Overwhelmed by the number of roofing contractors in Myrtle Beach? Worried about making the wrong choice?
You’re not alone.
Many people have heard horror stories about roofing contractors, which has ultimately given the industry a bad reputation with homeowners. Whether you’re deciding who to call for estimates or trying to choose a contractor from your estimates, this article will detail how to hire a roofing company you can trust.
For each roofing company, jot down:
- Years in Business
- Google Rating & Reviews
- Transparency Around Cost & What’s Included
- Personal Recommendations/Customer Experiences
- Trustworthiness
Linta Roofing, a GAF Master Elite contractor, is committed to high standards and excellent service. With 39 years of industry experience, we can help you recognize the qualities of an excellent roofing contractor, whether you choose Linta Roofing or not.
To help you compare, download our free Roofing Contractors Comparison Guide. This guide will help you visualize your comparisons so you can make the right choice.
5 Factors to Consider when Comparing Roofing Contractors in Myrtle Beach
In the early stages of comparing contractors, you’re somewhat limited to information from the internet and your first impression of a roofing company. However, there are practical ways to narrow down which roofer is right for you.
For each roofing company it’s important to look into their reputation. This includes their longevity, online reputation, trustworthiness, and also what people you know say about them.
But why do these things matter so much when choosing a roofing estimate? Let’s talk about it!
1. Years in Business
It’s important to know that a company isn’t “here today, gone tomorrow”. This is number one on the list because 96% of roofing companies fail within the first 5 years of business. This means that a roofer who hasn’t been in business for long can’t yet prove that their 10-25 year warranties will hold up in the long run. While new companies can be excellent, it's crucial to take additional steps in vetting them. Ensure you choose a contractor who will be reliable and available to stand behind their work in the long run.
Plenty of roofers will tell you they have many years of experience. But, “years of experience” is sometimes used ambiguously. Often encompassing the combined number of years of experience for each roofer in the company. Looking at the years in business will provide you with an outlook on the long standing reputation of a company. You can easily find this information with a quick Google search. A company with a longstanding reputation for quality and great service speaks to the integrity they hold themselves up to behind the scenes.
To avoid losing your warranty, it’s important to do your research on each roofing company before you sign any contract. One great way to discover how a roofing company conducts their business is to check out their Google rating and reviews.
2. Google Rating & Reviews
Google reviews can tell you quite a bit about how a company runs its business. Whether reviews are mostly positive or negative, they can definitely provide you with a picture of what to expect from a company. Considering that a new roof is a large investment, it’s important to get an idea of how reliable a roofing company will be if you choose to hire them. 
When looking at a company’s Google rating, it’s important to note how many stars a company has and how many reviews they’ve received. Typically a company with many positive reviews is a great sign! Previous customer reviews also offer insight on how a roofing company handles issues. Checking on a roofing company’s Google ratings and reviews is a great way to scope out how trustworthy they are before you contact them.
When looking at Google reviews, you should also consider how the company responds to negative reviews.
Negative reviews don't necessarily indicate an unreliable roofing company. Focus on how the company responds to and resolves customer issues in negative reviews.
- Be cautious of companies that:
- Shift blame back onto the customer.
- Explain away the issue instead of correcting it.
- A customer-focused company will typically:
- Apologize for a bad experience.
- Attempt to contact the customer to make things right.
Trust is earned through transparency and reliability, and Google reviews can offer quite a bit of information about a company’s ability to do so. But you’ll also want to take a good look at their website to see just how transparent they’re willing to be upfront. And when it comes to getting a new roof, the most important thing for you to know ahead of time is the price.
3. Transparency Around Cost & What’s Included in Your Roof Price
If you’ve worked with contractors before, you may know that comparing estimates plays a key role in making a final decision. But wouldn’t it take a burden off of you if you could find the cost of each roofing company’s work before you open your home to strangers? In nearly any other industry, the price of a product or service is clearly defined. And if that price is affected by other variables, it’s easy to find that information, also.
When it comes to choosing a roofing company, it’s important to see if they’re willing to be honest about the general cost of their service. Even though many things can affect the cost of a roof, a roofing company with lots of experience can usually tell you the average price of their service. Which is why it’s important to see if they’re willing to be upfront about it.
Not only that, but a reliable roofing contractor will let you know exactly what variables could lower or raise the price. A lack of transparency around cost, either on their website or during the estimating process, can be a red flag. In the Myrtle Beach area, competition between roofing companies is stiff. And unfortunately, there are some individuals who will cut corners to be the outlier with the lowest estimate so they can win your business. When a roofing company shows their prices clearly, like on their website, it shows they are honest and won’t give you poor quality that could cost you more in repairs later. 
Another great way to discover whether a roofing company is offering quality is to see if you know anyone personally who’s had work completed by them on their roof. Not only can they provide you with honest feedback, they can also let you know if they’ve had to have repairs completed because of lower quality workmanship.
4. Gather Information About Roofers from People You Trust
While conducting your own online research is crucial, it’s also important to see if you know anyone who's worked with the roofing companies you’re considering. At the end of the day, your friends, family, and co-workers are likely to provide you with the most honest feedback. Not only that, but they may also provide you with a more detailed understanding of how a roofing company conducts their business and answer specific questions you may have about their process. 
You can do this by:
- Evaluating the Feedback You Receive:
- Consider the personality and reliability of the person providing feedback to gauge its value.
- If you trust their opinions and tend to agree with them, their feedback can be highly valuable.
- Focusing on What Matters Most to You:
- Note the aspects of the process that are most important to you when discussing a roofing company with someone you know.
- Inquire further about these important aspects to better evaluate which roofing company is the right fit for your needs.
- Making an Informed Decision:
- Recognize that every homeowner has different priorities, so what matters to your friend or family member may differ from your concerns.
- Speaking with others about their experiences can help you compare options and make a more informed decision.
Ultimately, choose the roofing company you trust the most to deliver excellent results on your project.
5. Do You Trust This Roofing Company to Do a Good Job?
Regardless of everything mentioned above, go with your gut. A roofer is coming into your space and completing work on your home. They will be with you for a little while, but you’ll be at your home everyday! So, if you find that you don’t have peace of mind or you feel unsteady about a roofing company, they may not be the right fit for your roofing project. 
And if you don’t feel like you can trust them when they’re face-to-face with you, how can you trust them up on your roof when you’re not looking? As previously mentioned, a new roof is a large investment. If you don’t feel right about a roofing company, it’s not worth the risk to hire them just because they’ve checked off other important boxes in your comparison.
Selecting the Best Roofing Contractor in Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach is teeming with roofing contractors, making it challenging to narrow down the right fit. In your quest to find the best roofing contractor, putting focus on each roofer's reputation is a great way to safeguard your roofing investment. At the end of the day, roofing materials are not as important as the quality workmanship of who installs them. So it’s important to know that you have a roofing contractor you can trust to do the job well.
Now that you know what to expect from a reliable roofing contractor, you are ready to compare roofing contractors in Myrtle Beach. Use our Ultimate Roofer Checklist to ensure you make an informed decision for your roofing project. Download it now to compare contractors side-by-side and find the best fit for your needs. A good roofing contractor will ensure your investment pays off, providing you with a durable roof and peace of mind!
