What Should You Check Before Hiring a Roofer?
Before hiring a roofer, check their license, insurance, local reputation, written estimate and warranty. Here is how to vet a contractor with confidence.
Before you hire a roofer, confirm five things: that they hold any license your area requires, that they carry both liability and workers’ compensation insurance, that they have a verifiable local track record, that they give you a detailed written estimate, and that they explain their warranty in writing. If a contractor hesitates on any of these, keep looking. A roof is one of the most expensive parts of a house to repair or replace, and the person you choose matters as much as the materials.
Start with licensing and insurance
Licensing rules for roofers vary widely. Some regions require a specific roofing license, others only a general contractor registration, and some require nothing at all. Find out what applies where you live, usually through your local building department or the relevant state or regional licensing board, and then ask the roofer for their number so you can look it up yourself.
Insurance is even more important than a license, because it protects you directly. Ask for two certificates:
- General liability insurance, which covers damage to your home or property caused during the job.
- Workers’ compensation insurance, which covers injuries to the crew. Roofing is physically risky work, and if an uninsured worker is hurt on your property, you could be drawn into the costs.
Do not settle for a photocopy handed over in the driveway. Ask the roofer to have their insurer send the certificate to you directly, or call the insurer to confirm the policy is active and covers the dates of your project.
Look for a real local presence
Good roofers tend to have deep roots in their community. Look for a permanent business address, a local phone number and a history of jobs in your area. A company that has been working locally for years has a reputation to protect and is more likely to be around if something goes wrong later.
Be cautious with contractors who knock on doors after a big storm. Some are legitimate, but storms also attract out-of-town crews who do quick work, collect payment and move on. If someone shows up unannounced claiming your roof is badly damaged, thank them, take their details, and get an independent opinion before agreeing to anything.
Ask for references and actually call them
Reviews online are a useful starting point, but they are easy to cherry-pick. Ask the roofer for three or four recent customers with jobs similar to yours, and a couple from a few years ago. Older references tell you how the work has held up over time.
When you call, ask simple questions:
- Did the crew show up when they said they would?
- Was the final cost close to the estimate?
- How did they handle surprises, such as rotten decking under the old shingles?
- Did they clean up properly, including nails in the lawn and driveway?
- Have you had any leaks or problems since?
If you can, drive past one or two finished roofs. Even from the street you can see whether lines look straight and flashing looks neat.
Get a detailed written estimate
A trustworthy estimate is specific. It should list the scope of work, the materials by type and grade, whether the old roof will be torn off or covered over, how damaged decking will be handled and charged, how ventilation will be addressed, and who pulls the permit. It should also state the payment schedule and an approximate start and finish date.
Get estimates from at least three roofers so you can compare. Be wary of a bid that is far lower than the others. It may leave out work that will be added later as extras, or it may rely on cutting corners. A much higher bid is not automatically better either; ask each roofer to walk you through what is included so you are comparing like with like.
Understand the warranty
There are usually two separate warranties on a roof. The manufacturer’s warranty covers defects in the materials themselves. The contractor’s workmanship warranty covers installation mistakes, which are the cause of many roof problems. Ask how long the workmanship warranty lasts, what it covers, and whether it transfers to a new owner if you sell the house.
Make sure you get both warranties in writing. Some manufacturer warranties only apply in full when the roof is installed by a certified installer, so ask whether that applies to the materials being quoted.
Watch for common red flags
A few warning signs should make you pause:
- Pressure to sign the same day, often with a “special price” that expires.
- A request for full payment, or a very large deposit, before work begins.
- No written contract, or a contract with vague wording.
- Reluctance to pull a permit when one is required.
- Offers to “cover” your insurance deductible, which may be against the rules where you live.
A modest deposit for materials is normal. Paying the bulk of the cost before anyone has climbed a ladder is not.
Talk about the practical details
Before work starts, ask how the crew will protect your landscaping, siding and windows, where the dumpster will go, and how they will handle bad weather mid-job. Ask who will be your point of contact on site and how daily cleanup will work. These conversations reveal a lot about how organized a roofer is, and they prevent awkward surprises once the old roof is off.
Keep good records
Store the contract, estimate, insurance certificates, permit, warranty documents and final invoice together. Take photos of the roof before and after the work. If you ever need to make a warranty claim, sell the home, or file an insurance claim, having this paperwork in one place will make the process much smoother.
Taking a little extra time to check these points rarely delays a project by much, and it greatly improves your chances of ending up with a roof that is installed properly and backed by someone who will answer the phone.