From time to time, here at Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona, we like to share our insights into industries we that receive heavy activity with us. As the leader in advancing marketplace trust, we hope by providing our insights we can proactively deliver information many consumers seek from BBB.

In this post, BBB focuses on roofing contractors. As an industry, roofers were the second most inquired about industry in Southern Arizona in 2009; as consumers turned to BBB before deciding which roofing contractor they could trust their business to.

To find a reputable roofing contractor, BBB urges consumers to:

• Shop around. Obtain bids from several contractors. Keep specifications identical by getting the weight per square for composition shingles. This enables you to judge the quality of the materials – the heavier the weight per square, the higher the quality.
• Verify the business’ true identity. Get a business card and the physical location of the business. And beware “lookalike” businesses. New businesses may use a name similar to a well-established business in the area to take advantage of the reputation.
• Watch for scams. Beware of fly-by-night repair businesses soliciting work in unmarked trucks and requiring advance payment. And don’t succumb to high pressure techniques such as “the price is only good today.”
• Do your homework. Check contractors’ BBB Reliability Report free-of-charge by calling 800.729.9226 or starting with www.tucson.bbb.org. Ask the business for references of recent jobs they’ve completed in the area. Ask customers about their experience with the business, quality of work, time frame it took to be completed and overall satisfaction. Verify that the business has any and all required licensing. Ask for proof of both liabilit (more…)