Are you looking at hiring a Janesville roofing company, but live in Illinois? Do you want to bring in a Rockford roofing company to work on your Wisconsin home?
Wait just a minute! Certain challenges come with hiring cross-border roofing services. You'll have to deal with licensing challenges, roofing code differences, and even potential costs.
Licensing Requirements Differ from State-to-State
One major hurdle to hiring a roofing company from another state is that they might not have a license to operate in your state. Each state and even townships can have specific rules about whether a contractor needs to be licensed and what requirements need to be met for license.
For instance, IL/WI roofing contractors are required to be licensed, but Iowan roofers aren't required to have a license.
Reciprocity: Taking the License Exam or Not
Due to differing state roofing codes, both Wisconsin and Illinois require a roofer from another state to take the license exam again. Some states do offer reciprocity, so contractors only need to file paperwork to receive a license in a different state. But, there may still be other requirements to meet.
For example, Nevada and California have reciprocity with each other. Roofers don't have to retake the licensing exam, but they do need to take a business/law exam and hold an active roofing license for several years.
WI & Illinois
Wisconsin and Illinois do not have reciprocity with any state. If contractors from Illinois want to work in Wisconsin, they have to go through the licensing process all over again.
Before hiring cross-border roofing services, check that your roofing contractor is licensed to work in your state.
Liability Insurance is Location Specific
Most contractors are required to carry different forms of insurance to protect their business, the customer's property, and their workers. These insurance policies are generally limited to a specific state or county. If a contractor hasn't obtained coverage for your location, their insurer might not pay out in case of damage to your home or an injury.
Double-Checking that Insurance!
This is a simple fix for most contractors. They can contact their insurers and update their coverage for additional locations and states. But you should obtain a copy of your contractor's Certificate of Insurance (COI) and check with their insurance provider to confirm that they are covered to work on your home.
Travel Time & Materials Delivery Increases
If you work with a roofing company from out of state, you may also see an increase in their quotes compared to other local roofers. Contractors will often count travel time in their quotes for customers, including the time and gas spent traveling from their offices and picking up materials.
The price increase probably won't be a lot for roofers who are just across state lines, but it is something to consider if you are on a budget.
Get Started with Our IL/WI Roofing Contractors
You don't have to worry about these challenges when hiring Huskie Exteriors Inc. We're an established roofing company with two separate locations. Our Rockford roofing company can service Illinois homes and our Janesville roofing company can service Wisconsin homes.
We're licensed and insured in both states to offer:
- Roofing
- Siding
- Windows
- Gutterwork
You can also trust us with your storm restoration. Call to arrange a free roofing inspection right away.
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