Roofing is the most expensive home repair most people will ever authorize — $12,000 to $28,000 for a full replacement in 2026 — and the industry is full of storm-chasers, door-knockers, and companies that fold their LLC every two years to dodge warranties. The good news: ten questions, asked in the right order, will filter 90% of the bad actors before they climb a ladder. Here are the questions, what the right answers sound like, and the red flags to walk away from.
We build websites for small businesses — including roofers — so we've seen a lot of sales calls end with "we'll send a proposal" and a lot of others end with "I don't think we're the right fit." The roofers who say the second thing are the ones we want to work with. The companies that pressure, rush, or fog the questions below are the ones to avoid, no matter how shiny the truck wrap.
1. "Is your company licensed in this state, and what's your license number?"
Every legitimate roofing contractor has a state license number. It's public. You can look it up in your state's contractor licensing database in under a minute. A legitimate roofer will recite their number without hesitation.
Red flag: "We don't need a license in this county." In most states, that's flatly not true, or true only for jobs under a tiny dollar threshold.
2. "What's your insurance coverage, and can you send me the certificate?"
Two policies matter: General liability (covers damage to your house) and workers' compensation (covers the crew if someone falls). A real roofing company carries both, will email you a certificate of insurance (COI) on request, and will let you call the insurance company to verify.
Red flag: "My guys are covered under their own policies" or "we self-insure." If a crew member is injured on your roof and there's no workers' comp, you can be liable. Walk away.
3. "How long has the legal entity I'll be contracting with been in business?"
Notice the wording — "the legal entity I'll be contracting with." Roofing scams often involve a new LLC that dissolves two years later to escape warranty obligations. A decades-old brand name might be operating under a 6-month-old LLC.
Green flag: 5+ years in business under the same LLC, owner willing to show you the registration date.
Red flag: Hesitation, pivoting to "we've been doing this work for 20 years" without specifying the legal entity, or an LLC registered within the last 12 months right after a major local storm.
4. "Will my job be done by your employees or subcontractors?"
Neither is automatically wrong. You just need to know. If subs are doing the work, ask whether the subs carry their own insurance or are covered under the contractor's policy. A reputable roofer will name their crew lead and introduce you before work starts.
Red flag: "I'm not sure yet who'll be on the crew." On a multi-ten-thousand-dollar job? That's not acceptable.
5. "What manufacturer warranty does the shingle come with, and are you certified to offer it?"
This is the tripwire question. Major manufacturers (GAF, Owens Corning, CertainTeed) offer enhanced warranties — sometimes 25, 30, even 50 years — but only if the installer is a certified contractor. A non-certified roofer will default you to the basic limited warranty (typically 10–15 years) without telling you.
Green flag: "We're a GAF Master Elite (or CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster, or Owens Corning Platinum Preferred) contractor. You'll get the enhanced warranty." They can show proof on the manufacturer's website.
Red flag: "The shingles come with a warranty from the manufacturer, you'll be fine." Vague. Doesn't answer the question.
6. "What's your workmanship warranty?"
Separate from the manufacturer's shingle warranty, the contractor should warranty their own labor. Industry standard is 5–10 years on workmanship. Anything less than 2 years is thin. Lifetime workmanship warranties are a marketing promise — read the fine print, because they're usually voided by any re-sale or unrelated maintenance.
Make your website answer these questions before the homeowner asks.
The roofers we build for publish their license number, insurance, and warranty details right on the home page. That's the kind of trust content that books the job. Signed Monday, shipped Sunday.
See pricing →7. "Can I see three recent projects in my area — and speak to those homeowners?"
Not photos on a website. Not the "gallery." Three actual jobs, done in the last six months, within 15 miles of your house, with the homeowners' names and phone numbers (offered with their permission). A real roofer has these memorized.
Red flag: "I don't want to bother my past customers." Your customers are your best sales force. Any roofer who doesn't use them doesn't have them.
8. "What happens if it rains while my roof is open?"
This question sounds dumb. It's not. It tells you whether the roofer has actually done a replacement in bad weather and whether they have a protocol. The answer you want:
"We only tear off what we can dry-in the same day. If weather turns unexpectedly, we tarp the deck with heavy-duty sheathing and come back in the morning. Any water damage that occurs during the install is our responsibility — it's covered under our liability."
Red flag: "We check the weather." That's not a protocol.
9. "How do you handle change orders if you find damage once the old roof is off?"
Almost every roof replacement surfaces some additional damage — rotted decking, rusted flashing, a vent pipe that should have been replaced years ago. How the contractor handles this is where homeowners get fleeced.
Green flag: "Any change orders are documented with a photo, a cause, and a price before work continues. You sign off before we add cost." This should be in your written contract.
Red flag: Any version of "we'll just take care of it and bill you at the end." Do not sign that contract.
10. "Can I have a written, itemized estimate, and how long is it valid?"
A real roofer hands you a written estimate with: material quantities, shingle brand and line, underlayment type, flashing material, ice-and-water-shield coverage, ridge vent, drip edge, tear-off method, debris removal, number of days, payment schedule, and both warranties. Valid for at least 30 days.
Red flag: A back-of-napkin number. "Price is good today only." Aggressive financing pushed before you've even seen a written quote. Storm-chasers work this way — they close fast because they won't be here next month to answer questions.
Storm-chasers, specifically.
If a hailstorm or tornado hit your area in the last 60 days, out-of-state "storm-chaser" roofers will knock on your door. Some of them are legitimate national contractors. Most are not. The playbook:
- They show up unsolicited, claim to have "noticed damage" from the street.
- They offer to "inspect" the roof — and create damage if they don't find any.
- They pressure you to sign a contingency contract that assigns your insurance claim to them.
- They disappear with the insurance check, either without finishing or after a rushed, low-quality install.
- By the time the roof leaks, the LLC is dissolved.
The rule: never sign anything in the driveway, on the first visit. Get three local quotes. Verify each company's license, insurance, and years in business. Storm damage claims are valid for at least 12 months in most states — you have time.
The one-call filter.
If you only have time for one phone screen, ask questions 1, 2, 5, and 10. Licensed? Insured with a COI they'll send? Are you manufacturer-certified for the enhanced warranty? And can I have a written, itemized, 30-day-valid estimate?
A roofer who answers all four crisply is worth bringing out for a proposal. A roofer who stumbles on any of them has just saved you a five-figure mistake.