Roofing
Questions to ask a roofing contractor in Gauteng
A roofing quote should explain the cause, preparation, access, materials, workmanship, and warranty. A coating or patch price on its own is not enough to compare the work.
Describe the problem before choosing the remedy
Record where water appears, when it happens, the roof type if known, previous repairs, ceiling or wall damage, and whether the problem is isolated or recurring. Note whether the problem changes with wind, rain, heat, or the use of a plumbing fixture.
A visible stain does not prove that the roof surface above it is the source. Water can travel through flashing, joints, insulation, ceilings, and wall cavities. Ask what the inspection can establish and what would require opening, testing, or a specialist assessment.
Ask for an inspection that includes safe access
The contractor should explain how the roof will be viewed, which areas cannot be inspected, what safety equipment is required, and whether weather or access changes the assessment. Do not climb onto a roof yourself to create evidence for a quote.
Request photographs or a written finding that identifies the suspected failure points, not only a generic statement that the roof needs waterproofing. If the cause is uncertain, the quote should say so.
Separate diagnosis, preparation, and repair
Read the scope line by line: access, protection of the property, cleaning, removal, preparation, replacement of damaged sections, flashing, valleys, gutters, waterproofing, coating layers, labour, waste, and making good inside the property.
A low coating price may not include the preparation that allows it to last. Ask which surfaces will be repaired, how cracks or joints are treated, how many coats or layers are included, and what work is excluded or provisional.
Compare materials without accepting labels
Record the manufacturer, product name, intended use, preparation requirements, application conditions, coverage assumptions, and maintenance instructions. Terms such as premium, industrial, or lifetime do not explain the actual warranty or performance boundary.
Ask whether the proposed product is appropriate for the roof material and failure mode. Keep the product information with the quote and do not allow a substitute to be installed without a written change and its effect on price and warranty.
Clarify access, disruption, and responsibility
Ask who provides ladders, scaffolding, fall protection, protection for vehicles and garden areas, waste removal, and access to neighbouring or shared areas. Confirm working hours, weather delays, parking, and who is responsible if work cannot proceed safely.
The contractor should identify the legal or building requirements that apply to the scope. NHBRC information is relevant to work within its mandate, but it is not a blanket test for every maintenance or waterproofing job.
Read the warranty and aftercare
Ask what the warranty covers, how long it lasts, which preparation it depends on, what maintenance is required, and which events are excluded. Confirm the responsible business, callback process, inspection record, and whether a later repair by another contractor affects the warranty.
Keep the quote, photographs, product information, invoices, completion record, and weather or maintenance notes. A specific warranty is easier to assess than a general promise that the roof will never leak again.
Share only the information needed for a first enquiry
A first request normally needs a suburb, property type, roof type if known, problem description, photographs, preferred timing, access restrictions, and a safe callback method. Remove alarm codes, identity documents, and unnecessary financial information.
A live HomeQuote referral route will identify the buyer, record consent, and verify provider coverage before sharing personal details. No route should promise a response time or provider registration without current evidence.
Use a like-for-like quote sheet
Compare diagnosis, access, preparation, repair, materials, labour, waste, making good, warranty, payment, exclusions, and follow-up in the same columns for every contractor. Mark each item as included, provisional, or missing.
The strongest quote explains what problem it is solving and how the contractor will know the work is complete. A cheaper headline price is not a saving when it omits the preparation, access, or responsibility that controls the result.