When You Hire a Roofing Company, Who Actually Shows Up to Work on Your Roof?

When homeowners search for a roofing company near me, many assume the company’s employees will handle their project from start to finish. However, according to the National Roofing Contractor Association (NRCA) about 70% of residential and 40% of commercial roofing projects are performed in whole or part using subcontracted labor force. Understanding who actually performs the work on your roof is crucial for making informed decisions about your roofing project.

What Are Roofing Subcontractors?

Roofing subcontractors are independent professionals who partner with roofing companies to handle specific roofing jobs on a contract basis. Subcontractors are typically hired or “subcontracted” on a project-by-project basis, working much like freelancers. A subcontractor is hired by a roofing contractor to perform specific tasks within the project, such as installing shingles, gutters, membranes, coatings, and much more.

Unlike full-time employees who are generally tied to a single business, subcontractors are free to take on projects with multiple clients. It isn’t uncommon for subcontractors to fill in and help multiple companies with overflow work or ongoing projects.

Why Do Roofing Companies Use Subcontractors?

There are several practical reasons why roofing companies rely on subcontractors:

• Peak Season Support: Roofing companies may rely on subcontractors during peak seasons or times of higher demand, like after storms or when their full-time workforce is working at max capacity.
• Cost Management: To start off, put simply it is far less costly for a business to use subcontractors. Depending on the state, after a company reaches a certain threshold of workers, they are required by law to pay workers’ compensation… This would drastically increase the cost for the contractor as well as the homeowner, as their bill would be higher to accommodate for the cost of workers’ compensation.
• Specialized Expertise: Yes, subcontractors in roofing can be specialized installers in various areas, such as shingles, flat roofs, metal roofs, gutters, soffits, fascia, and more. Each subcontractor has expertise in their specific field, ensuring the best results for that roofing task.
• Increased Capacity: When a roofing company uses subcontractors, they often subcontract more than one company at once. Here at Rescue My Roof, we work with four different subcontractors. This means at any given time, we can be working on four roofs at once.

The Advantages of Working with Subcontractors

When managed properly, subcontractors can provide several benefits:

• Specialized Skills: Subcontractors specialize in the work that you specifically request, unlike employees who would have to train on the job. That alone is going to increase the quality of the workmanship on your roof.
• Faster Scheduling: Depending on the size of the roofing company, those that use in-house employees may only be able to complete one roof at a time… Not being able to work on many roofs translates to an added wait time for you because companies may be booked out for up to a year.
• Cost-Effectiveness: Hiring subcontractors to complete roofing projects for roofing companies can reduce operational expenses.

Potential Concerns with Subcontractors

While subcontractors offer advantages, there are legitimate concerns homeowners should be aware of:

• Quality Consistency: Subcontractors are similar to freelancers, so the quality of their work can vary. Varying levels of quality and expertise. Limited accountability and control.
• Training Gaps: Subcontractors might not have professional training or fail to uphold the same standards enforced by a professional roofing company. Limited experience or know-how can lead to inconsistent work.
• Communication Issues: Effective communication between the roofing company and subcontractors is crucial for project success. Delays or issues with subcontractors may affect the overall timeline, leading to potential project delays.

Questions to Ask Your Roofing Contractor

To ensure you’re comfortable with your roofing arrangement, ask these essential questions:

• Who, exactly, will be installing my roof? Are they employees or sub-contractors?
• Ask the roofing company whether they outsource parts of the job to a team of subcontractors under their purview. If so, make sure these subcontractors have insurance and the licenses to complete the work.
• What training and certifications do the subcontractors have?
• How long have you worked with these specific subcontractors?
• Who supervises the work on-site?

How Aastro Roofing Approaches Subcontractor Management

For South Florida homeowners, understanding how local companies handle subcontractor relationships is crucial. We’re a locally owned and operated company that values honesty and integrity, and treats your roofing projects as if it were our own. We offer a wide range of roofing expertise and experience to meet the specific needs of our clients.

Aastro Roofing is managed and operated by family members who all have vested interest in the success of our company and the satisfaction of our customers. With over 70 years of experience, we’re South Florida’s experts in Commercial and Residential Roofing, serving Palm Beach and Broward County, offering homeowners with dependable and commercial roofing approaches.

The company emphasizes supplying value through diligent work and clear communication, and strive to save you both time and money by combining roofing knowledge, the highest quality parts and equipment, and dedication to delivering exceptional service. We will not leave the job until it is finished and you are satisfied with the results.

Ensuring Quality Control

Regardless of whether a company uses in-house crews or subcontractors, quality control is paramount. At the very least, the company you contracted with, the prime roofing contractor should provide a technically competent project representative on site every day work is being accomplished. This way you have a contractual point of contact for the project that understands roofing and the scope of your project.

It is imperative for the owner or designer to be aware when the prime roofing contractor has subcontracted portions of the work and confirm these independent contractors work under the same contractual obligations as the prime contractors. The responsibility for quality work remains with the prime roofing contractor and precautions must be undertaken to prevent any misunderstanding or finger-pointing should defects arise.

Making the Right Choice for Your Project

The key to a successful roofing project isn’t necessarily whether the company uses employees or subcontractors, but rather how well they manage their workforce and maintain quality standards. While this is a practical way for roofing companies to facilitate timely customer repairs and installation, homeowners need to know who exactly is working on their roof.

When evaluating roofing companies, focus on their reputation, quality control measures, insurance coverage, and communication practices rather than solely on their employment structure. A reputable company that uses well-vetted, experienced subcontractors can often provide better service than a company with poorly trained in-house staff.

Understanding who performs the work on your roofing project empowers you to ask the right questions, set appropriate expectations, and ultimately choose a contractor who will deliver the quality results your home deserves. Whether through employees or trusted subcontractors, the most important factor is finding a roofing company committed to excellence and customer satisfaction.