Roofing Contractors: A Special Breed Of Construction Worker

If your roof is damaged, you might wonder why you have to hire a specific type of contractor to carry out the repairs. Roofing contractors specialize in building and maintaining roofs on any type of building. They are considered their own specialty because they need to know how to use different materials to cover, waterproof, and weatherproof buildings. They undergo years of specialized training to hone their skills and, once they have reached a certain level of training and experience, they can become certified.

In order to understand why maintaining a roof requires specialized workers, let’s take a look at how these workers become certified.

What’s Behind Certified Roofing Contractors?

These are the steps certified roofing contractors go through in order to become licensed.

Step One: Acquire a job with a roofing company. Experience is required for certification no matter which state you work in, so most roofers apprentice with a company first.

Step Two: You will need a list of all the certification requirements in your area. You can usually find this online.

Step Three: Find study guides and study for the exam. Study guides are available for purchase online, or you can contact a local bookstore for help.

Step Four: Take the exam. Each state has its own level of proficiency that you must achieve to pass.

Step Five: After passing, submit all required documents to the state licensing board. You will have to prove you passed the state exam and have on-the-job experience in this field.

Costs to Replace Your Roof

Redressing the top of your home is one of the more expensive investments you will have to make. The average timeline for redressing is between 20 and 50 years, depending on the materials used. The cost of replacement will depend on the size and pitch of your roof, the accessibility of your home, and the cost of materials. Therefore, the price for redressing will greatly vary.

Roofing contractors charge by “roofing squares.” One roofing square is equal to a 10-by-10-foot area (100 square feet). The average cost of a shingle roof is $500 to $720 per square, depending on where you live. Weather is a factor in what type of material will be used, with shingles being the most widely used product.

If the top of your house is worn out, you can often tell just by looking at the shingles. If your shingles are old, you will see the corners of some of them curling upward, and they will have a dull appearance. An excellent way to check your roof is to inspect it from inside the attic; look for wet or discolored spots. These mean you have a leak, which should be addressed immediately.

Benefits of a New Roof

A well-maintained home covering will keep out rain and snow, and any other inclement weather. This ensures that your home is dry and protected. On the other hand, a weak covering will eventually, but inevitably, lead to damages that will cost far more to repair.