The best roof starts with a local accredited roofer

How to Hire a Roofing Contractor

1. Get Referrals from friends, neighbors, & family.

If at all possible, try and choose a contractor from your community who is trusted.

2. Research the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

Be sure to check out what past customers of roofing contractors have reported to the Better Business Bureau at bbb.org.

3. Research what manufacturer certifications are held.

Before granting even a factory-certified status, GAF verifies annually the contractor’s licenses, insurance, and years in business. River Oaks Roofing holds the Master Elite status that less than 3% of roofers in America can claim.

Get peace of mind with River Oaks Roofing

When you hire a GAF Master Elite® roofing contractor like River Oaks Roofing, you can rest assured that you are hiring the best in the industry. Less than 2% of North American roofing contractors hold the GAF Master Elite® certification, which we renew annually. In addition, GAF Master Elite® contractors can provide superior protection through enhanced warranties backed by GAF. This certification demands the following of the contractor:

Licensed & Insured

For your own security, so you can rest easy knowing you’re protected.

- - $1M+ Liability Insurance
  - Workmen’s compensation
  - State licensed

Trustworthy & Reputable

With a proven track record of providing high-quality roofing services in your area.

- - Be in good standing with the Better Business Bureau
  - Good credit per Experian

Highly Qualified

Up to date on the most recent practices and technology, resulting in expert installation.

- - GAF trained and Master Elite
  - Complete job satisfaction ratings per post-construction reviews.
  - Able to offer the strongest roofing warranties in the industry.

How to confirm credentials and qualifications

You may begin with a small list of companies based on referrals from friends and neighbors, online searches, and ads. A phone call with a list of critical questions will enable you to narrow down your options.

Questions to ask a roofer over the phone

1. Where are you located?

River Oaks Roofing has two office locations. Our main office is Located in Madison, MS serving most of Central Mississippi, and a second satellite office in Hattiesburg, MS serving all of South Mississippi including the coast.

2. How long have you been in business?

Choosing an established contractor from your state will help ensure quality up-front and support on the back end if any trouble ever arises.

3. Are you certified by manufacturers?

Before granting the factory-certified designation, GAF verifies contractor licenses, insurance, and years in business on an annual basis. In fact, only 2% of roofers in the United States are qualified to be recognized as GAF Master Elite™ Contractors.

4. Can you provide references?

To see their work, you can ask for references and addresses of recently completed projects. It’s also a good idea to read reviews online (Google, Better Business Bureau, etc.)

5. Are you properly insured and licensed?

GAF requires their certified roofers to have at least $1 million in liability insurance, workman’s compensation insurance, and state licensing.

6. What is your workmanship warranty?

While manufacturers of the roofing materials typically provide a warranty on the products (regardless of who installs your roof), the roofing contractor will typically provide its own workmanship warranty. Individual roofing contractors typically provide one-year or longer workmanship warranties. A Master Elite® contractor can provide GAF-backed extended warranties that cover both GAF products and workmanship for up to 25 years for Timberline HDZ and all the way to 30 years of workmanship coverage on designer shingles.

Have you recently been affected by a storm?

River Oaks Roofing is here to support you through the storm by providing you with best practices on selecting a contractor, suggestions on how to navigate the process of filing insurance claims, and a guide for your upcoming restoration process.

Storm Resources

Choose the roofer who best meets your project and budgetary requirements.

You can discuss more specific topics to help you choose the right company for your roofing installation after you’ve narrowed your list and invited a few roofing contractors to your home for an assessment.

Gain knowledge about the installation process, clean-up, and costs.

Local ordinances and codes

- - - Who will acquire the permit?
    - Are the permit costs included?
    - Will you conduct an inspection before and after the roof is completed?

Product options

- - - How many shingle options can you offer me?
    - Are they listed by the brand AND manufacturer’s name?
    - What warranties can you offer?
    - Can you tell me the differences between your warranties?

Estimates & payments

- - - Do you offer free estimates? (Estimates are often free, but be sure to ask about this before agreeing to one.)
    - Does the estimate list the product name and color?
    - What are the payment terms? (It’s typical to pay 50% of the cost upfront for retail roof replacements. River Oaks Roofing accepts the ACV check (Actual Cash Value) as the deposit for insurance storm restoration claims.
    - How do you accept payment? (River Oaks Roofing accepts personal checks, certified checks, ACH transactions, and credit card payments with an added processing fee passed to the payee.)
    - How do I pay my insurance deductible? (Any contractor who claims they can handle the repair without you having to pay your insurance deductible is potentially committing insurance fraud and/or putting you in danger.)

Clean-up & inspections

- - - Will you be cleaning up daily?
    - How will the contractor ensure they do their best to keep your yard and home nail and debris free?
    - Who will do the post construction inspection and when will that take place?