Types of Roofing Contractors

A roofer, roofing contractor, or roof repair specialist is a person who specializes in roof repair. Roofers repair, replace, and install (or rebuild) the roofs of commercial buildings, using various different materials, such as asphalt shingles, gypsum, and wooden fibreglass. Many homeowners and business owners have learned of roofers through word-of-mouth advertisements, or by being told that they "rely on professionals". Although many roofers are honest and hard-working, others are less so.

Although no two jobs are exactly the same, most roofers perform jobs that can be performed by other building technicians. These include installing insulation, doing roof assessments, replacing flashing and other damaged materials, and inspecting buildings for leaks. The typical roofer's job may also include cleaning gutters and downspouts, and applying protective coatings. In some cases, roofers are also required to perform maintenance or repairs on roofs, including removing snow and ice from gutters, removing leaves and other debris from roof ledges, repairing leaky pipes, and installing skylights and shutters. While roofers do not generally provide any specialized training, many of them are trained on a practical basis by practicing on real roofs instead of on fabricated or temporary roof models.

The roofing contractors typically work on residential roofs. In many cases, residential roofers will be associated with the repair or installation of single-ply residential roofs, which have a single flat membrane applied to the roof surface. Single-ply roofs are typically less expensive to install than composite roofing systems, which use a combination of shingles and asphalt shingles. However, residential roofers are also responsible for the timely removal of damaged debris, including broken or missing shingles. After a roofer finishes installing a single-ply roof, he or she will typically offer the homeowner advice on a maintenance schedule for his or her roof.

There are two primary categories of roofers. One type of roofers works with tiles, while the other type installs shingles. Tiles are made of gypsum and clay, while shingles are manufactured from cotton and fiberglass fibers. Many tile roofers will simply apply the tiles to a roof, while others will create an overall roof pattern with shingles or other materials. Both types of roofers are able to perform general roof maintenance such as cleaning gutters, leveling, and refilling nooks and crannies.

Some roofers specialize in roof tiles. These types of roofers typically use asphalt shingles or ceramic tiles, which are composed of a rubber compound that cannot be broken down easily. These roof tiles can last for many years, although they must be periodically re-applied to keep them looking fresh and beautiful. Other roofers will recommend a roof coating for their clients. This type of roof coating is made of cement and granulated minerals that are applied to the roof in thin layers to prevent damage due to hail, wind, snow and ice.

The final type of roofer is one that specializes in roof repairs. These roofers have the skills to both replace damaged shingles and also to make repairs to existing roofs. Many times, these roofers will use newer technology when it comes to replacing shingles on a roof, as well as repairing minor roof problems. Many roofers will install the materials necessary to repair the roof on a weekend's worth of work, depending upon the roofers experience and skill level. After the work has been done, the roofer will usually give the client a free quote on how much the entire project cost.