Your roof is one of the most important structural elements of your entire home. Not only does it protect the rest of the house from the elements, but it can add significant resale value and visual appeal.

When it comes to finding reliable roofing contractors in the Mississauga area, you can't be too careful. There are disreputable contractors everywhere, especially in large areas. Here, we'll review the most important things to consider when choosing roofing contractors.

• Licensing - Your very first criteria for hiring roofing contractors should be licensing. In order to legally work in Mississauga, roofing contractors must be licensed in Mississauga. The required license is a Building Renovator license, which covers many types of home repair including roofing. Having an Ontario license, or even a Toronto license, isn't sufficient; don't let shady contractors tell you otherwise.
  
  There are no regulations in place regarding individual the licensing of individuals workers. This means that as long as a Building Renovator license is in place, the license holder can hire whoever they like. You must ask the right questions when choosing a roofing company. How long have they been in business in Mississauga? How much local experience do their workers have?

• Insurance - Just as vital as licensing, insurance comes in two common forms and is crucial to protect your home and your bank account. Regular insurance is what will cover on-site accidents, such as falling off a ladder. Instead of the bills coming to rest on your shoulders as the homeowner, workman's compensation insurance will pay for any required medical attention. Ask if roofing contractors carry enough insurance to cover every member of their crew for the entire duration of the job.
  
  Bonding is a different method of insuring quality. Bonded employees have undergone a rigorous background check, which looks for things such as a criminal record or a history of drug abuse. If an employee is bonded, this is a good measure of their reliability.
  
  Companies can also be bonded, as can individual jobs. An idea scenario is one in which the company, all employees and the project itself have been secured by bonding.

• Experience - Living in Mississauga means enjoying a breathtaking display of changing seasons. However, one of those seasons is incredibly cold and harsh. Extreme weather puts distinct and very different demands on a roof. In Florida, for example, residents never have to think about ice building up on their roofs and causing leakage. However, for Canadian cities, this is a very real and common concern.
  
  Finding roofing contractors who have a long history of work in your local area is key to addressing weather-specific concerns.

• Building Permits - In order to perform most roofing jobs in the city of Mississauga, a permit, issued by the municipality itself, is required. Failure to obtain these permits can result in heavy fines. Your roofer will most likely draw up the required plans and submit them, but it's ultimately your responsibility to ensure that everything is approved before work can begin. The only exception to this rule is shingle replacement, which does not require a permit. Anything more involved needs to be approved by the City of Mississauga.

• See it in Writing - Ask for proof when it comes to company licenses, individually bonded workers, bonds on the project, insurance or contracts.

• Contracts - An unbelievable number of homeowners allow work to begin without a written contract. This is not a wise decision. Agree on an estimate and a time schedule at the very least, put it in writing and have the contractor sign it. This is usually (but not always) part of the bonding process, and will protect you if something goes wrong.

By following these simple guidelines, and by utilizing the wealth of resources available right here on Handy Canadian, you have the very best chance of quickly finding reliable, local roofing contractors for your next project or repair.

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