What’s the Difference Between a Referral and a Reference?

What’s the Difference Between a Referral and a Reference?

When you’re looking at hiring a roofing company, it is critical that you check their references before signing any contracts or getting a price for the job. References are a key part of the process when you’re looking for a roofer with an established reputation. What many people don’t know about this process, however, is really what the difference is between a reference and a referral.

 Here are some reasons why it’s important to get referrals and references before hiring a roofing contractor.

 References and referrals are both critical elements, but they are really two different things when you’re talking about hiring a roofing contractor.

 The way this can be explained is: A referral is when you tell a good friend that you are looking for a roofer, and that good friend tells you that he or she knows the perfect company for the job. A referral is when someone you know and trust has first-hand experience with the company, which makes it the premier way to find a roofing contractor that you are going to be able to trust. So referrals are the preferred way, and they are how you ideally are going to want to meet your roofing contractor.

 Now a contractor reference is totally different. A reference is when you don’t know anybody who knows anybody in the roofing construction business. So instead, you just call any company based off an advertisement you may have seen. And once you have called a few of these companies, what you are going to be doing is getting together a list of the references that each one has given you.

 Usually, any reputable roofing construction business is going to offer you a list of about three references, although it can sometimes be more or less than that. Either way though, it is important that you get a good list of a couple individuals who have been satisfied with each company’s work, as well as the physical addresses where their roofs were put on.

 Of course, you should call these people and make sure that they really were happy with the work. But it’s also important that you check out the physical address and the building where that roofing was done to get a better look at how this company’s work holds up. Climb up there on the roof and have a look around.

 It’s also important to meet with the references in person, if possible, to make sure they are really who they claim to be. If someone says he is the owner of the particular business in the area, of course that is easy to verify and you are probably fine with just a phone call. But what you are looking for is just to make sure that this person is who they have been advertised as being.

 So, like said earlier, while referrals are the optimum way to find a good roofing contractor that you are going to be able to trust, references are the next best thing. And you should never take a reference for granted—you should always be calling these people to make sure they are legitimate and that their projects turned out in a way that you would wants yours to turn out, too.

Watch this video about roofing contractor

Here at Integrity our number one goal is 100% Customer Satisfaction. After being in business for as long as we have, we know the importance of making you, the customer, happy. That’s why we continue to bring you the best products, the best craftsmanship, and the best customer service year after year right here in Anchorage, Alaska. This video clip was put together as a result of our products tremendous success following the powerful windstorms in the winter of 2008. Immediately following the storms we contacted each one of our several hundred customers, who had their roof replaced by us, how their roof held up. We found that not a single shingle blew off! That’s what you get when you use the best products, the best people, and the best company. Integrity Roofing, Siding, and Windows is a residential replacement contractor, in Anchroage Alaska. Integrity Services the Anchorage, Eagle River, and Chugiak area. Learn more about making a successful investment into your roofing, siding, or windows at www.integrityalaska.com. Please help to answer the question about roofing contractorhow can i be sure that i am choosing a good roofing contractor?
i want him to do some enviormentally friendly cool roofing.
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Gary Trevano -
About the Author:

Mario Williams is a writer for Yodle, a business directory and online advertising company. Save money with the Guide to Roofing or more Home Care articles at the Yodle Consumer Guide, The Yodler. Also check out What’s the Difference Between a Referral and a Reference?




Related What’s the Difference Between a Referral and a Reference?:
May 1st, 2010 | by roofing contractor |

10 Responses to “What’s the Difference Between a Referral and a Reference?”

  1. By ttgl10 on May 1, 2010

    In the world of remodeling, home improvement, or residential construction contracting; "great" and "cheap" do not usually go together.

    A legitimate business needs to make a profit to stay in business. In order to stay in business over the long haul, the business must pay taxes, carry liability and worker's compensation insurance, and pay other normal operating expenses. This usually means that their prices are somewhat higher than the guy who works out of the back of his truck for cash.

    Unfortunately, many homeowners make their buying decisions based on the cheapest price. They are often burned when an uninsured workman is hurt on their job and the only way to recover damages is to sue the homeowner. They are also frustrated when they can't find the contractor a year or two later for a warranty claim. In some cased, they are forced to pay for materials twice when a supplier files a lein against the homeowner's property because the "contractor" failed to pay for the material.

    Contractor complaints like these will be among the top three types of complaints received by your state's Attorney General's Office (usually the division of Consumer Affairs). The only way you can assure that these problems do not befall you is to deal with reputable contractors.

    My advice is to decide what brand and color shingles you want on your house before you contact roffing contractors for a price. This ensures that each is bidding based on the same criteria. At a minimum, I recommend screening contractors using the following criteria:

    1) Make sure the contractor has been in business for at least ten years. This demonstrates in a very real way that the contractor is on the up and up.

    2) Ask for, and check out references in your area. Previous customers will usually be very glad to tell you their experience with a contractor.

    3) Insist that a contractor furnishes you with a Certificate of Insurance proving that they are covered by general liability and Worker's Compensation Insurance. The Certificate must be mailed to you by the contractor's insurance carrier because it is just too easy for a clever contractor to phoney up a copy.

    4) Make sure that any warranty on workmanship is in writing. They will usually provide a separate manufacturer's warranty on materials.

    5) Make sure that all of the details of the job are spelled out in writing in the contract.

    6) Do not give a contractor more than a 10% downpayment when you sign the contract. Contractors who ask for more money "so they can buy materials" should send up an alarm that you shouldn't ignore. You can bet that a contractor who demands a large downpayment has no working capital and will soon be out of business. Do not pay the contractor the balance owed until the entire job is done to your satisfaction. Once they are paid in full, you lose all leverage in getting them back to finish up the job.

    Keep in mind that this is a highly competitive business and a contractor who charges very high prices will not be in business very long. The prices from legitimate contractors will usually be very close if they are all bidding on exactly the same work.

    I hope this information helps you make your decision.

    Good luck with your roofing project.

  2. By Windstar on May 1, 2010

    How about a Roofing/Building Material wholesale company? Outside sales position? His experience would really be beneficial to his customers. Or a technical support or trainer for a roofing manufacturer try the Metal & Asphalt Shingle manufacturers, if he was in the business he hopefully should have some contacts to reach out to. My best advice would be to network within the industry, and to be patient. Something should come along; but not without his local "industry" knowing he is out there and looking for an opportunity.

  3. By Blogger on May 1, 2010

    Man I wish that it was my house getting the deck!

    SunriseSunsetgal

  4. By Wordpress on May 1, 2010

    It did turn out great. Thank you sunrise

  5. By Independent_guy on May 1, 2010

    I would say it seems high, but then I think everything is high and do it myself. In Ontario, a properly aligned roof would get a lot more sun on the south side and probably a lot more wind and cold on the north side and so it might be reasonable to only replace half. I am assuming that by half you mean one side from the peak down, not the lower half or upper half all the way around. Get some other bids and see. I would expect that half a roof would cost somewhat more than half the cost of the whole roof – no matter how much you take down and put up, you still have to bring trucks and equipment out and get set up and haul away.

  6. By adam0149 on May 1, 2010

    Yes. Go to http://www.cslb.ca.gov/

  7. By Chugga on May 2, 2010

  8. By Edita S. on May 3, 2010

    Is this a trick question?
    Or is it that you are just really bad at math?

  9. By cbmtrx on May 3, 2010

    i would not hire this contractor, could end up costing you more money in the long run

  10. By PrachiDesai36 on May 3, 2010

    I found that asking my neighbors and friends who had roofing done to be the most reliable way!

    Make sure they are insured. Small, one or two man companies often have the lowest prices but also are risky. Some of those might be excellent, but many don't know what they're doing because they do lots of things not just roofing, and they don't have as much equipment.

    My next door neighbor liked his company, but he recommended not paying the entire amount up front. You can often get a deal by doing so, but he said you don't know for sure what you're getting until you've had a good rain. Even good companies occassionally need to fix their work. There was one spot they needed to fix and because he paid everything up front, the company was not in a hurry to come and fix that part.

    I have also found that i can get great advice on which people to use for anything – roofing, plumbing, electrical, etc. – that the people at my local hardware store know who's really good and who isn't because they hear it all from their customers. But then, i'm in a small town and it's an independent hardware store. The people at the church also knew who was good and who wasn't because they had four buildings and had used lots of local contractors until they found ones that were great and they'd go back to them again and again, so you might try asking your church secretary for a recommendation, too.

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