Choosing a roofing contractor: the checks that matter

The three documents to ask for first

A contractor who is set up properly will send these without drama. The point is not to catch anyone out; it is that each one answers a question you cannot answer by looking at a roof.

• Licence number, where the state or city requires one. Verify it with the issuing body, not with the number printed on the quote.
• A certificate of insurance showing general liability, and workers' compensation where employees are on site. Ask the insurer to confirm it is current.
• A written scope of work, with quantities, materials and exclusions named, and a validity period for the price.

If any of the three is unavailable, that is information. It does not automatically mean the company is bad, but it does mean the risk of the job sits with you rather than with their insurer.

Read the scope, not the total

Two quotes for the same repair can differ by thousands and both be honest, because they describe different amounts of work. The total is the last thing to compare, not the first.

Look for what is excluded: underlayment, decking repair, disposal, permits, ventilation, access equipment. A quote that excludes decking repair is not necessarily bad, but you should know the price of that sentence before you sign it.

Our quote comparison tool puts the inclusions side by side and flags where two quotes disagree. It does not score the companies — that judgement needs the documents and a conversation, and it stays yours.

Payment schedules that keep the risk shared

A large deposit before any material is ordered shifts the risk onto you. A schedule tied to completed stages, with a meaningful final payment after the work is inspected by you, keeps both sides invested.

• Be cautious about full payment up front, or payment in cash with no receipt.
• Ask what happens to a deposit if the schedule slips or the scope changes.
• Get any change to the scope approved in writing before the work continues.
• Keep the final payment until you have seen the completed work and the warranty documents.

Pressure is the warning sign, not the price

The strongest predictor of a bad outcome is not the cheapest quote; it is urgency applied by the seller. A same-day discount, a crew that happens to be in the area, or a demand for a decision before you have read the scope are all reasons to slow down.

A real roofing company can survive you taking a day to read a quote and compare it with another. A company that cannot is telling you something about how the rest of the job will go.

Understand what the warranty actually covers

There are usually two warranties, and they are not interchangeable: the manufacturer's warranty on materials, and the contractor's warranty on workmanship. A long material warranty is not a substitute for a workmanship commitment, because most failures at a repair are installation failures.

Ask for the workmanship period in writing, whether it transfers if you sell, and how a call-back is handled. A warranty you cannot enforce is a paragraph, not a promise.

What this site does and does not check

Roof Repair Roof is a referral service. We do not verify licences, insurance or workmanship, and participation is not a badge of quality. Every check described here is one you make yourself, with the issuing body and the insurer.

That is not a disclaimer bolted onto the end; it is the honest description of where the responsibility sits when you hire someone to work on your home.