When it comes to repairing old roof tiles, restoration or replacement, it’s important to know that it’s all about Caveat Emptor or Buyer Beware. There are far too many unscrupulous, untrained, unlicensed operators in this sector, and you could easily fall victim to a roofing scam.
Unless you are a roofing or construction contractor yourself, or you have a trusted friend or relative in this industry, you could easily lose money, cause damage to your building, endanger the safety of property and inhabitants and end up having to go to a tribunal like VCAT and possibly pay penalties for non-compliance with local regulations.
Do You Need Roofing Repairs: How To Tell?
One problem with tiled roofs is that there is no one-size-fits all warranty or estimation of how long they can go without repairs. Major factors that affect the life and health of your roof include weather and climatic conditions, maintenance, regular inspections, surrounding environment and how you use the roof.
Some tiled roofs can last for decades without issues, while others develop cracks or leaks in a year or two. Smart building owners ensure that they thoroughly inspect their roofs at least twice a year, just before a season change.
Tile or shingle roofs may need to be assessed at least once in five years, while cement, asphalt or wooden roofs need more frequent assessment. Metal roofs can generally be left for longer if the conditions are right.
Sudden weather events such as severe winds, hail or heavy rain, falling branches, and extreme heat or cold will make your tile roof less strong.
If your roofing tiles are older than 20-25 years, you will need to restore or replace them. Your insurance company or local building regulations may have certain guidelines about aging roofs, and you will have to comply with these.
If you notice moss, fungus or rust stains on the upper walls or roof surface, it could indicate leakage. Visible gaps or light shining through the roof are a sure sign of cracks. Very old roofs with timber supports may begin to sag, shrink or warp. Pest attacks, presence of vermin or weeds on the roof indicate that there is damage.
Ventilation blockage may be another issue that indicates your tiled roof is in need of repair. Inflated energy bills indicate that your HVAC system is being overworked due to roof leakage.
These are signs that your roof needs to be repaired/replaced, and immediate action must be taken. Get in touch with a professional roofing expert and conduct a detailed inspection of the roof. If you think your terracotta tiles need repairing or replacing, or if you need an entire roofing restoration, enquire about repairs to your tiled roof at eastern Melbourne roofing. https://easternmelbourneroofing.com.au/roof-tile-repairs-melbourne/
You can call for advice or get a quote on the website.
Roofing Scams to Watch Out For
- Storm Chasers: You may notice that immediately after any severe weather event, persons claiming to be roofing contractors turn up at your door. They may try to scare you with dire predictions, or make false claims that your roof is in imminent danger of collapsing. Some of the more clever scammers may rent premises in the local area or provide you with fake endorsements and references. Take a step back and hit the pause button. If you truly believe that your roof may have suffered damage, get a professional assessment done by a trusted contractor. Ensure that you select a local expert with ties in the community, a street address and land-line phone number.
- High Pressure Sales : This is a common tactic to frighten elderly residents. The scammer may promise heavy discounts on labor and materials, available only for a limited time. Avoid engaging with such persons and do your own research to compare and contrast prices from reputed roofing firms.
- Advance deposits: Never pay a large amount of advance or make a part payment deposit.
Trustworthy roofers may request some upfront payments to purchase materials, but they will not ask for an unusually large deposit. Crooked contractors may collect your money and then vanish.
- References and Recommendations: If you are new in the area or haven’t much experience in undertaking civil works, ask the roofing contractor for references. Make sure you cross check each one thoroughly to ensure that these are not fake. You can also ask the contractor to give you the contact details of former clients so that you can talk to them or visit their sites. Read online reviews and speak to your local hardware store, check online business directories and select a local contractor.
- Written Contract: Insist on a written contract that is signed by both parties. The contract should give details of estimated time, labor and materials cost, with a margin for a certain percentage of over-run. Without a written contract, you will have no legal recourse in case of shoddy work, incomplete projects or cost overruns. Unlicensed contractors will not provide you with work and materials guarantees, and you will not be able to get redressed for poor work. The contract should contain verifiable details such as name, address and contact information of the contractor. This will protect you in case the contractor delays or fails to turn up on schedule.
- Licenses and Insurance: Genuine roofing professionals have the necessary and valid paperwork. This includes licenses to do such work, permits to work in the local area and compliance with the type of work they can undertake. Ensure that all the workers are suitably insured and background checked. Remember that they will have access to your home/office and they should be trustworthy. If possible, ask for their local home addresses and phone numbers. Hiring inexperienced, unlicensed contractors can expose you to safety hazards, legal penalties, and poor workmanship.
- Over-inflated assessment: Some unscrupulous roofers may exaggerate the extent of damage, or they may suggest super expensive options. This may be to scam your insurance company so that they can take the difference themselves.
