A new roof is a significant investment, and few trades attract more fly-by-night operators, especially in the weeks after a storm. The right questions to ask a roofing contractor before you sign are your best protection. If a roofer knocks on your door the day after the storm and can’t provide a local address, you’re likely talking to a storm chaser, not a contractor.
Below are a few questions to ask a roofer before you hire them to ensure their reliability and trustworthiness, covering licenses and warranties, payment considerations, and red flags to watch out for.
Roofing work is expensive and difficult for homeowners to evaluate, with problems sometimes appearing only after warranties near their end. Choosing a reliable contractor helps protect against those risks.
Vetting falls on you as the property owner. Roofing licensing varies widely by state, and in some states, there’s no state-level roofing license at all. A business card and a pickup truck can be enough to start knocking on doors. Local rules may add registration or permit requirements, but nobody checks your contractor for you before you sign, except you.
Storms make the problem worse. After major hail or wind events, the National Insurance Crime Bureau warns homeowners about storm chasers, reporting that cases of contractor fraud have increased by 38% from 2023 to 2025.
For every estimate you receive, use this handy checklist. Ask each roofer these questions, write down their answers, and compare them side by side. Trustworthy roofers answer questions openly and clearly. If you get hesitation, vague replies, or irritation, consider it a warning sign.
Start with paperwork. After all, a roofer who can’t prove licensing and insurance isn’t one to move forward with.
Requirements differ from state to state and sometimes city to city. Illinois, for example, requires a state roofing license, while Texas has no such requirement.
Research what your state and city require, request the contractor’s license number, then verify it on the issuing agency’s website to confirm validity.
General liability covers damage to your home or property during the job, while workers’ compensation covers crew members injured on your roof. Ask for certificates of insurance sent directly from the insurance agent. Then, check that the policy dates cover your project.
This matters more than you realize. If an uninsured roofer or one of their workers suffers an injury on your property, you could be exposed to liability for medical bills and lost wages.
A surety bond gives you a path to recover your money if a contractor fails to finish the job or meet permit obligations, where bonding applies.
The second half of the question tests whether the roofer has a real process in place. A professional will explain how incidents are reported, which policy responds, and who your point of contact is.
Once their paperwork checks out, ask about their people, their products, and their promises for your roof. These questions apply to any exterior contractor, whether you are hiring for a roof inspection, siding replacement, or window installation.
Companies that close and reopen under new names are likely leaving warranties and complaints behind. You want a contractor with a long, established track record under a single name and a stable local presence.
Shingle manufacturers run contractor programs, such as GAF Master Elite and Owens Corning Platinum Preferred, with their own requirements. The manufacturer has vetted a certified contractor and may be able to offer enhanced manufacturer’s warranties that uncertified installers cannot.
Ask which program and level apply to them, and verify their claims on the manufacturer’s contractor locator.
Subcontracting is common and not automatically a problem. What matters is that the contractor can name who will be on your roof, confirm that those crews are insured, and supervise the job directly.
A trustworthy roofer explains the choices based on your climate, budget, and home’s design. In Texas, for instance, the Texas Department of Insurance advises asking for UL 2218 Class 4 impact-resistant products. Compare options in our guide to roof types.
You typically want your contractor to have a manufacturer’s warranty covering defects in materials and a workmanship warranty covering installation errors, which cause many roof failures. However, some manufacturers’ warranties are prorated and don’t guarantee how long the roof will last, so read the terms closely.
Ask for two or three nearby homeowners whose roofs are at least a few years old and who can vouch for the contractor’s work. Call them, and drive by if you can.
Storm chasers are out-of-town contractors who follow severe weather, sell quick and often subpar services to affected homeowners, and leave before any problems from poor installations surface. These questions are the quickest way to tell them apart from a well-established roofer.
A real contractor has an office you can visit and a local number that you can call even months down the road. A P.O. box, a hotel, or a cell phone with an out-of-state area code is a warning sign. The NICB specifically tells homeowners to watch for out-of-state contractor licenses and vehicle registrations after a storm.
A workmanship warranty is only as good as the company’s ability to honor it. If the roofer doesn’t have a local team that can answer a leak call years from now, their warranty is just paper. Locality also matters for building codes, permits, and products suited to your weather.
A professional says yes without hesitation because they understand how important thorough decisions are for such significant investments. Meanwhile, storm chasers use pressure tactics, such as unsolicited door-to-door sales, deadlines, and upfront payments, to coerce you into signing a contract.
Get the price, the scope, and the insurance process in writing before any work starts. These last three questions keep a fair bid from turning into a dispute.
Their estimate should list pricing for the entire project, from roof removal and decking replacement to flashing, ventilation, shingles, branded materials, disposal, and cleanup.
Itemized bids make it easier to compare your options. For context on pricing, see our breakdown of the average cost of a new roof.
The contractor should know whether your job requires a permit and apply for it. Ultimately, the homeowner is responsible if work proceeds without one, so it’s important to confirm the permit is in place.
Furthermore, asking for a reasonable deposit to cover materials is standard practice. But requesting a large, upfront payment, cash-only terms, or payment in full before any work is done are warning signs.
Never sign an incomplete contract, and remember to ask for a lien waiver when you make the final payment to protect your investment.
You file and manage your claim with your insurer. A good roofer inspects the roof, documents the damage, and gives you a written report with photos that you can share with your insurance company. Always review your own policy with your insurer.
Walk away from anyone who offers to waive or cover your deductible or suggests inflating the damage. It’s illegal for contractors to offer to waive a deductible or promise a rebate on it.
Some answers should end your conversation, no matter how good the price looks. Use this table as a quick reference when comparing bids for any external project.
| Question | Appropriate Answer | Red Flag |
|---|---|---|
| Can I see your license and insurance? | Verifiable license number and certificates | “We’re covered, don’t worry about it,” without presenting any license or certificate numbers |
| Where is your office? | A permanent local address you can visit | No address, or uses a P.O. box or a hotel |
| How do you want to be paid? | Reasonable deposit, with full payment only after completion | Cash only or most, if not all, of the bill upfront |
| Will I get a written contract and warranty? | Yes, complete with scope, estimated timeline, and materials, as well as a manufacturer’s and a workmanship warranty. | A handshake or a contract with blanks |
| Can I take time to decide? | “Of course!” | “This price is only good today.” |
| Who will work on my roof? | A named, insured, and supervised team | Vague or changing answers |
If something feels off, it usually is. Get at least two or three written bids, compare them line by line, and choose the contractor whose answers are clearest and fit your standards, not just the cheapest.
Roofing work is a significant investment, so it’s no surprise that not every contractor operates with the same reliability. Fortunately, you can sift through the market and find trusted professionals by asking your roofers the questions we’ve explored above.
That said, you can also skip the guesswork and hire a nationally recognized contractor like Storm Guard. We help home and business owners learn about their roofs, walk them through their service options, and enable them to make the best decisions for their property’s protection.
Ready to work with a local roofer who can answer every one of these questions in writing? Find your nearest Storm Guard team and schedule a trusted consultation today!
Confirm any required licenses, general liability, and workers’ compensation coverage, and whether they have a workmanship and a manufacturer’s warranty. Then, ask how long they have worked locally, whether they use subcontractors, who gets the building permit, and what they can provide for your insurance claim. Get every answer in writing.
A legitimate roofer can prove their identity and location. Look for those with a permanent local address, verifiable license and insurance certificates, recent local references, and a written contract and warranty. Be wary of anyone who knocks on your door after a storm or pressures you to sign immediately, as they’re likely a fly-by-night contractor.
Absolutely. A roofer should always be insured and hold any license your state or city requires. Always confirm general liability and workers’ compensation coverage, because an uninsured worker injured on your property could leave you exposed to liability.
A storm chaser is an out-of-town contractor who follows severe weather into an area, knocks on doors offering quick roofing services, and often leaves before any warranty issues arise. They usually don’t have a local address or any local references.
No, you manage your claim directly with your insurer. That said, a good roofer inspects and documents any damage and provides a written report with photos you can share with your insurance company. Avoid any contractor who offers to waive your deductible or inflate the claim, as this practice constitutes insurance fraud and is a sign of an untrustworthy contractor.
The biggest red flags are missing proof of license or insurance and a lack of a local address. Others include cash-only terms or a large upfront deposit, no written contract or warranty, high-pressure sales tactics, and vague answers about who will do the work. Any one of these is a reason to get another bid.
Unless otherwise noted, each use of "Storm Guard," “us,” “we,” or “our” throughout Stormguardrc.com collectively refers to both the Storm Guard brand and the Storm Guard Franchise System, which is made up almost exclusively of independently owned and operated franchise locations.
