Once you have determined that you need a new roof and have received bids for the project, how do you decide who the contractor will be? It can be a difficult process as some contracts can be hard to understand, and many contractors advertise they will do it for less, faster and better than everyone else. Here are some suggestions to ease the decision making process:

• Do not depend on references alone. A company will only give you the names of satisfied customers, which does not reflect their overall performance.
  
• Depend on another opinion. It may be a neighbor, another contractor or other outside resources. It may be an on-line service called "Angie's List". The newest consumer advocate is a magazine called "Check Book". This magazine is available at most news stands and offers consumers a look at a multitude of issues including roofing.
  
• Do not depend on the size of an advertisement. Contractors can buy huge yellow page ads, but they cannot buy a top notch ranking. This must be earned.
  
• Call local shingle distributors. Ask who they would recommend.
  
• Is the contractor aware of industry standards? Do they hold a membership in the NRCA (National Roofing Contractor's Assn) or the MRCA (Midwest Roofing Contractor's Assn)?

Good Luck in your selection process.

Steve Spaid
Les Jones Roofing, Inc.