How important is hiring a contractor that is well-established, licensed, bonded and “Fully” insured?

VERY IMPORTANT! A well-established, licensed, bonded and “Fully” insured contractor will financially protect possibly your largest investment (your home) against accidental injuries or damages. You also greatly improve your chances in receiving a high level of responsible and professional service. A well-established, licensed, bonded and “Fully” insured contractor will provide you with the quality materials that have been historically proven and will most likely outlive all warranties applied to a project.

What is “Fully” insured?

There are to ways a contractor is insured. 1. General Liability: This policy financially protects you and your home from property damage. 2. Workmen’s Compensation: This policy financially protects you and your home from an injury accident occurring on your property.

“Fully” insured means that each and every employee working on your project is covered under these policies. There are companies out there that will pay all or a portion of their workers cash “under the table” to lower their expenses. Even it the contractor has a workman’s compensation policy in effect, a claim can be denied if they fail to report any wages. If the insurance won’t pay the claim then you, the property owner, can be sued for recovery. The same for property damages, again any claim can be denied due to the fact that most policies in our industry are now based on payroll and failure to report all income is grounds for denial.

How do I know a contractor is “Fully” insured?

A good indication is a bid significantly lower than others. Being “Fully” insured and running all employees thru payroll is very expensive due to the high rate of tax and insurance compounds. You want to ask the contractor how many employees they have, then ask to see a copy of their last payroll report, a quarterly tax report or a current workmen’s compensation loss report. The loss report will show their premiums base (how much payroll they reported). Don’t take their word; ask for the documentation. If they are operating appropriately, they should be more than happy to provide this information to earn your business.

How would I determine what type of shingle is suitable in my neighborhood?

The first thing you need to do is find out if there is an active neighborhood association that would restrict you to a particular shingle. The restrictions may include one or all of the following: Weight, style and color. If there are restrictions it is very important to find them out and get an approval before you sign a contract. If a non-approved product is installed there is a possibility of having to replace it at your expense.

What is another way I can financially protect myself?

Find out what material supplier the contractor would use for your project. Call that supplier and find out about their relationship and account history. If a contractor completes your project and even though you have paid the contractor in full, if the contractor does not pay their supplier for the materials used on you home the supplier has a legal right to recover those costs from you and/or your home. That is called a “double payment” on materials.
 

FAQ About J. Vaughan Roofing
 

Q: What is your expertise?

A: We professionally perform residential re-roofing using all lines of asphalt composition and high quality cedar shakes. We also install PVC/single-ply systems on commercial and residential flats. We professionally install or replace siding and windows.


Q: Are you licensed, bonded and insured?

A: Yes. We are fully inured, bonded and have maintained the same license number for over 15 years. (Construction Contractor Board #88412)


Q: Are your workers legal?

A: Yes. All of our workers are legally hired, tax paying employees.


Q: Do you use day labor?

A: Never. All labor is performed by year-round, full-time employees.


Q: Do you use subs?

A: Not for any roof or construction projects. We have however used a gutter specialist as a sub for gutter installation only.


Q: How can I be sure you will stand behind your work?

A: We have a written 10-year workmanship warranty and we have maintained a clean record with the Construction Contractor Board as well as the Better Business Bureau for over 15 years.


Q: How long does an average project take?

A: That depends on the project, however most projects are completed in one to two days. Larger, Steep or more complex jobs could take longer, but even the largest projects we won’t let drag on. We won’t stop a project we have started until it is completed.


Q: What areas do you service?

A: We service the entire Portland metro-area with the exception of Vancouver, WA.


Q: What types of roofing projects do you take on?

A: We’ll do some commercial, but mostly residential. We install cedar shake, all lines asphalt composition and flats.


Q: What shingle manufacturers would you recommend?

A: We like Pabco & Certainteed. We have been using their products for over 10 years. They are competitive in price and are at the top of their market.


Q: Do you work year-round?

A: Yes. Even though the weather changes we still can manage projects through the winter months and have the experience to do so without risk.

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