History

• In the early days of home maintenance and building, there was little need for a roofer. Each man attended to his own roof. The material was simple and the job was too. As buildings and the materials became more complex and permanent, roofs became one of the most important parts of the home. The roof, after all, was the only thing protecting the rest of the house from the elements. As the building materials changed, so did the need for knowledge. Slate roofs required craftsmen. Newer materials and concepts continue to appear and the need for an organization for educating the roofing contractor became apparent. NRCA, The National Roofing Contractors Association, founded in 1886, was a driving force toward that goal. It includes small independent contractors that work on residential buildings and large firms that exclusively do commercial work.
  
  

Types

• You are probably familiar with the roofing contractor that organizes his crew to repair the roofs on homes in your neighborhood. This is just one type of roofing contractor. Commercial roofing contractors deal with a different set of problems when faced with providing that type of roofing. Within those two categories, there are 11 subcategories to further define the roofing contractor.
  
  

Categories

• The categories of roofing contractors breaks down by not just the type of building but the type of material they use and slope of the roof. There are those that work on steep-sloped roofs using asphalt shingles, these types of contractors are familiar to most. However, roofing contracts also specialize in clay tile and concrete tile roofing, slate roofing, metal roofing systems for steep slopes, synthetic roofing and wood shakes and shingles. There are also specialists for low-sloped roofs. Some specialize in built up roofs or modified types with membranes, these are roofing systems where alternating layers of reinforcing fabric and bitumen create the final membrane. Another name for them are tar and gravel roofs. There are low-slope metal panel roofing specialists, polyurethane foam systems specialists and the specialists that work with thermoplastic or thermoset membranes.
  
  

Green Contractors

• Many roofing contractors vigilantly work to encourage green roofing practices. These contractors strive to find ways to conserve the homeowners use of energy, use environmentally friendly materials and find innovative materials to for roofing. New and exciting methods such as vegetative roof systems, cool roofs and even harnessing the power of the sun with a roof system. Roofing contractors that take classes in these areas can take a Roofing, Energy and the Environment Series Certificate Examination to show their expertise in that area.
  
  

Identification

• If you're getting estimates for your roof, you should check several items before you hire a roofing contractor. Make sure they have insurance. A legitimate contractor carries business liability insurance. Ask for references. Any contractor that's been in the business longer than a week has several names of previous clients he can offer. Check with the Better Business Bureau for complaints. Get a written estimate. Compare not just the estimate but also the work of several contractors. Never pay for the entire job upfront. Legitimate contractors either expect half, one quarter and or three equal payments. This helps defray the cost of materials and labor until the job's complete.
  
  

Warning

• Legitimate roofing contractors don't walk down the street, stopping at houses to alert the occupants of a bad roof. If someone stops at your home and tells you that you need a new roof immediately and they're just the guys to do the job, close the door and call the police. These men are there to either scam you out of your money, or worse, just want access to the house so they can rob you.