Category: Blog

Choosing the right roofing contractor to fix or replace your roof is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Your choice can often be the difference between peace of mind and a bigger headache than necessary. We all want to work with someone who is honest, trustworthy, dependable and gets the job done right and on time.

We are human after all too, which is why we thought we’d share some important tips to consider when choosing the right contractor for the job:

1. Choose a local contractor. You will be less open for scammers or companies that swoop in right after a storm. Plus, local contractors will know local rules and regulations, something outside storm chasers won’t.
2. Get local referrals. If you need a contractor and can’t get a referral from family or friends, then get a few phone numbers of customers your contractor has worked with. Spending 5-10 minutes to call them is worth it.
3. Look at online ratings. Nowadays if a company doesn’t have online ratings from several different sources that should be a red flag. Look to see if they are listed with the BBB as well. That will also let you know if the company is indeed local.
4. Manufacturer certifications. Contractors must pass certain minimum requirements to be factory-certified which means they know what they are doing.
5. Extensive warranties. Not all contractors can offer manufacturer warranties that include coverage of workmanship. If your roof gets installed incorrectly, it could take years for the underlying damage to rear its ugly head and guess what – your insurance won’t pay for it which means it’s coming out of your pocket if the original contractor won’t fix it.
6. Licensing and Insurance. Adequate insurance is a must to avoid potential litigation if an employee of the roofing company sustains an injury while doing the job on your roof. Ask to see their license and verify it before any work is done.
7. Safety. Ask what safety measures they have in place and what training has been provided.
8. Your Deductible. Your deductible is your responsibility and never trust a contractor that says you don’t need to pay it before they handle the repair or replacement.
9. Know your material choices. There are many options to choose from and you should be shown them all. What you choose can affect the resale value of your home and that should be kept in mind if you choose to sell it down the road.
10. Never give in to pressure. Going with your gut is always the best option, but never allow a contractor to begin work or sign a contract before your insurance adjuster has estimated the damage. Have your contractor thoroughly examine your home and also check to make sure the adjuster didn’t miss anything.

Keep in mind that we are here to help and if you have questions or need referrals from us if you are considering us for your project give us a call at (469) 595-6059

Hi folks. I’m Glenn De La Hoz owner of Maximum Construction. I’d like to discuss basic roofing shingles and shingle upgrades today.

If you’re in the market for a new roof, one of the questions I get is… what kind of shingle should I go with and or what type of upgrade should I choose? Since we are a GAF Certified Contractor, I’m only going to be talking about GAF brand shingles in this post.

Basic Roofing Shingles

I am going to start with the basic shingle, which is the three tab shingle. Basically, they have two different types. They have the 20 year and a 25 year three tab. The only real difference is the warranty and the thickness of the shingles themselves. Now in Texas, they don’t even really offer the 20-year shingle anymore, only a select few manufacturers offer that. With this shingle, you’re going to get a 60 mile per hour wind guarantee and it comes in a variety of different colors.

Upgrading Your Roofing Shingle

If you currently have this shingle on your roof, you might want to consider upgrading the next shingle I will be talking about – the architectural shingle. In GAF’s case, it’s called the Timberline Series. This is the Timberline Lifetime HD Shingle. There are a few different shingles in the Timberline series. They have the basic natural shadow, the HD and the Ultra HD. One of the big differences is the shadow line. When you compare it to the three tabs, you can see it’s a totally different look. It has a layered look to it, which is why they call it an architectural shingle.

With this shingle, you are getting a much better looking shingle and the wind rating goes up to 80 miles per hour. The reason being is that it’s a heavier shingle.  If you’re looking for a shingle with more richness in color, I would recommend going with the HD series. It’s got a darker shadow line on it.

Class 4 Impact Resistant Roofing

Now, if you already have this shingle and you want to upgrade from here, the next step up would be the GAF Armor Shield II. As far as looks go, it’s pretty similar to the Timberline, but the biggest difference is that this a classified as a four impact resistant shingle. This is important, especially in Texas because this shingle is more resistant to hail and it’s basically hail proof in most cases. This shingle is also a heavier shingle. It’s got a rubber-like membrane and the wind rating gets bumped up significantly to 130 miles per hour.

The best part about this shingle is that you can get an insurance break on your home premium in most cases, because of the durability and wind rating. I’ve seen anywhere from 15% up to 30% off your insurance premiums just by having this shingle properly installed. So your return on your investment with this type of shingle is well worth it because you’ll make some of your money back from the savings on your insurance premiums.

These would be your basic shingle upgrades. If you’re looking for something fancier, stay tuned for my next post where I will go over the designer series of shingles. That’s all for now folks. I’ll see you next time…