If you replaced your roof in 1989 with a 30-year shingle, you probably found your roofing contractor in the Yellow Pages or by talking with a friend or neighbor. But in 1990, how you got your information started to change. That’s when the first search engine hit the Internet. In 1995 came Angie’s List, then Home Adviser and Google in 1998. Meanwhile, in Beverly Hills, the rise of social media started with Myspace. A year later, there was Facebook. In 2020, Instagram turns 10.
Search Online
You’re probably searching for a roofing contractor right now and ads will start to follow you. You’ll read customer reviews. Should you trust them? Not always. Headlines warned consumers about fake reviews on Yelp, Google, Local and elsewhere. Earlier this year, a California company settled federal charges for giving customers incentives to post positive reviews. Look for reviews of roofing Roxborough CO that are unique and specific. Do they mention an employee by name? Do the reviews talk about something interesting the business did that really stood out? How many reviews are there? Be realistic. Don’t expect the company to have a perfect track record. What’s the ratio of positive to negative feedback? Does the business respond to its reviews? Did the business address negative comments?
Recommendations
In 10 years, the way to find a trustworthy business has undergone a revolution. It’s the same, but different conversations happen on Facebook or the next door app instead of over the phone. Get recommendations from your online community, then do some digging to qualify your contractor.
Include offline bureaus in your search and research. Some of them have been helping people find businesses they can trust for more than 100 years. They provide information on industry licensing, accreditation status, complaint resolution, customer reviews and more to help you make an informed decision.
If you haven’t replaced your roof in 25 years, it’s time to get started.