A severe thunderstorm came through Bartlett Illinois on April 5, 2010. Local residents felt the impact of the storm as the Bartlett hail damage was significant to both the siding and roofing of the local homes.

What happens after a severe storm is all too typical. Some Bartlett homeowners have noticed out-of-state roofing trucks in the area as storm chasing companies from the surrounding states have been trying to stir up prospective clients.

We hate to see people get scammed from fly-by-night business so we would like to offer you 5 great tips to choosing a roofing contractor.

1) Be sure to find out where their offices are located and where they primarily do business from.
- You do not want to get stuck with a poor quality job from an out-of-state contractor that only comes into town when the storms hit.

2) Are they a member of the Better Business Bureau?
- This is a quick way to determine the legitimacy of the company. If they’re not a member of the Better Business Bureau then that should immediately raise a red flag. Why would a reputable company not participate in the BBB? What could they be hiding? If they are a member of the BBB, what is their rating?

3) Do they have local references that they can provide?
- As simple as this question sounds, it can provide a great deal of insight into the operations of the company. This can help reveal whether they keep to their timeline, cleaned up their work area or whether the final invoice matched the estimate. This will also help eliminate some of the companies that are out of the area storm chasers. Do not be afraid to ask for references from local homeowners.

4) Request a written estimate
- Make sure they provide you with a written estimate. Any contractor that does not provide you with a written estimate should be removed from your list immediately.

5) Sign a written contract
- The contractor should take the time to discuss the written contract with you so you know exactly what is expected prior to beginning the roofing work. The contract should clearly show you the work the contractor will be responsible for, what supplies are included, the payment schedule and time line for the project.

Choosing the right roofing contractor is an extremely important decision for the protection of your home and family so please allow us the opportunity to speak with you and give you a FREE no cost, no obligation estimate.

Phoenix Exteriors is one of the top Chicagoland roofing contractors, as seen by our A+ BBB rating. We take pride in the quality of our work as your satisfaction is our goal. In fact, we don’t want you to just be satisfied, we want you to be so ecstatic with the quality of work that we’ve provided you that you would have no problems giving us an honest recommendation to your family and friends. Please take the time and contact Phoenix Exteriors today through our website http://www.phoenixexteriors.net or call us at 866-82STORM (866-827-8676).