Hawaiian Gardens, CA
Is a metal roof worth it here?
The metal itself almost never fails. The fasteners, the panel movement and the detailing at the edges are what decide how the roof ages.
Describe the metal roofing job
Three questions, then the address. Up to three Hawaiian Gardens contractors who do this work.
Your request is in.
We are matching it now against roofing contractors working in Hawaiian Gardens and the surrounding area.
- Today, usually within the hour. The first contractor calls or texts the number you gave us. ASAP requests go out first.
- Up to three of them, no more. We cap it at three so you can compare without your phone melting.
- They come and look. Estimates are given after somebody has been on the roof, not over the phone.
- You decide, or you do not. There is nothing to cancel and nothing to pay us.
If you do not hear anything today, check your voicemail and spam folder — contractors often call from a mobile number.
Before you let anybody on the roof
The things worth pinning down on a metal roofing job. A contractor who has not raised them has not looked properly.
- Panel gauge and the coating warranty
- How the panels are allowed to expand and contract
- Standing seam or exposed fastener, and why
- How valleys, ridges and penetrations are detailed
- Whether the crew installs metal regularly or occasionally
Ask to see a standing-seam job they finished more than three years ago. The edges and the valleys will tell you everything.
Metal expands and contracts more than any other covering. Panels have to be allowed to move, and cheap installs pin them so they cannot.
A light-coloured metal roof reflects a serious amount of heat, which shows up on a summer power bill in hot climates.
Locally
Then, less dramatically: sudden dry winds that test every lifted edge on the roof. Dry offshore wind lifts material that damp coastal air had been holding down. Most wind losses here happen on a handful of nights a year.
About metal roofing here
Is this really free?
It is free to you. Contractors pay to receive homeowner requests in their area. That is the entire business model, and we would rather say so plainly than pretend otherwise.
How much deposit is normal?
A third at most, and never the full amount. Pay the balance when the job is finished and you have walked it. Some states cap the deposit by law.
What warranty should I expect?
Ask for both in writing: the material warranty from the manufacturer and the workmanship warranty from the contractor. The second one is the one that matters in year three, and it is only as good as the company behind it.
It is leaking right now. What do I do?
Move what you can out of the way, put a bucket under it, and if there is a bulge in the ceiling put a small hole at its lowest point to let the water out in one place rather than bringing the whole panel down. Then mark your request as an emergency — those go out first.