their qualifications. You can’t rely on online reviews to help spot an unreliable roofer if they are new.
So….
…make sure to ask additional questions that help you uncover true roofing authorities in our area.
I think a more important question is the roofer’s overall experience working on Westchester County, NY roofs that are similar to yours. Also, what will the roofer do differently to offer you the best value?
Even a brand new roofer will have industry experience.
We recommend that if a roofing company hasn’t been delivering quality roofing services in Westchester County for at least 5 years, verify the owners have at least 20 years of roofing experience.
Ask for references from customers they’ve served at past roofing companies they’ve worked for.
With that said, obviously you will be more comfortable as a homeowner when you search for a roofer near me and you find a proven roofing company.
We recommend homeowners in Westchester County, NY look for roofers that have a professional looking website and social media presence to engage with our community.
The roofers you are considering should also have consistent reviews and customer feedback, frequent photos of quality work like yours, and are responsive to customer reviews.
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Will the roofer subcontract my job to another local roofer?
Subcontracting is when a roofer hires another roofing company, or crew to complete your roof. It’s not necessarily bad to hire subcontractors, but as the homeowner you’ll want to know.
If you searched for the best roofer near me, you probably want the roofer you hire to at least manage and oversee your roof replacement.
We always manage every roof replacement project ourselves, and rarely hire subcontractors for residential roof installations for Westchester and Putnam homeowners like you.
When we do, we have a select set that we work with that meet our high standards.
In each and every case, we are the ones managing your roofing project and the crews. That’s the only way we feel we can ensure you get a high-quality, reliable roof at a fair price.
That’s why we recommend if you’re considering other roofers in Westchester County, NY or the surrounding area, ask whether they’ll use a subcontractor on your roof installation.
If they will, ask how involved they’ll be with the project.
Also ask who will be responsible if you are not happy with their work. Make sure the roofing company you hire in Westchester will ensure your expectations are met.
Things happen in business. Especially during construction. You need a roofer that will stand by their work and easily guide you through any issues.
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Is the roofer certified by quality roofing manufacturers?
When you receive an estimate that seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Two places some dishonest contractors commonly skimp to save costs on their end are materials and skilled labor. Really, what else is there? Your roof protects your home.
To do that, your roof depends on the materials purchased, and the men and women who build it.
So really…
…it’s not a place to swap quality materials and labor for cheap, unreliable options.
GAF, CertainTeed and DaVinci Roofscapes are among the highest quality roofing material manufacturers for your new roof.
Ask your contractor about the manufacturers they use, and whether they are certified. Request pictures of recent jobs.
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Which roofer near me offers a warranty on the installation?
When you search for a roofer near me, don’t just consider the roofing material warranty.
Ask if the roofer company offers a guarantee on their work, or an installation warranty.
When you work with us, if you have any issues, the roof installation is guaranteed for 5 years.
What many roofers fail to tell you is that the warranties available from the manufacturers, like GAF, CertainTeed and DaVinci Roofscapes only cover material defects.
More commonly, issues with your new roof will be caused by installer error. So, you’ll have little recourse if the manufacturer can show it was actually the roofer you hired that made the mistake.
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Does the roofer have a good online reputation?
Take the list of roofers you like after searching for a roofer near me online. Search the roofing company name on Google. Review all of the results, then ask yourself, is this a roofer I can trust with my home?
Take a look at their Google My Business Listing.
Keep an eye out for homeowner complaints to the Better Business Bureau, Ripoff Report or social media posts complaining about the quality of work or reliability.
As the homeowner, you have to judge for yourself which is the best roofer for your project.
Don’t just look at superficial numbers like review rating. There’s plenty of roofers that have 5 stars, but only a couple of reviews.
Look for the total number of reviews, see what your neighbors are saying, and read past the headlines.
Studies show that most people read at least ten reviews before feeling they can begin trusting a roofer.
At minimum, it’s essential that the roofing company has a professional online presence that gives detailed, consistent information to our community about their business.
Scroll through the search results, and get a feel for what their contracting business is all about.
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Is the roofer near me on the Westchester County Renegade Contractor List?
Westchester County Consumer Protection keeps an up to date list of all the roofers, and other contractors in our area that are unlicensed, and unqualified.
They call it the Renegade Renovator List.
Remember, fraudulent contractors are often only added to the list after there is a problem. So don’t only rely only on this list, do your own local roofing company research.
You’ll also notice a lot of people are listed with multiple companies associated with them.
We talked to a Certified Fraud Examiner, and learnt why. It’s called using an Alter-Ego.
When they get in trouble with the government for being an unlicensed, unqualified contractor, they simply change the name of their business.
That’s of course illegal, but sometimes it takes time for it to become well known that the renegade contractor is up to their own tricks.
Often when they do this, they walk away from any ongoing jobs as well. Avoid these people at all costs. You must check out your contractor to make sure they are honest.
You shouldn’t only search for the roofer you are thinking of hiring. Search the owner’s name also. Make sure they’re not using an alter-ego to mislead you.
Should I give a down payment?
It’s common to provide a down payment before a roofer company will begin working on your roof replacement.
Many of the reputable roofers you see after you search for a roofer near me will be reasonable, so talk your roofer and come up with an amount that makes sense.
Financially sound roofers will have credit with their vendors and shouldn’t need all of your money to buy materials. However, it is a big undertaking, that can be costly for roofing contractors if the homeowner tries to back out after they start working on a project. So a down payment of 1/3, or potentially 1/2 of the job cost is not unreasonable.
A down payment is fair, but it should be a reasonable amount.
If you’re undertaking a big roof installation project on your Westchester County, NY home, before you give any down payment do some additional checks on any roofers you are considering hiring.
Before you trust a roofing company in Westchester with a large down payment, make sure they are worthy. Search the roofing company through Westchester County’s liens and court cases database.
If a roofing company is in poor financial condition, your money may not be safe. Always pay the roofer using a check, or another traceable payment type.
Avoid large amounts of cash without a signed receipt, and always sign a contract before making your down payment.
Homeowner Protection from Shoddy Roofers
In 2019, Westchester County, NY homeowners got a big win when NYS took a stand against roofing scams. Governor Cuomo signed a new bill, S1405/A7531, putting new protections in place for New York homeowners like you when working with residential roofers.
The industry is realizing that homeowners are falling victim to unqualified, unlicensed roofers masquerading as professionals.
It’s easy for anyone to pop up a website, if homeowners in Westchester and the surrounding area don’t know the right questions to ask.
The bill gives you additional defense against dishonest roofers. When you go to Google looking for a roofer near me, you’re looking for a reliable roofing company.
New York State is doing more to make sure whoever you hire will deliver a quality roof. Some parts of the bill will also help protect you when working with a roofer.
In my opinion, some of the highlights include:
- Giving you more time to cancel a roof repair contract
- Making kickbacks for insurance claim referrals illegal
- Preventing a roofer from walking away from a roofing contractor job without cause
This new NYS homeowners rights bill can only offer the maximum benefit if you understand your rights as a Westchester homeowner. We recommend you review the bill before working with a roofer.
What are red flags of a dishonest, unqualified roofer?
In addition to the 9 questions you should ask before hiring a Westchester County roofer, be on the lookout for the following red flags.
For this part, we put our heads together again with a local Certified Fraud Examiner, certified by the ACFE. These fraud examiners are experts in various areas, including consumer protection.
So, who better to weigh in on the advice we’re giving you. Here’s what Joe Darragh, CFE had to say about additional red flags to look out for.
- Roofer companies that use high pressure sales techniques
- A roofer that can’t answer simple questions about why they are making a recommendation to replace your roof
- Roofing companies that demand cash payments only
- A Westchester County roofing company that needs money from you to buy your roofing materials
- Roofers who refuse to give you a contract in writing before begin to work on your project. Any contract above $500 between a home contractor and a homeowner is required by law to be in writing.
- Roofing companies in Westchester that are priced so low it’s too good to be true
- Roofer companies that are unresponsive for days when you’re trying to schedule an estimate
The Westchester County Department of Consumer Protection also has a comprehensive pamphlet available online. It’s an amazing resource that has some great information.
Are there any other questions to ask a roofer near me in Westchester County?
This really depends…
If the roofer you are considering has been around for at least five years, has no consumer complaints against them, is fully licensed and has a strong online reputation, the 9 questions I outlined above should be enough.
But…
…it never hurts to ask. Especially, if you are considering working with a new Westchester County, NY roofer. Here are some more questions to ask.
Additional questions to ask your roofer company:
- What is the best roof ventilation system for my Westchester, NY home? Why?
- Will you be tearing off my old roof, or shingling over? A roof should have no more than two layers of shingles
- What type of roofing underlayment will you use on my roof? Why?
- Will I have to replace the plywood under my roof shingles? If so, or if the roofer isn’t sure, agree on a price beforehand in the event you do need new plywood
- Which kind of metal will your roof flashing be fabricated from? There are many types of flashing, some work better than others. We suggest using a metal flashing. Nothing beats the look of copper roof flashing on a beautiful new roof
Can the roofer near me verify their qualifications and certifications?
This is a common question we get from homeowners in Westchester and Putnam County, NY. For good reason.
To make your job easier when looking for a roofer in your area, a company should tell you everything there is to know about them.
But, your time is also important. So, they should do it in a clear, simple and easy format. You shouldn’t have to dig around the entire world wide web to find some basic info on a local contractor.
That’s why we put together the MCAS Roofing & Contracting, Inc. Trust Guide.
It’s our way of helping you see all the reason we believe we are worthy of you considering requesting a Free Estimate for your roofing project.
Ask the roofer you are considering if they have something similar.
What should I do if a roofer near me rips me off?
Our hope is that after you read this, you’ll have the knowledge you need to avoid being ripped off by a Westchester roofer company.
We’re continuing to build out our Education Center to help homeowners like you in our community.
We also put together a handy Free Home Renovation Estimate Checklist for you to download and use. It helps you compare the three estimates we recommend you get from Westchester County roofers.
This is an essential step before hiring any home contractor for the first time. If you still have questions, let us know. We’re here to help you protect your family’s home.
Seriously, what if I do get ripped off by a roofer near me?
Even though you’re a smarter homeowner now, and better equipped to spot unqualified roofer companies, some are better than others at hiding their true intentions.
We’re not legal professionals, and this isn’t legal advice. So, if that does happen you should file a complaint with the Westchester County Department of Consumer Protection and consult your attorney.
Then, follow the advice of the professionals.
Anything else Westchester County homeowners should know?
The purpose of these 9 questions to ask before searching for a roofer near me isn’t to scare you.
It’s to educate you, so you understand the right questions to ask to protect your family’s home.
Remember, most roofing contractors in Westchester County are reputable, honest roofers that deliver quality work. It’s up to professional local roofers and contractors to help you spot the few bad apples in the bunch.
We’ll continue to help answer any questions you might have, so check out our Hudson Valley Homeowner Learning Center.
Good luck, keep your home safe, and let us know if there is anything we can do to help.