How to Vet a Roofing Contractor in 7 Steps
Licensing, insurance, certifications, and references — the full pre-hire checklist.
Roofing has more bad actors than almost any home services trade. Storm chasers, unlicensed operators, and disappear-after-payment contractors are routine. Spending one evening on vetting prevents most of the bad outcomes that dominate consumer complaints.
The 7-step checklist
1. State contractor's license, verified online. 2. General liability insurance ($1M+) AND workers comp — request COI from agent directly. 3. Local physical office with 5+ year operating history. 4. Manufacturer certification (GAF Master Elite, CertainTeed SELECT, Owens Corning Preferred) — required for top warranties. 5. At least 3 references from completed projects 2+ years old. 6. BBB record under the legal business name. 7. Written, itemized estimate with brand, model, and labor specifics.
Red flags during bidding
Demands for large upfront deposit (10% maximum). Same-day signing pressure. Cash-only payment terms. Bids 30%+ below comparable quotes — usually signals corner-cutting on underlayment, decking, or flashing.
Reputable roofers are typically scheduled 4-12 weeks out. Anyone available to start tomorrow during peak season has either capacity for legitimate reasons (worth asking) or has reputation issues.