Century Roof And Solar vs First Edison

Yes, particularly for Bay Area homes. Thirty years means Century has encountered decades of tile systems, older sheathing, and concealed water damage that newer contractors may misdiagnose or underbid. First Edison's 10 years is respectable, but you're relying on their word alone without customer validation of how they handle complications when roof decking needs unexpected replacement or flashing details require custom fabrication.

The only compelling reason is if their bid comes in significantly lower and you're willing to invest substantial time verifying their work quality yourself through job site visits and reference calls. Some established contractors simply don't prioritize online reviews, but this puts the burden entirely on you to validate their reliability. If time is limited or your project is complex, that risk increases considerably.

Customer feedback suggests their higher quotes reflect documented strengths: thorough initial assessments that catch issues early, detailed material explanations, coordinated multi-trade execution, and consistent cleanup. If your roof is older, involves tile, or you're adding solar, paying more upfront often costs less than change orders from a contractor who underestimated complexity. For simple composition shingle replacement on newer homes, the premium may matter less.

Bonds and workers comp are baseline requirements, not performance indicators. They protect you from financial loss or injury liability, but don't guarantee quality workmanship, communication, or problem-solving. Century's extensive customer feedback showing clean coordination and thorough explanations provides evidence of reliable execution. First Edison meets legal minimums but offers no visibility into how they actually perform when your roof is open and weather is approaching.