I'll admit -- I'm somewhat picky about contractors -- but Robert's has set a new gold standard for…read morewhat a contractor can be in my mind.
We recently purchased a 100 year old house with a slate roof that appeared to be on its last legs. Though at first we thought we had a few years left, we quickly discovered multiple leaks. When we started calling roofing, several said that repair was effectively impossible for a slate roof of this age (quoting an astronomical sum for a replacement), and additionally that because of the existing slate, even replacement with an asphalt shingle roof would be extraordinarily expensive. One company that only did slate roofs even looked at the job and refused to bid because the replacement was "too large for them."
One of our big goals was to keep the house in touch with the aesthetic of the neighborhood -- which meant that slate or tile was really required.
While they did bid a full replacement as well, Robert's suggested that a repair was also possible -- effectively writing a contract that would repair all damaged slate that they found including damaged underlayment (but not structure damage). They noted that they preferred to repair the roofs since it was overall less wasteful and can get significant extension on the roof life. They also had a decent quantity of "pittsburgh weathered" slate that was in good condition, based on other jobs they had done in the area where they had been able to salvage the slate. This reduced the difference in the appearance of the replaced slate when the job was done (though our job was large enough to need additional "new" slate as well).
Their bidding process was by far the most professional we saw of any company -- they used a drone to evaluate the roof, and as we moved towards signing a detailed typed contract one of their foremen came out to evaluate the roof directly and ensure they would have enough material to complete the work (in our case, this did result in revising the contract price up slightly). Other companies literally wrote up a handwritten itemized scrawl for their 6 figure replacement cost, based on evaluation from the ground only.
Along the same lines, both during the bidding process, as well as during and after the project, it was always easy to get someone knowledgeable on the phone -- regardless of if it was a question of cost or a technical question about the install or replacement.
Additionally, Roberts was able to supply several addresses and photos of in progress repairs they had done. I do wish that they could have had a number of these ready to go (they should be proud of the work they do!), but it took a few days for them to supply them. That said, it was reasonably easy to see repairs they had done that looked quite natural.
They also help to arrange for a subcontractor to replace dormer siding on top of our slate roof without a mark up.
While the work was underway the crew was very professional. The site was impeccably clean every day after they left. They also patiently spent time with me answering questions about progress every day.
During the work, they did, indeed, discover that several rafters had failed necessitating emergency structural repairs. They did the work to immediately effect the repairs and left the roof watertight all within one day. Obviously this is a highly stressful situation for a homeowner, but their crew and central office both demonstrated a zen-like level of calm and focus that was extremely comforting.
To do this repair, they did need to tear some holes in the ceiling of our finished attic -- and did some additional damage inside the attic due to how the tarps were taped to the ceiling plaster, but they also connected us with a contractor they trusted who was able to repair all of the interior damage.
As the work proceeded, it quickly became clear that there was significantly more damaged slate than they had originally anticipated -- all in, it was approximately half of the total roof area that needed to be replaced. However, they kept their commitment to take the burden of the cost of that overage, and we paid exactly what was quoted, plus a comparably modest sum for the unanticipated structural repairs.
Since the work has finished, we've been able to rely on them for advice about other related projects on our roof, which they don't do directly (notably, questions about various tradeoffs on our gutter system that they weren't able to subcontract).
Several months after the repairs, we noticed some of the underlayment in the garage appeared to have been split/damaged during the installation of the roof. With basically no questions asked, Robert's sent out a team and made the necessary repair.
Though no project of this scope is without minor issues, Robert's clearly went above and beyond my expectations from a roofing company to deliver a solid repair and have demonstrated that they are committed to the happiness of their customers. I highly recommend them.