I have to reroof a a ranch home in eastern NC. The roof does not have a steep pitch. I have a roofer who has done other wrok for me. I also have seen other work he has done and it is really excellent. I can use other roofers, but this one is very good and also reliable. He also had very good answers to all of my questions from previous years of reading, from when I had to replace roofs. The problem is that he does not have liability iinsurance. Online, I have read about and found forms for a waiver of liability. But onle leagal site states that they are not always worth the paper they are written on. That is a lawyer’s site and he obviously has a vested interest in the need to have a lawyer prepare such a document (if even a lawyer’s signature on such a thing means anything). B esides using that document I though I would add this to our contract
"[Name of Roofer] waives all liability for any cause resulting from or related to the job at [address of site]. He will assume responsibility for any claim of liability for any person who assists him in the work at [address of site]."
Does anyone know if the waiver of liability of form has any validity or if there is another way to handle the roofer’s lack of liability insurance [ie: can I purchase very short term liability insurance?]
I have a second questions. I was going to use Owens Corning Duration shinges. Is there much diofference between them and the OC Oakridge shingles?
Hi there!
First of all, I want to point out that I'm not a lawyer and if you want legal advice, you should consult with a qualified lawyer who specializes in this sort of thing.
That said, liability insurance is a legal requirement for contractors in North Carolina. "Liability" cannot be waived by a contractor. If there end up being damages or injuries that the contractor is responsible for, he can't "waive" his liability.
You want to make sure your contractor has liability insurance so there will be money available to cover any claims that the contractor is responsible for. This is to protect YOU. If the contractor has no money or insurance, the liability expenses will have to come out of YOUR pocket.
I believe short term liability insurance can be purchased by the contractor.
I would never hire an uninsured roofing contractor. You can read more about hiring a roofer in my article How to Choose a Roofer.
For your second question, the Owens Corning Duration shingles are better, they are designed for a significantly higher wind resistance, which is probably a good idea in eastern North Carolina.
Hope this helps!
Jack Gray
