Inspect the Roof of Your New Home
When buying a new home, make sure to have the home inspected by a Certified Home Inspector..... and pay close attention to the following information regarding the roof:
Age of the Roof (and remaining estimated life span)
Current Condition of the Roof
Material Type and Manufacturer
Replacing a Roof is Expensive
The cost of an asphalt shingle roof in the Denver area is about $575/sq ft for tearing off the old and installation of a new roof. OUCH...this sounds expensive and it is! So if the roof on your new home will need to be replaced in the next 10 years, make sure to negotiate this future cost into the purchase price of the home. Most home sellers know the current age and condition of the roof, so they might be willing to reduce the price if you bring this future cost to their attention. Also, make sure to ask the current home’s owner if they have replaced the roof while they were the owner…..and if they did..…make sure to get a copy of that invoice prior to closing.
Know the Roofing Contractor Information ...Before Closing on a New Home Purchase
Many times over the years a client will file an insurance claim for a leaky roof. Many times upon inspection, the claims adjuster will find that the roof was not installed properly and this is the true cause of the leak. Faulty workmanship is never covered by a homeowners insurance policy. At that point, before spending money on costly repairs, the homeowner would want to contact the company that installed the roof. If the new owner does not know who installed the roof, they have no recourse to hold the installation contractor liable for the repairs.
Before closing on the new home, make sure to get a copy of the receipt for the roof installation from the prior owner. This receipt should have the roofing contractor name, address, phone number, material installed and the date of installation. This is the information the new buyer would need in order to have the contractor come back to the home and correct the faulty installation and stop the leaks. Make sure to get the invoice...before the home closes. The seller might say 'they are busy packing and will get it to them once they move' or something along those lines. Make sure to get it before closing though when you have some clout. After closing I can almost guarantee the seller will be long gone and doesn't want to be bothered tracking down the roofing contractor invoice. He' already moved on!
You Might Be Eligible for a New Roof Discount on Your Homeowners Insurance
Make sure to tell your insurance agent if the roof on your new home is less than 10 years old or if it's made of a high quality and/or hail resistant roof material. You might be eligible for a discount on your homeowners insurance.
Here at Denver West Insurance Brokers, we make it a point to ask all new home buyers about the age and material of their roof. It's important to us to make sure you get all discounts available to you. Give Us a Call. We'll review your current policy and see we can save you money on your home insurance policy. We are located in downtown Golden and serve Lakewood, Arvada, Wheat Ridge, Evergreen, Morrison, Littleton, Denver and all of Colorado.