Frequently Asked Questions

The best steps to take can be found in our pamphlet which is included with all of our proposals.
We have paraphrased that text here for your information and review. To view the document, please download the PDF version of our brochure

Also, check out our guide to what you should ask a roofing contractor before hiring them!

Step 1: Where to Begin
A roofing system is a complex combination of elements, the success of which depends on the quality of shingles, installation, and overall construction. Referrals are obviously the best source for the names of credible companies. Ask friends and family members who they have used in the past.

Step 2: Meeting and Evaluating Potential Contractors
After you have compiled a list of possible roofing contractors, take the time to evaluate each one carefully. A professional contractor will be happy to provide any information you may require. Set up a meeting to discuss your needs and their qualifications, and be sure to pay close attention to the attitude of the company representative. Good contractors take pride in their work and will be happy and enthusiastic about the possibility of helping you with your roofing problems. Ask for the company’s vital statistics – specific business information that will help you make your final decision:
Business Name and Address, Experience, Licensing / Bonding, Insurance Coverage, Professional References, and Company Philosophy.

Step 3: Utilize the Contractor’s Product Knowledge

Step 4: Consider Enhancements

Step 5: Understanding and Negotiating the Contract
A contractor who takes the time to prepare a good proposal will most likely do a more thorough roofing job. All items to be accomplished should be written as part of the contract. Get it in writing – beware of verbal promises. The contract should spell out the proposed work, prices, and completion date.

Step 6: Sit Back and Relax
A little well-planned research up front will undoubtedly save you a lot of time and trouble later on. Once you feel confident that you have the best contractor, the best products, the best value – simply relax and let your contractor do his job. Do, however, monitor the progress of your project to be certain your contractor lives up to its superior reputation.

Once you have decided to have “A Better Roofing” do your project, contact our office. From there, we will set up an appointment for your representative to come back out and meet with you again. The representative will bring out sample boards of the various products and any pertinent paperwork.

Next, you and your representative will write down your specific choices regarding various options such as colors, styles, products, warranties, and more. At this point, you may also decide to choose a start date that fits into your schedule and ours.

We will keep you apprised of our schedule on a regular basis. When we are approximately one week away from starting your project, we will contact you again and give you the specific day of the week that we are going to be there, weather permitting, of course. We will also confirm where the outdoor power source(s) are and where we are supposed to be placing our dumpster.

Approximately two days before the crew is to start the project, the roofing materials will be delivered. You will be informed of this day ahead of time as well as if it’s an “a.m. delivery” (8 a.m. to noon) or “p.m. delivery” (noon to 5 p.m.)

As the day of the project gets closer and closer, the frequency of the communication increases.

And then… the big day arrives.

The crew of our installer/technicians show up at your project. They assess the best way to do the project from start to finish. Some examples of what may be included in their initial assessment: which section to start first; how to best protect the home, plants, and shrubbery; confirm the power source, and address any unique concerns pertaining to the project.

Most, if not all, of these assessment examples, are included in the paperwork that is sent out to the job with the crew. This paperwork is reviewed with the crew at our office by our Office / Operations Manager. Everything is clearly and concisely explained even prior to them leaving the office with this paperwork.

After the crew has made this initial assessment, they lay down tarps on the ground where the debris will be falling to ease the clean-up task and prevent nails and small debris from being left behind after the project. They lean plywood against the house to prevent the windows and siding from being scratched by falling roofing debris. This plywood is laid on top of the plastic so that the debris slides right down onto the plastic. We build a frame around large plants and shrubs with two-by-fours and plywood, essentially boxing it in to prevent inadvertent damage. The technicians then commence tearing off the old roof, letting the debris slide to this staged area below.

Frequently, we like to contain our tear-off debris on the roof and carry it straight to the dumpster and discard it directly from the roof into the dumpster. Even if this approach is utilized, we still set up the protection of your home as if we were going to drop it all to the ground.

Fact: On the average home, we are removing approximately ten thousand pounds of debris

We value the trust and confidence you have placed in us. Protecting your home is of the utmost importance to us. That’s why you have chosen us to do your roof – because we will protect your most valuable asset before, during, and after this process.

We do not use day-laborers, temporary help, or subcontractors. Our roofing technicians/installers are our employees. They are professional and courteous. They take their job very seriously through the entirety of the roofing process. From the initial set-up that protects your home described above, through the installation of the products, and the final clean-up and walk-through.

**Our employees pride themselves in being the best in the industry—they truly are**

Our office will contact you to set up an appointment to conduct a “final walk through”.

At this appointment, our Manager will check to ensure that the roof has been completed to manufacturer’s specifications and, more importantly, to our exacting standards. The manager will check the roofing shingles, flashings, venting, gutters, final clean-up, and more. The manager will also address any questions or concerns that you may have as well.

Upon your request, we can provide you with a copy of the manufacturer’s warranty. We normally fill these out at the office, mail it to you so that you can sign the form and make a copy for your records before you send it in. If you would like to have this made available to you on the final walk through the day, please advise us in advance so that we can have it prepared for you.

As part of our Owner’s Quality Guarantee, we do not collect any money or down payment upfront. So at this point, we like to collect payment for a job well done knowing that we’ve met and/or exceeded your expectations.

We sign the invoice showing that we have been paid in full and reference the payment method and/or check number.

We welcome you to the “family” consisting of over ten thousand happy A Better Roofing Company customers and thank you for the opportunity to be of service to you.

You will have the pleasure and happiness of knowing that your re-roofing experience exceeded your expectations and more importantly that your new roof looks fantastic.

On most homes, the roof comprises approximately 40% of the visual appearance of your home. Upon completion, you will notice a dramatic improvement in the appearance and aesthetic appeal of your entire home. It is not uncommon for homeowners to notice the roofs of many homes after having gone through the entire re-roofing process themselves.

Your new roof should be virtually maintenance and trouble-free for years to come.

If you notice debris collecting on your roof, for instance in the fall season, you may want to have your roof professionally cleaned.

Never have your roof pressure-washed. This will only remove the granules that are protecting the asphalt from the damaging and destructive UV rays of the sun. We recommend using nothing stronger than a common garden hose with a spray nozzle attachment or a leaf blower. Even a broom can remove these granules thus reducing the longevity of the life expectancy of your roof.

Some granule accumulation during or just after the re-roofing process is normal.

Think Big: 
View a full-sized shingle, not just a swatch, sample, or piece of literature.
Once you’ve narrowed down your color choices to just a few, have your representative bring you out actual shingles to look at. If you desire, he can even place a few on your roof for you so that you can get a true feel of what the finished product will look like.

Look at the Real Thing: 
We recommend looking at actual houses where the house and roof color combinations are similar to what you are considering. Shortly after you receive your proposal from us, you will receive a reference list in the mail. This list will have literally hundreds of homes in your neighborhood and zip code for you to look at. Take advantage of this opportunity to view not only the different colors and styles but also the quality of our workmanship and finished product.

Watch the Light: 
As you look, notice how colors appear under changing light conditions and at various times of the day.

Consider the Pitch: 
Look for roofs with a similar pitch as your own. A roof’s pitch affects the way you see the color.

Ask Us: 
We might be able to point you to a specific home where we’ve installed a roof of your shape and style, combined with your house color and the product selections that you may be considering. Your representative only focuses on doing bids in your zip code area and the surrounding vicinities. He is a valuable resource. Utilize him to the fullest potential. He is a wealth of information anxious to share his knowledge with you. His ultimate goal is your complete satisfaction.

We do NOT use subcontractors, day-laborers, or temporary help.

Do not hire a roofing contractor that uses sub-contractors, day-laborers, or temporary help.

Our roofing technicians/installers are all OUR employees.
Most have been with us for several years.

We pay some of the highest rates in the industry to our employees, plus a retirement plan, ensuring a low turnover rate, and in turn producing employees that really do truly care about what they do.

Protect your home from the top down.

Your roof is more than just shingles. It’s a complete and complex system that also requires hip and ridge shingles, ventilation, waterproofing underlayment products, and much much more. Each of these elements plays an important role in protecting your home, and they work together to ensure the beauty and durability of your roof.

Only an experienced company with experienced employees should be trusted to perform these skilled and complex tasks for you and your home.

A Better Roofing Company provides you with this assurance.

The typical home will take approximately 1 – 2 days to complete depending on a number of variables:

• the steepness of the roof
• the proximity of the dumpster in relation to the roof
• the size of the crew performing the task
• sometimes the type of product being installed
• whether or not the material can be roof-loaded by the distributor
• and of course, dealing with inclement weather

These are just a few examples of different determining factors that may influence the length of time that it takes to complete the average size roof.

Also, just for your information, unlike some of our competitors, once our crew has started your project, they are there from start to finish. Yours is the only project they are allowed to work on. We do not pull them off of your project to work on somebody else’s.

We will NEVER tear off your roof in the rain.

We might work in the rain if we are just cleaning up the grounds or applying the shingles.
But we will never tear off your roof in the rain.

We are very familiar with the Puget Sound and the Northwest’s weather systems.

Our company works around inclement weather. 
We actually do roofs all year long: spring, summer, fall, and winter.

We’ve been working around the weather patterns for the last 29 years in business. Considering that we are born and raised here, we know how to closely monitor the weather forecasts, Doppler radar, coastal weather patterns, and more. We utilize every tool available to ensure that we are making the best and safest decision when it comes to re-roofing your home.

We only tear off sections at a time and then roof those sections prior to starting on another. We do this until we have progressed to the point of roofing all of the sections on your home. Basically, we never bite off more than we can chew.
And we always have plastic / Visqueen on the job site just in case of a rogue storm cloud.

It’s not uncommon for our management team and crew to cancel a days work to err on the side of safety rather than taking any unnecessary risks.

To us, our schedule isn’t as important as protecting you and your home from water intrusion.