Frequently asked questions
What happens if it rains while you are working on my roof?
We always work around the weather by viewing radars to determine when to start or stop a job. All crews have tarps to temporarily cover a roof in case of an emergency. All roofs are left water tight before a crew leaves the job site.
Do you replace all the wood on the roof?
Only the wood that is damaged is replaced unless the Owner specifies otherwise. An allowance is given for the wood that is concealed and the damaged wood that is visible, like the fascia boards is usually incorporated into the proposal.
Is it better to use pressure treated wood for the fascia that needs to be replaced?
No, pressure treated wood will permanently expand and contract more than regular wood due to the chemicals inside which will cause it to warp and split . Just make sure all joints, splits and nail holes are sealed and that the wood is primed and painted.
Do I need to be home while the work is in progress?
Typically no, we only need access to the property, we have generators for electricity and only need to be able to communicate with you during the process. Some times the ceilings have exposed beams and we need to go into the property to put tarps to collect the dust that will fall down and make sure that no nails go through the ceiling.
Do you use roll off trash containers or dump trucks to haul away the roofing debris?
We only use dump trucks as containers will damage your driveway when they are pulled to roll them up!
How will you protect my property?
We will cover your pool, if any, protect any landscaping, driveways, awnings, floor tiles and remove any debris at the end of each day. We will also sweep the area with a magnet to make sure no nails have fallen on the ground. Our goal is to make sure we don't have any complaints during the process!
I received a cancellation notice from my insurance company unless I replace my roof.
Insurance companies have become very strict with policy renewals with "bad roofs". They will actually send an inspector to your property to evaluate your roof and even check permit records. Contact us if you received such a notice and we can determine if they are correct or not.
I received several estimates to replace my roof and the prices vary greatly.
If one estimate seems much lower than the others and it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Some contractors don't include the cost of the permit and related fees, renailing of the wood deck required by code, wood replacement, use inferior materials..... They may be low balling a job to make sure to get it and make up the difference with extras. See our Contractor Checklist to help you find the red flags or if you want just send us the proposal and we'll sort it out for you.
How long will it take to complete my roof?
Every roof is different! We put our expected start and completion dates in writing! Our goal is to start and complete your roof as quickly as possible. Some factors that we can not always control which may affect these dates are the weather, availability of materials and the permitting process.
What is a Notice of Commencement?
Under Florida law, an Owner needs to record this document and have it posted at the job site. By doing so, the Owner will then have certain protection under the law, namely, that any person or entity who has furnished labor or materials for your job needs to send you a Notice To Owner" via registered mail within 45 days of when the labor or materials were provided or they lose their lien rights. This is so that you can make sure that that any third party gets paid before you pay the contractor. If you do get a "Notice To Owner", you need to get a "Release Of Lien" from that third party or you may end up paying twice! With Mainland you will not get any "Notices To Owner" because of our relationship with our suppliers and we do not sub contract any work out. We will also record the "Notice Of Commencement for you as it is required for the first inspection.
Do I need to replace my gutters when doing a reroof?
We usually can work around the existing gutters and may need to remove and reset them. Only gutters in bad shape should be replaced.
Shouldn't my insurance company pay for a new roof?
Typically an insurance company will pay to repair or replace your roof if it was damaged by a sudden event like a wind storm, fallen tree, lightning... They will not pay for a roof that has exceeded its useful life that doesn't have any evidence of damage from a sudden event. They will however pay for interior damages. Contact us to help guide you through the claim process.
How much warranty do you offer?
There are two types of warranties, the one offered by the contractor and the other by the manufacturer. There are different options and types of warranties depending on the type of roof being installed. Mainland consistently offers the best warranties in the trade, contact us to explain to you the various options for your specific roof.
Is a permit required?
The South Florida Building Code requires a permit for any work over $1,000.00. Unincorporated Miami-Dade is currently not issuing permits for roof coatings so this is one of the few exemptions.
Why can't I find Mainland Roofing Company in the corporation public records?
Mainland Construction Company is the legal entity, corporation, and Mainland Roofing Company is a fictitious name that we do business as (d/b/a). Mainland Construction is the Owner of Mainland Roofing Company, see corporate records. We started off as a construction company and after hurricane Andrew, we have only done roofing but kept our original name, see corporate records.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes, we are fully licensed and insured. We are insured with A+ carriers for liability, worker's compensation and vehicles coverage. Certificates are available upon request.