A GAF Master Elite roofing contractor is unlike your standard, run of the mill contractor. There are several extra perks to hiring this kind of contractor over hiring anyone else. To get an idea of why a Master Elite contractor is better, you have to understand what these contractors have to go through to become certified as Master Elite.
A Minimum of 3 Years' Experience
To become certified, GAF requires that a roofing company have a minimum of at least three years consistent roofing experience. He or she cannot stop and start in the industry to accumulate three years. It has to be a consistent three years, and the contractor has to have personally worked on roofs the whole time. That translates into hiring someone that isn't inexperienced and may not install a roof properly. You know you are getting someone who knows what he or she is doing.
Insured to the Max
GAF will not even consider Master Elite candidates who do not carry a ton of insurance. This includes business insurance, health insurance, personal insurance, accident insurance, and so on. The contractors have to check every insurance box on the application. If they can't, they can't attempt to apply for GAF certification. The purpose of GAF requiring so much insurance is a matter of safety for both its certified contractors and the customers they serve. No home will experience accidental damage without the contractor being able to cover it.
Only Fully Licensed Contractors
When you interview roofing companies for the job, you are never quite sure if they are licensed or not. You could ask them to see their licenses, but what can you do if they say they are licensed, and you find out later they are not? That's the difference with a GAF Master Elite contractor. They cannot gain this title and certification without being fully licensed as roofing contractors. When you hire a Master Elite roofer, you know he or she is fully licensed because GAF requires it as part of the certification process.
You Are Getting the Top-Notch in Contractors
Master Elite contractors have to go through rigorous training in GAF factories and in the field installing GAF roofs. In the end, only 3% pass GAF's intense program. Nobody else stands up to the level of quality, expectations, and expertise that graduates of the Master Elite program do. You are literally hiring one of the nation's top 3% in roofing companies.
Incredible Warranties on Roofing Products
GAF is intentional in who it certifies as their Master Elite roofers. It ties directly to their products, and the products have to be installed a very specific way. When GAF creates its Master Elite graduates, the company knows that it can offer incredible warranties on all of its roofing systems and roofing products. It puts customers' minds at ease knowing that both their contractor and the GAF company are backing the products and the workmanship involved with installing the roof.
An All-Weather Resistant Roof
The Master Elite contractor cannot substitute other roofing products if your roofing project runs out of shingles or other components. He or she can only use GAF products so that the roof's warranty does not become null and void. The roofs themselves are all-weather resistant, and substitution for non-GAF parts means that not the whole roof would resist weather conditions as expected. A fully installed, properly installed GAF roofing system resists water, wind, UV rays and bleaching, and even algae. That's the kind of roof you get when you hire a GAF contractor.
Regular Inspections for Damage by the Same Contractor
Any other contractor would finish your roof, collect a check, and become unavailable. A Master Elite contractor comes back to check on the roof and make sure it's still working as expected. If you do have a problem with the roof, the exact same contractor is expected to return to your home and investigate. With the exception of the contractor retiring from the field, it will always be the same contractor responding to your calls for help with the roof.
Employees That Have to Complete the Same Training
No employee of a GAF Master Elite contractor can work for said contractor without going through the same training. If the contractor has a few helpers, everyone has to agree to go through the training together. What you get is a solid team of roofing professionals who are all on the same page when it comes to installing your new roof.