Glad you finally landed a good roofing company, that's always such a relief. It's wild how tricky it can be to find someone reliable, even when you're willing to pay good money.
"Reviews help, but watch out for overly perfect ratings. Real reviews usually have a mix of good and minor complaints."
Couldn't agree more with this. I remember when I was looking for someone to redo our roof a couple years back, I stumbled on one company with literally hundreds of 5-star reviews and not a single negative comment. Felt too good to be true...turns out it was. A friend had used them and later told me they pressured customers into leaving glowing reviews right after finishing the job—before any issues cropped up.
Ended up going with a smaller local crew who were upfront about subcontracting some specialized metal flashing work. They explained exactly who they subcontracted to, why they chose them, and even gave me the sub's contact info directly. That transparency made all the difference.
And yeah, warranties are key. I asked specifically about coverage details and got everything in writing without hassle. Sure enough, we had a minor leak after a particularly nasty storm about six months later. Called them up, they came out next day, fixed it no questions asked. Saved us a lot of stress (and cash).
Trusting your gut really is underrated advice—if something feels off, there's usually a reason for it. Good on you for sticking to your instincts and holding out for someone trustworthy. Hope your new roof holds strong for many years!
That's a good point about overly perfect reviews. When I was vetting roofers last year, I noticed something similar—companies with nothing but glowing praise always made me skeptical. Ended up going with a smaller outfit that had mostly positive reviews but also a few minor gripes about scheduling delays and cleanup. Honestly, those imperfections felt reassuringly real.
One thing I found helpful was asking detailed questions about materials and installation methods upfront. The company I chose explained exactly why they preferred certain shingles for our climate and even walked me through their flashing techniques around chimneys and vents. It showed they weren't just winging it.
Funny enough, the only hiccup we had was a minor miscommunication about gutter placement...but they handled it quickly without fuss. Like you said, transparency and warranty details are key. Glad you found someone reliable—good roofers are worth their weight in gold these days.
I had a similar experience when we replaced our roof a couple years back. I remember one company had literally hundreds of perfect 5-star reviews, and it just felt...off. Like, nobody ever had a single complaint about scheduling or cleanup? Come on.
Anyway, we ended up going with a smaller local crew too. They weren't the cheapest, but when I asked about ventilation and attic airflow, the owner spent almost an hour explaining ridge vents vs. box vents and why he recommended one over the other for our house. He even climbed up into our attic to show me exactly what he meant—dusty insulation and all.
The job wasn't flawless either; they accidentally cracked one of our landscaping lights with their ladder. But they owned up immediately and replaced it without any hassle. Honestly, that kind of accountability matters way more to me than a spotless review record. Glad you found someone trustworthy—it's definitely not easy these days.
Totally get what you're saying about the reviews. When we had our gutters replaced last spring, I noticed the same thing—tons of perfect ratings that just seemed too good to be true. We ended up choosing a smaller company as well, and they weren't perfect either (left some screws behind in the driveway), but they apologized right away and came back to clean up properly. Honestly, I'd rather have someone who owns their mistakes than pretends they're flawless...sounds like you made a solid choice.
Completely agree with your take on the reviews—it's definitely wise to approach overly perfect ratings with a healthy dose of skepticism. In my experience, smaller companies often perform better simply because their reputation is more directly tied to customer satisfaction. They can't afford to ignore mistakes or negative feedback, so they're usually quicker to respond and rectify issues.
One thing I'd add, though, is that it's also worth looking into the materials they use. Even if the company itself is honest and responsive, lower-quality roofing materials can significantly impact long-term performance and durability. When I had my roof replaced a couple years ago, I specifically requested eco-friendly shingles with high solar reflectance. It cost slightly more upfront, but the reduction in cooling costs during summer months has already started offsetting that initial investment.
Sounds like you made a thoughtful decision by prioritizing accountability over apparent perfection. Just make sure you're also getting quality materials—it really does pay off in the long run.
