Old Mill Exteriors of Seal BeachStorm damage, leaks, full replacements — handled locally.Get my price

Guide

Questions worth asking

Ask all three contractors the same list. Comparing the answers is far more revealing than comparing the totals.

Guide7 sections1 min readSeal Beach, CA

Get it looked at

Three questions, and up to three Seal Beach contractors. Free either way.

Free · Nothing to pay, ever

Get it looked at

Three questions, and up to three Seal Beach contractors. Free either way.

Step 1 of 6

What best describes your home?

Different buildings need different crews, so this is the first thing a roofer asks.

Free either way, and never more than three contractors.

"What underlayment, and how are the valleys done?"

This is the question that reveals whether you are comparing the same roof. Underlayment, ice-and-water placement, drip edge and valley treatment are where quotes quietly diverge.

"Can I see a job you finished five years ago?"

Recent work shows tidiness. Older work shows competence. Ask for the older one.

"Who is actually doing the work?"

Employees, or subcontractors? Both are fine, but subcontracted crews change who carries the workers compensation cover and who stands behind the workmanship warranty.

"What is your licence number, and who holds it?"

The follow-up matters more than the answer: does the entity on the licence match the entity on the paperwork, and is it active today?

"What does your workmanship warranty cover, and for how long?"

Material warranties come from the manufacturer and are conditional on correct installation. The workmanship warranty is the contractor's own promise, and it is worth exactly as much as the company behind it.

"What happens if the decking is rotten?"

You want a rate, not a reassurance. Some rot is likely on any older roof and the rate is the only thing that keeps that predictable.

In short

Six questions, three contractors, one afternoon. It is the cheapest insurance available on a job this size.

Related questions

Do you handle commercial buildings?

Yes. Commercial requests go to contractors who do low-slope and flat systems rather than to residential crews. Say so on the property question and it routes correctly.

Is this really free?

Yes. You pay nothing, now or later. Roofing contractors pay us for the introduction, which is why the service costs you nothing and why we are upfront that it is how we make money.

It is leaking right now. What do I do?

Contain the water, photograph everything, and get the request in marked as an emergency. A tarp is the right first job. The permanent repair is a separate conversation and a separate price.

What is it going to cost?

No cost, no obligation, and never more than three contractors.