Bay 101 Roofing, Inc. offers a complete range of roofing services to residential clients in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, including reroofing, repairs, cleaning and new construction. In addition to roof work, the company repairs and maintains sun tunnels, ventilation systems, and gutters and downspouts. It holds a separate specialty license for gutters and sheet metal.

“We take the extra time and effort to provide our customers with education about the process and suggestions for using the best materials,” says manager Dave Imhof. “We open up the conversation, try to understand what’s motivating each customer, and offer recommendations throughout the process.”

Mr. Imhof says customers who work with Bay 101 Roofing have the advantage of receiving custom plans that provide potential return on investment (ROI) details. “We also take extra measures to minimize or eliminate damage to customers’ landscapes and properties. Our owner, Jose Ramirez, personally supervises every job, and we give our customers his and my personal cell phone numbers in case any problems arise.”

Bay 101 Roofing has a company-owned fleet of trucks and equipment (including a conveyor loader) to keep jobs moving efficiently. It also uses a large storage yard to keep materials for jobs that need to be completed in stages. “After each project is completed, we give the customer a questionnaire to determine how we could improve our services and apply their feedback to our operations,” says Mr. Imhof. “We pride ourselves on always striving for excellence.”

Before undertaking a roofing project, it’s important to understand the basic facts of the process. Knowing all the available options for a roofing project can be challenging, but it’s worth the effort. Understanding the basics will help you immensely when negotiating price with a prospective contractor. Here are a few steps to follow:

• Get an assessment of your current roof’s condition.
• Consider if the existing roof even needs to be removed. Many new products can overlay existing roofing.
• Know the components that are going onto the roof. Research the long-term investment benefits and maintenance details of the materials.
• Assess your environment when choosing materials. Avoid textured materials, such as shake, for roofs in areas with heavy natural debris (leaves) that may require additional maintenance costs.
• Determine if there are any ventilation or gutter and downspout issues related to the project.
• Be suspect of unrealistically low pricing and high-pressure sales tactics.
• Ask about a contractor’s relationship with suppliers. Professional contractors should have credit or a regular working relationship.
• Look for products and materials that have a strong national or regional reputation and will be able to back up any warranties.
• Check into possible tax advantages.
• Find out if a permit is required.

One of the biggest choices to make when installing or overlaying a roof is about the roofing material itself. What’s the best material to use? What are the advantages and disadvantages of certain materials? Is there a significant cost difference? Common roof types include composition shingles, shake, wood shingles, tile, cement, clay, steel, gravel, built-up, torch-on, single ply and cold ply. Make sure your roofing contractor has advanced knowledge about each type.

Q: How long does a typical reroofing job take to complete?

A: Depending on the materials chosen, most houses take two to three days to finish.

Q: Do you offer a workmanship warranty?

A: Yes, we offer a 10-year warranty on workmanship.

Q: How long have you been in business?

A: Our owner has 24 years of experience and our staff members have as much as 15 years’ experience.

Q: Are you certified installers for any leading manufacturers?

A: Yes. We’re certified with GAF-Elk and CertainTeed. Also, our staff installers are certified Master Shingle Applicators.