Questions to ask before hiring a roofing contractor

Most roofing decisions are made in 20 minutes. A contractor shows up, walks around the house, and hands over a price. The homeowner, under time pressure and unfamiliar with the trade, says yes or no based largely on gut feel and a number. That's not enough.

A roof is a $10,000–$50,000 purchase that's supposed to last 20–50 years. The questions below take 15 minutes to ask and can save you from years of regret. Print them out before your next contractor visit.

1. Are you licensed and insured in this state?

Roofing licensing requirements vary by state — some require a specialty contractor license, others only a general contractor license, and a few have no state-level requirement at all. Regardless of what your state requires, you should require two documents before work begins: a current certificate of general liability insurance (at least $1 million per occurrence) and a certificate of workers' compensation coverage for every employee who will be on your roof.

Don't just take the contractor's word for it. Ask for the certificates and verify them with the issuing insurer. If a worker without comp coverage falls from your roof, you could be liable. This is the one non-negotiable on the list.

2. Do you have local references from the last 12 months?

Not just a Yelp rating — actual homeowners in your area who had similar work done recently. Ask for three, call at least two. Ask them specifically: Did the crew show up on schedule? Was the site cleaned up properly each day? Were there any surprises on the final invoice, and if so, how were they handled? Would they hire the same contractor again without hesitation?

A contractor who hesitates to provide recent references is telling you something.

"Storm chasers follow disasters, quote fast, and move on. Local contractors have reputations to protect — that's the difference."

3. Who will actually be on my roof?

Many roofing companies are essentially sales organizations that subcontract all the labor. There's nothing inherently wrong with this, but you should know whether the crew on your roof is employed by the company you're contracting with or is a subcontracted crew. If it's a sub, ask: Are they licensed and insured separately? Has the primary contractor worked with this crew before? Will the primary contractor's foreman be on site?

The quality of a roof installation comes down to the people swinging hammers — not the company name on the truck.

4. What warranty do you offer on your workmanship?

Material warranties come from the manufacturer. Workmanship warranties come from the contractor — and this is where the variation is enormous. Some contractors offer one year; premium contractors offer 5, 10, or even 25 years on labor. Some manufacturers offer enhanced warranties (called "system" or "preferred" warranties) that include both materials and labor, but only when the work is done by a certified installer.

Get the workmanship warranty in writing, and confirm exactly what it covers: leaks due to installation error, improper flashing, missed nail patterns? Vague warranties are often worth what they're written on.

5. What are the payment terms?

A reasonable deposit to secure materials and schedule a job is normal — typically 10–30% of the total. Be cautious of any contractor who asks for more than 50% before work begins, and never pay the final balance until the job is fully complete, the debris is removed, and you've done a final walk-around inspection together.

Pay by check or credit card — not cash. A paper trail protects you if there's a dispute, and a credit card gives you a potential chargeback option in cases of non-performance.