Hiring the Right Roofing Contractor

Make sure the roofing company in Dallas/Fort Worth has a direct and valid affiliation with a major shingle manufacturer. For example, Advent Roofing & Restoration is a Preferred Contractor with Owens Corning – the roofing industry’s most trusted and elite manufacturer of asphalt shingles. Being a Preferred Contractor with Owens Corning requires uncompromising diligence and extensive vetting. Affiliation with a top shingle manufacturer requires ethical and accurate roofing installation, and a healthy track record of honoring warranties. Earning the status of Preferred Contractor with Owens Corning puts Advent in the top 6 % of all roofing companies in the United States.

Lastly, having a partnership with a major shingle manufacturer means that your workmanship warranty provided by the roofing contractor is fully endorsed by the shingle manufacturer.

As stated above, there are more than 5000 “roofing companies” in the DFW area. Most won’t be in business after the current hail season. Sadly, in many larger hail seasons, homeowners often choose to do their roofing repairs with a company that will never get the work completed. Although there is nothing ethically wrong with wanting to start a roofing business and take advantage of an opportunity in a larger hail season, being able to fulfill contractual promises can be a problem for many start-up roofing companies.

Many smaller/newer roofing companies hire day-laborers for the roofing installation. This will not only void any warranty potentially honored by the shingle manufacturer, but it also puts your home at risk for allowing an inexperienced (and often uninsured) installers on to work on your roof. An unskilled day-laborer on your roof can be the difference between a leaky roof and a roof that will last for many years to come. Upon hiring the right roofing contractor for your project, be sure and get a clear answer as to where their crews come from!

Advent Roofing executes ALL roofing repairs and replacements through our in-house crews. Meaning our crews are vetted, and have been working with our company exclusively for many years.

As a contractor, carrying insurance is a must in the state of Texas. This can be costly in some instances, but it is the backbone of operating legitimately and ethically as a roofing company. Many newer roofing contractors take their chances, and often neglect to obtain insurance. In the event that an accident happens to the crew, the company itself, or the homeowner’s property, the absence of insurance can leave the door wide open for negative legal action on both sides of the agreement.

Advent Roofing & Restoration carries $2,000,000 in insurance coverage when performing contractual work. Our policy covers our installation roofing crews while they’re on your roof, and your home, should any accidents occur while work is being done.

Bottom line: get proof of insurance BEFORE signing any agreement with a roofing company

So a good roofer should have sufficient insurance, but what does “being bonded” mean? Being bonded means that a bonding company has secured money that is available to the homeowner/consumer in the event the contractor fails to fulfill a task. The secured money is in the control of the state, a bond, and not under the control of the company. Should a contractor start a project, and fail to finish, or disappear, the homeowner would have the available funds (through a bond) to continue to move forward with the project until completion.

In a nutshell: It’s peace of mind for the homeowner that the work will get completed as contractually promised.

Advent Roofing carries up to a $200,000 surety bond for our projects.

Unfortunately, each year, many homeowners are taken advantage of by dishonest roofing companies collecting funds before the work is started. Illegitimate roofing companies will ask homeowners to provide “half of the project up front as a deposit”. These roofing companies are typically called “fly-by-night roofers”, or “storm chasers”, and often get away with this crime. Fly-by-night roofers typically come from out of state, and depart as quickly as they arrive.

Choose a locally-based roofing company in Dallas/Fort Worth when hiring the right roofing contractor for your home – don’t settle for less!

Advent Roofing & Restoration takes $0.00 up front, and $0.00 deposit. We do not collect funds until the work has started, and will not collect in full until the work is completed – transparency, integrity and homeowner satisfaction come first!

In an age where word-of-mouth, social media, and a plethora of online review outlets shape our opinions of companies offering good and services, it can be difficult to decipher a company’s credibility through the “noise”. We still believe that the BBB (Better Business Bureau) is the first place a homeowner should look for credibility, ethics, and overall customer satisfaction. The BBB was formed in 1912, and has since been the #1 source for customer insight to the goings-on of local businesses. The Better Business Bureau is dedicated to the “focus on advancing marketplace trust”, and is still the United States leading source of this information. In addition, consumers are allowed to file complaints with the BBB against a business. These complaints are public, and can be read by any consumer.

Advent Roofing & Restoration has a rating of “A+”. Going below the “A+” rating is highly discouraged, and usually not worth the risk.

To read Advent’s BBB history:

Click Here

For more information about the Better Business Bureau and their affiliation with roofing companies:

Click Here

Just because someone called themselves a “roofer” doesn’t necessarily mean they possess the skills, knowledge and means to execute a proper roof installation – there’s a difference between installing a roof, and installing a roof the RIGHT way.

Products/Materials: using high-quality materials on every aspect of a roof replacement is key to a long-lasting roof. Knowing your roofing company is using only the best materials available will give homeowners peace of mind prior to installation, during installation, and after your project is completed.

Advent Roofing & Restoration uses unparalleled products and materials at every level of your roof:

• Decking: Removing and replacing old or damaged decking is key to the longevity of your roof. Advent Roofing uses radiant barrier decking for all decking replacement. This is a simple upgrade we do for our customers that helps reduce attic heat build up during the hotter months of the year.
• Ice & Water Barrier: Ice & Water Barrier is extra protection against areas where ice and water can cause the most damage: eaves, valleys, dormers and skylights. Many contractors will skip this step to save costs, but often find themselves in leak situations down the road. Advent Roofing & Restoration uses WeatherLock™ Self Sealing Ice & Water Barrier on all susceptible areas of each roof we install
• Synthetic Underlayment (not felt paper): Advent Roofing uses Rhino™ Synthetic Underlayment for all of our roofing project – big or small. Rhino Synthetic is a cutting-edge moisture barrier on the forefront of moisture-resistant technology. This product is the industry’s leader in synthetic underlayment, and recently merged with Owens Corning. Contractors using anything less (tar paper, etc.) are simply cutting corners to save themselves $200 – at most – on your project.
• Shingles: Advent Roofing & Restoration is a Preferred Contractor with Owens Corning. Owens Corning is the highest-quality and most elite shingle manufacturer in the world, and provides second-to-none protection against the elements. Although there are comparable shingle manufacturers on the market, none can compete with the remarkably low failure rates, unsurpassed methods of mixing the tar (main component of an asphalt shingle) per climate specifications, and Owens Corning’s warranties. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Owens Corning actually invented the asphalt shingle as well!

Regretfully, many roofing companies in Dallas often install roofing projects with whatever is on special at Home Depot. These products are not only meeting (or exceeding) their shelf life, but are often middle-of-the-road products. The defect and failure rates of many shingle manufacturers is upwards of 5-8%. When projecting over the life of a shingle (10-30 years depending on geographical area), that 5-8% failure rate is huge.

To put in simply: Any honest roofer in Dallas/Fort Worth should not cut corners on your home, and provide homeowners with options from a leading shingle manufacturer!

• Hip & Ridge Shingles: Much like the shingles installed on the flat surfaces of your house (mentioned above), the hips and ridges (where two surfaces of your roof converge) require high-quality shingles. The hips and ridges of your roof are the most exposed areas and most susceptible to hail impact/damage. Installing superior shingles on all surfaces of our customers’ roofs is standard.
• Ventilation: Ventilation within a roof system is just as important as the roof itself. Your roof is not only designed to protect against natural destructive forces, but it is also designed to perpetuate proper cooling, heating and allow for humidity to escape your home. Using low-quality vents on homes can eventually result in poor ventilation, higher electric costs, and rodent intrusions. Some low-end roofers often leave old/damaged roofing accessories and poor-quality ventilation to cut costs. This is unethical, and will also result in voided warranties should problems arise.

Advent Roofing uses high-quality metal for all roofing accessories and ventilation. We also upgrade our customers to VentSure™ ventilation system when appropriate.

• Flashing: Flashing is imperative for proper water shed on your roof, and should be replaced during a full roof replacement on all corners, chimneys, and other sections of the roof where damaged. Failing to replace damaged flashing can result in water leaks and can have detrimental affects to your home.

Advent roofing crews inspect and replace any/all flashing at joints, corners, siding, skylights, and chimneys.

• Paint: As listed above, many factors go into play concerning the functionality of a roof system. Advent Roofing & Restoration uses unrivaled superior products from the ground up. But what does a homeowner see when the roof is done? If you’re like many folks, how your home looks from the ground is very important. Your home’s curb appeal is the first thing any potential buyer, or neighbor will notice.

Painting all roof penetrations to match the shingle color is critical to a new roof looking great! Painting with generic greys, blacks, reds, or browns is a common corner-cutting tactic done by low-end roofing companies. Saving a few dollars isn’t worth the homeowner noticing that his or her shingle color doesn’t aesthetically match the vents and other roof accessories.

Advent Roofing used Owens Corning TruMatch Roofing Spray Paint for all roof penetrations. TruMatch spray paint is specially formulated to match your Owens Corning shingle color and eliminate all color inconsistencies on your roofing accessories.