15 Questions to Ask a Roofing Contractor Before You Sign Anything

Can I see your contractor license number, your general liability insurance certificate, and your workers' compensation insurance?

A legitimate contractor produces all three documents on request without hesitation. License numbers can be verified through your state, provincial, or municipal contractor registry. General liability typically carries $1 million to $2 million in coverage. Workers' compensation protects you from being held liable if a crew member is injured on your property.

Verbal assurances without documentation, expired certificates, or reluctance to provide insurance details. "I'm insured, don't worry about it" is not an acceptable answer.

What is the legal business name of your company, and how many years have you operated under that name?

A specific year, a legal business name that matches the license and insurance certificates, and a presence verifiable through state or provincial business registries. Storm-chasing companies frequently incorporate new entities to escape complaint history verifying the legal name matters.

A trade name that doesn't match the legal entity, frequent business name changes, or a business that's less than 12 months old without prior credible history under different names.

Could you provide three references from homeowners in this area whose roofs you completed in the past 12 months?

Specific names, addresses, and phone numbers provided promptly. Call at least two of them. Ask about the timeline, the cleanup, what surprised them about the process, and whether they'd hire the contractor again. Drive by one of the addresses if you can.

Generic testimonials without names, references from jobs more than two years old, or references that are all from the same neighborhood (which can indicate a single insurance-claim referral chain rather than organic reputation).

Can I see a written estimate that breaks out labor, materials by type and quantity, debris removal, warranty terms, and any additional fees?

A clearly itemized written estimate covering everything that will be done on your roof, with quantities and product names specified. Vague "materials and labor" lump sums are not acceptable on a job this size.

Verbal estimates only, refusal to itemize, or contracts that include broad "additional work as needed" clauses without defined limits. Pressure to sign on the spot is a major red flag.

Is the warranty you're offering a hard warranty for the full duration, or is it an "up to" warranty? Is it transferable to the next owner if I sell my home?

A hard warranty with a specific year count meaning the warranty is valid for the full duration, not conditional. A transferable warranty means the remaining coverage transfers to a buyer if you sell the home, which can measurably increase resale value. GoNano NuRoof Fortify carries a 15-year hard transferable warranty; NuRoof Revive carries a 10-year hard transferable warranty.

"Up to X years" language, warranties requiring annual maintenance fees, warranties voided by specific weather events, or warranties that aren't transferable. The phrase "up to" is the single biggest warning sign in any roofing warranty.

If your business closes or changes ownership in the next 10 years, does the warranty remain valid? Who do I contact to make a claim?

A manufacturer-backed warranty supported by a national network of certified applicators. The manufacturer remains accountable regardless of any single contractor's business status. For example, GoNano warranties are backed directly by GoNano and supported by over 420 Certified GoNano Contractors across Canada and the United States.

Sole-proprietor contractors issuing their own warranties, products without a national network, or unclear claim-resolution procedures. "You can call me anytime" is not a substitute for a manufacturer-backed claim process.

Are you a certified installer or applicator for the specific products you're proposing? Can I see the certification documents?

Documented manufacturer certifications matching the specific products quoted. For roof replacement, examples include GAF Master Elite, CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster, and Owens Corning Platinum Preferred. For Structural Roof Rejuvenation, the relevant certification is Certified GoNano Contractor the only credentialing required to install GoNano NuRoof products with valid warranty.

Claims of being "certified" without naming the certifying body, expired certifications, or proposing a product the contractor isn't certified to install. The warranty is only valid when the installer is properly credentialed.

How many jobs of this exact type same roof material, same scope have you completed in the last 90 days?

A specific number, plus the willingness to share recent examples. Recency matters because roofing techniques, materials, and code requirements evolve. A contractor who hasn't done your type of work in two years is learning on your roof.

Vague answers like "we do lots of those" without specifics, or a portfolio dominated by a different type of roofing material than what's being proposed for your home.

How many crew members will be on my roof? Who is the foreman and how long has that person been with your company? Will subcontractors be used?

A typical residential reroof requires three to five skilled workers for efficient completion. The foreman should have multiple years of tenure with the company. If subcontractors are used, the contractor remains responsible for their work, insurance, and credentials. Get all subcontractor names in writing before work begins.

An undisclosed reliance on subcontractors, a foreman who started working with the company recently, or a crew size dramatically out of proportion to the job too few suggests delays; too many without supervision creates chaos.

How many days will the work take from start to finish? What's the protocol if weather interrupts? How will my roof be protected overnight if work is paused?

A specific timeline with built-in weather contingency. A well-organized contractor uses tarps, ice and water shield, or shingle-in stages so the roof is watertight at the end of each work day. The plan for rain interruption should be explained without prompting.

"It depends" answers about weather contingency, exposed decking left overnight, or timelines that change repeatedly during the project without explanation.

What fall protection equipment does your crew use? What are your protocols for slope steepness?

Visible safety equipment harnesses, roof brackets, safety lines, guardrails. Under OSHA standards in the United States, residential construction employers must provide fall protection for workers at heights of six feet or more. A contractor who treats safety as a serious operational priority is also more likely to treat your home as one.

Crews working without visible fall protection, dismissive answers about safety ("we've never had an accident"), or contractors who claim safety equipment is "too expensive for small jobs." Safety shortcuts correlate with workmanship shortcuts.

What will you do to protect my landscaping, gutters, AC unit, and outdoor furniture? How will you handle nail debris cleanup at the end of each day?

Tarps over landscaping, plywood over delicate surfaces, dedicated magnetic sweepers used at end of day to recover fallen nails. The contractor walks through your property with you before work begins and notes any concerns in writing.

Vague answers about cleanup, no use of magnetic sweepers, or post-job damage to landscaping that wasn't documented before work started.

Is full replacement actually necessary for my roof, or could repair or Structural Roof Rejuvenation extend the existing roof's service life?

An honest contractor will assess whether your roof is structurally sound enough that replacement isn't yet warranted. For roofs 5 to 20 years old that are still structurally intact, Structural Roof Rejuvenation applied by a Certified GoNano Contractor can extend functional life by 10 to 15 years with a hard warranty, at a fraction of replacement cost.

A contractor who recommends replacement without considering alternatives, dismisses preservation options without explanation, or claims that rejuvenation "doesn't work" without citing independent testing data.

What is your payment schedule? Do you require a deposit, and if so, how much?

A reasonable deposit (typically 10–30% of project value) plus milestone or completion payments. The full balance should never be due before work is substantially complete. Payment terms should be documented in the contract, not negotiated verbally.

Demands for full payment upfront, cash-only payment requirements, deposits significantly above industry norms, or pressure to pay outside of standard methods (no records, no recourse).

Will you pull all required permits in your name? If permits are required, who is responsible for inspection scheduling?

The contractor pulls all required permits in their own name making themselves accountable to the local building inspector. They schedule inspections proactively and provide you with copies of permits and signed-off inspection records.

A contractor who asks the homeowner to pull permits (a major red flag this transfers liability to the homeowner), works without required permits, or is reluctant to discuss permit requirements.