Imagine waking up on any normal weekday and starting your morning routine. Just then, you see it- a puddle of water in the middle of the hallway. You start going through the checks, not wanting to admit that your roof may be leaking. “The dog? Spilt water?” But then, a drop of water falls from the ceiling and lands right in the center of this puddle. Continue reading “What to Do When Your Roof Leaks”
Which Shingle is Right for Me?
Your roof is something you tend not to think about until you need a new one- but choosing a new roof is a very important process, one that can come with many advantages or disadvantages. Most homeowners are unaware of the many types of roofs that they have to choose from. We invite you to take a journey with us to explore the many shingle options that are available. Shingles can be made of asphalt, wood, metal, slate, or even concrete tile.
Top Ten Mistakes in Purchasing a New Roof
A roof that’s installed with modern materials and methods and then properly maintained will give you many years of hassle-free service. However, if you live in an older home or one that has been damaged by storm or neglect, it may be time to consider installing an entirely new roof.
But as with so many other large purchases, buying a new roof can be a costly and frustrating experience- especially if you don’t avoid making some of the missteps as so many other homeowners have. To help you avoid doing that, we’ve compiled this list of the ten most common mistakes made when purchasing a new roof.
- Shopping price only
The price of a new roof will vary depending on the size and location of your home. If you shop around for prices and find that a particular company is well below the average, there may be a reason. In short, cost alone doesn’t determine value; professionalism and quality workmanship should weigh just as heavily in any roof-buying decision.
- Buying from the company that can start the soonest
A company that is too quick to respond may not yet have enough business. There’s nothing wrong with being new to an area, but there may be other reasons the company is idle.
- Falling for any high-pressure tactics
As with any large purchase, buying under pressure is a bad idea. No matter how good the deal if you ’just sign now,’ don’t buy a roof from a company that insists you sign a contract before you’re ready. You should always demand the right to examine the contract at your leisure.
- Signing the contract just because you like the salesperson
Even though you may feel a certain comfort level with a certain salesperson, that shouldn’t drive your roof-buying decision. Remember, sales people are hired for their people skills; most of the time their job is to say to you whatever they need in order to get you to buy.
- Forgetting that a deal seemingly too good to be true probably is
While there are legitimate reasons a roofing contractor might offer steep discounts, be wary of those who are too inexpensive. If you’re offered a super bargain, make sure the contractor is using certified, code-approved, and legally obtained materials. Be sure there’s a warranty offered. Ask about hidden costs such as removal of your existing roof, etc. And be sure to ask about references.
- Purchasing based on warranty alone
The length of a roof warranty should not be the sole criterion for selecting a roofing contractor. The warranty alone does not necessarily provide assurance of satisfactory roof performance.
- Using contractors with no office staff
There’s nothing wrong with using a small mom-and-pop contractor, of course. But roofing properly is a large undertaking, so all other things being equal, a large support staff makes the process that much smoother.
- Mistaking advertising for quality
While it may be impressive that a contractor has put down money for an expensive and slick ad campaign, it’s more important that they can perform the work in a quality and professional manner.
- Hiring a friend to do the work
Unless your friend is a licensed and insured roofing contractor, this is a really bad idea. Even if your friend is known as a ‘handyman,’ has he ever installed a complete roof? Does he know which areas of the roof are prone to leaks? Does he know how to properly vent a roof? And most importantly, does he offer a warranty?
- Doing the work yourself
In spite of the fact that the big-box home improvement centers will try to convince you this is a snap, don’t believe them. On top of the issues we’ve already discussed, there are the obvious safety concerns; ask yourself whether saving a few thousand dollars is worth risking your health or your life. Professional roof contractors are trained in all aspects of installation and safety; even if cutting costs is very important to you, this is the one area in which you should absolutely never skimp.
If your home is ready for a new roof, or even if you suspect it may be, don’t fall victim to these, or any other mistakes. Instead, give one of Gulf Western Roofing’s knowledgeable representatives a call. We’ll always tell you the truth about your roof!
Hurricane Matthew
October 7th, 2016
As of the 11AM update from the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Matthew was still moving up Florida’s northern east coast as a Category Three hurricane. The storm is expected to continue moving up the coast before weakening and turning out to sea near the Carolinas over the weekend. A Hurricane Warning is still in effect for the Atlantic coast from Melbourne north to North Carolina. All other watches and warnings for our coverage area have been discontinued.
Matthew’s remnants are expected to loop back to the south and west and eventually affect South Florida by the middle or end of next week. At this time, it’s uncertain just how much if any of a threat there will be; more on that later in the weekend.
Our Central Florida office is currently closed until 7:30 AM on Monday, October 10th. All phone calls directed to the Central Florida office will still be answered throughout the weekend.
Our Southwest Florida division is continuing business as usual.
We will continue to monitor the storm and update you with any changes that are made.
The Gulf Western Roofing supervisor overseeing your project will contact you as each phase of the Hurricane Response Plan is initiated. However, please feel free to call that supervisor with any questions you may have. If you are having difficulty reaching your supervisor, please call our main office at (800) 277-0647. You can also reach us at customerservice@lambcon.com or storm@lambcon.com.
Please find our Hurricane Response Plan Here
Please find our Hurricane Supply Check-list Here
October 6th, 2016
As of 11AM, Hurricane Matthew was located near Nassau in the Bahamas, where it has restrengthened to Category Four.
Matthew is headed toward Florida’s east coast, where it is expected to either make landfall this evening, or stay just off the coast until Saturday. Damage is expected to be severe and widespread; for this reason the National Hurricane Center has coastal and inland Hurricane Warnings in effect from Miami northward into South Carolina, an area that includes the Florida cities of Melbourne, Orlando, Daytona Beach, St. Augustine, and Jacksonville. Tropical Storm Watches and Warnings are strill in effect for most of Florida’s southern tip and west coast.
Our Central Florida division is currently in Phase III of the Hurricane Response Plan.
Our Southwest Florida division is still suspending all loads and deliveries but is otherwise continuing business as usual.
We will continue to monitor the storm and update you with any changes that are made.
The Gulf Western Roofing supervisor overseeing your project will contact you as each phase of the Hurricane Response Plan is initiated. However, please feel free to call that supervisor with any questions you may have. If you are having difficulty reaching your supervisor, please call our main office at (800) 277-0647. You can also reach us at customerservice@lambcon.com or storm@lambcon.com.
Please find our Hurricane Response Plan Here
Please find our Hurricane Supply Check-list Here
October 5th, 2016
As of 5 PM, the National Hurricane Center has placed counties along Florida’s East Coast from North Miami-Dade northward through Volusia under a Hurricane Warning, and counties up to the Georgia/South Carolina state line under a Hurricane Watch. A tropical storm warning remains in effect for the Upper Keys, as well as the southern tip of Florida from Miami west to around Marco Island, while the west coast of Florida from Marco Island to Cedar Key has been placed under a Tropical Storm Watch.
Our Central Florida division will be in Phase III of the Hurricane Response Plan by this afternoon. This means all in-progress installations will cease, all roof-loaded but uninstalled tile will be securely bundled or wrapped, all other remaining roof components (insulation, rolled goods, etc.) will be secured to the roof, any materials stored outdoors will be secured, and all jobsites will be cleared of any remaining roof debris.
Our Southwest Florida division has currently suspended all loads and deliveries but will otherwise continue business as usual. As usual, we will continue to monitor the storm and update you with any changes that are made.
The Gulf Western Roofing supervisor overseeing your project will contact you as each phase of the Hurricane Response Plan is initiated. However, please feel free to call that supervisor with any questions you may have. If you are having difficulty reaching your supervisor, please call our main office at (800) 277-0647. You can also reach us at customerservice@lambcon.com or storm@lambcon.com.
Please find our Hurricane Response Plan Here
Please find our Hurricane Supply Check-list Here
October 4th, 2016
At their 11:00 AM update, the National Hurricane Center issued a Tropical Storm Watch for Florida’s east coast from the Middle Keys north to the Broward County/Palm Beach County line, and a Hurricane Watch for the east coast from the Broward / Palm Beach line north to the Volusia County / Brevard County line.
Due to the change in trajectory of Hurricane Matthew our Central Florida division is currently in Phase I of the Hurricane Response Plan. This means all jobsite and rooftop deliveries will be suspended except as needed to complete key areas, roof installation will continue so that as much roof-loaded material as possible is secured, and our customers will be notified of the suspension of deliveries. We expect to be in Phase II of the Hurricane Response Plan by tomorrow and we will continue to keep our customers updated throughout the course of the storm.
Because the Southwest Florida area will remain largely unaffected, we will continue doing business as usual in those areas.
The Gulf Western Roofing supervisor overseeing your project will contact you as each phase of the Hurricane Response Plan is initiated. However, please feel free to call that supervisor with any questions you may have. If you are having difficulty reaching your supervisor, please call our main office at (800) 277-0647. You can also reach us at customerservice@lambcon.com or storm@lambcon.com.
Please find our Hurricane Response Plan here.
October 3rd, 2016
Florida Governor Rick Scott has declared a state of Emergency for the entire state of Florida due to the change in trajectory of Hurricane Matthew. Gov. Scott’s emergency declaration notes that, “based on the current forecast, the state’s entire east coast from Monroe to Nassau counties could experience tropical storm force winds, beach erosion, rip currents and heavy rain. This is a slow moving storm and could impact Florida as early as Wednesday and last through Saturday“. Our plan is to conduct business as usual tomorrow. However, we will be sending you regular updates throughout the day beginning early in the morning.
In the event that the storm becomes a greater threat, the Gulf Western Roofing supervisor overseeing your project will contact you as each phase of the Hurricane Response Plan is initiated. However, please feel free to call that supervisor with any questions you may have. If you are having difficulty reaching your supervisor, please call our main office at (800) 277-0647. You can also reach us at customerservice@lambcon.com or storm@lambcon.com.
Please find our Hurricane Response Plan here.
September 30th, 2016
Gulf Western Roofing is continuously monitoring Hurricane Matthew. At this time, the storm is forecast by the National Hurricane Center to remain off the coast of Florida. As a result of the current storm trajectory, Gulf Western Roofing will continue doing business as usual.
We will continue to monitor the storm closely and notify you if any changes in trajectory occur.
In the event of an approaching storm, the Gulf Western Roofing supervisor overseeing your project will contact you as each phase of the 2016 HurricaneResponse Plan is initiated. However, please feel free to call that supervisor with any questions you may have. If you are having difficulty reaching your supervisor, please call our main office at (800) 277-0647. You can also reach us at customerservice@lambcon.com or storm@lambcon.com.
5 Steps to Choosing the Right Roofing Contractor
Making the best choice for your roof maintenance begins with hiring the most qualified roofing contractor. That’s why we’ve put together this step-by-step guide to choosing the most reputable roofing contractor for the job.
Do an Internet Search
These days, the Internet makes it hard for crooks and scammers to get away with treating their customers poorly. Websites like “ripoffreport.com” allow customers to warn others about any rip-offs or scams that may have occurred to them. Also look through any social media or search engine reviews of the company and see if the contractor has a Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating. Being an A+ BBB company means that the business is operating in a trustworthy manner and will put forth the necessary effort to resolve any customer complaints.
Collect References
These days, most companies will include job photos and customer testimonials right on their website. Take the time to review this information to see if this contractor is the right fit for you. If you own a tile roof, yet all the photos on a roofing website present shingle roofs, then chances are this contractor may not specialize in your area. Don’t be afraid to ask the company to present references of their own either. It may be beneficial to call and speak to some of these references before settling on the right roofer.
Ask Around
Talk to your friends, your family, and your neighbors to find out which roofing contractors they trust most. Reading customer testimonials and reviews online can be helpful, but talking to someone that you know and trust about their own personal experience may help you in learning useful information that may not have otherwise been presented to you.
Obtain all Necessary Information
Always make sure that you are hiring a licensed and insured roofing contractor. Roofing is one of the most dangerous jobs. With that in mind, you do not want to be responsible for the medical bills if someone is injured while working on your property. You have every right to ask your roofing contractor for their license and insurance information.
Speak to an Expert
It’s true; we’ve all encountered at least one or two shady salesmen at some point in our lifetime. You know which ones we’re talking about… They hardly take the time to explain anything, they present you with false information, and they’re in all too much of a hurry to take your money and run. Make sure the company you’re dealing with takes the time to explain the process to you, goes over the contract details with you before making you sign, and stays in touch with you throughout the project. Knowing exactly what you’re getting for your money is important.
Always take caution when making big decisions for your home. Being able to trust your roofing contractor will make the process go that much smoother. Gulf Western Roofing prides itself on good customer service. We stand by the fact that we’ll always tell you the truth about your roof. If you’re in need of a Florida roof repair or re-roof, take the time to learn more about Gulf Western Roofing!
