The 11 Clauses Your Roofing Contract Should Include

Apr 11, 2017

Don’t settle for verbal promises when negotiating the terms of the agreement with your roofer. Get those items in writing to make sure that both of you understand each other’s expectations and what you’re getting back for your money. The most important items of a roofing contract should involve the eleven terms of agreement shown here.

Building Permits

Whether you or your general contractor is charged with hiring a roofing inspector, they are nevertheless necessary for figuring out if the project to take place will break any codes in your area.

Project’s Start & End Date

Every project’s plan should clearly lay the groundwork for the kind of schedule needed to finish the job on the end date agreed upon. If the roofers are leaving earlier than the end of their shifts, act to ensure they stick to the plan’s timeline.

Supplies

Always ask for a complete list of the supplies needed to finish the project in order to know who will be paying for what. If you don’t, the terms of the contract may permit them to charge you for materials and supplies mentioned in the contract but lost in the language.

Materials

You’re the one who’s supposed to choose what material your roof will take. Asphalt shingles, clay tiles, metal roofing, slate, and wood shakes are a few options that can be found with most contractors. If they don’t, they will have to get them from outside suppliers, and you need to know if the higher cost is because of the third party’s added percentage. Each roofing material has different strengths and weaknesses in its appearance, insulation performance, curb appeal, and home resale value.

Scheduled Inspections

You or your contractors will be in charge of hiring an inspector for the project you need. Some projects will need just one quick inspection while others will require three or more depending on its complexity.

Project Procedures

The schedule for each stage of development needs to be clearly outlined and given to you before work begins. Depending on the scope of the project, the plan will be made up of two parts for both the interior and exterior of your home and tackled accordingly.

The property manager, construction manager, and general contractor will then converge and lay out the costs associated with the entire process. And if your roofing installation or replacement is part of a more major renovation, an architect and landscape designer will be called upon and your contractor will ensure that it isn’t violating any local codes.

Following negotiations of allocating percentages for every hired actor, the work hours, safety precautions and clean-up after the work can all be clearly defined.

Terms of Payment

Don’t pay the full lump-sum up front, take it up with the team that you want to pay a certain amount after each stage of the project (e.g. half now; half after completion). The point is to keep an incentive for the contractor to finish the job on time within the terms you agreed to. If your source of funding is from a loan, identify the type of loan you’re using (i.e. refinance, second mortgage, state or local loan, or HUD Flex Subsidy loan). Before the contract is signed you need to reach a financing plan for the project if your plan is to subsidize the full cost over a certain amount of time with your lender’s support.

Liens on the Project

This section of the roofing process is one of the main reasons why you need everything clearly defined on paper and signed. The roofer can’t be the only one taking the brunt of the risk to complete your project. Remember that incentive we talked about? Well, it’s a two-way street. From the roofer’s perspective, the “mechanic’s lien” creates a very real incentive for you to make your due payment on time. Because if you don’t, they could foreclose your property for them to get it, although they could only do that if you’re late on payments or you’re not meeting other terms from the contract which do vary from case to case.

To avoid unwelcome surprises, make sure your contractor is insured, bonded, and licensed to practice. Secondly, consider adding a clause for a lien waiver or subcontractor lien waiver in the contract. This guarantees you that all the parties involved – supplier, roofer, and general contractor – no longer have a “hold” on your property.

The Right to Cancel

It can’t be stressed enough how important it is to include a clause concerning your right to cancel the contract within a period (usually 3 days) agreed upon amid contract negotiations.

Safety

Don’t set yourself up for poor roofing practices with lazily placed tools, ladders, and other objects used by the workers, especially if you have children who want to play outside. Include a clause of your own stating how you reserve the right to stop the job in its tracks or waive the contract altogether if unsafe practices take place on your property.

Warranties

Examine all the warranty terms relating to the products being used and workmanship as provided by your contractor.

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