Homeowner Guide 4 of 5

How to Choose a Roofing Contractor: A Homeowner’s Guide to Finding Someone You Can Trust

Most homeowners do not hire roofing contractors very often.

That creates an unusual problem.

You may be making a significant decision about one of the most important systems on your home while evaluating a type of contractor you have never hired before.

After a storm, the situation becomes even more difficult. Multiple companies may be knocking on doors, advertisements appear everywhere and homeowners can feel pressure to make a decision quickly.

The good news is that you do not need to know everything about roofing to evaluate a roofing company.

You simply need to ask the right questions and pay attention to how clearly the contractor answers them.

Start with the company, not the sales pitch

Before discussing shingles or pricing, determine who you are actually considering hiring.

  • Does the business have an established identity and verifiable contact information?
  • Can you determine how long it has been operating?
  • Does it have a real address and phone number?
  • Can it provide proof of appropriate insurance?
  • Can it provide references or examples of completed work?
  • Will the company still be reachable if you have a workmanship concern months after the project is complete?

Requirements for contractors, permits and registrations can vary by jurisdiction, so homeowners should also verify applicable requirements with their city or local building authority.

The Texas Attorney General and Texas Department of Insurance both advise homeowners to take time to research contractors rather than feeling pressured into signing immediately after a disaster.

Learn more: How to Choose a Roofing Contractor — 12 Questions Every Homeowner Should Ask

A good contractor should be willing to explain the roof

You should not have to accept:

“Trust me—you need a roof.”

Ask the contractor to show you what was found.

  • Where is the damage?
  • How widespread is it?
  • Can the issue be repaired?
  • Why is replacement being recommended?
  • What is the condition of the rest of the roofing system?

Photographs are helpful because they allow homeowners to see roof conditions they cannot safely inspect themselves.

The contractor should be able to explain the findings in plain English without relying on fear or pressure.

Compare scope, not just price

One of the most common mistakes homeowners make is placing three roofing estimates side by side and looking only at the number at the bottom.

A roofing estimate is meaningful only when you understand what is included.

Two contractors can quote different prices because they are proposing different materials, underlayments, flashing work, ventilation components, warranty coverage, decking allowances, cleanup procedures or installation methods.

One estimate may include work another contractor has omitted entirely.

Before concluding that one bid is “expensive” and another is “cheap,” determine whether you are actually comparing the same project.

Learn more: How to Compare Roofing Estimates Without Comparing Apples to Oranges

What should a professional estimate include?

A useful roofing proposal should tell you enough to understand what you are buying.

That generally means identifying the roofing system or material, major components being installed, areas of work, tear-off or removal requirements, handling of deteriorated decking, flashing expectations, ventilation work where applicable, cleanup responsibilities, warranties, payment terms and other major project conditions.

If something important was discussed verbally, ask for it to be included in writing.

The written agreement is where expectations become clear.

Learn more: What Should Be Included in a Professional Roofing Estimate?

Be careful with an estimate that seems dramatically cheaper

There are legitimate reasons prices vary.

Contractors have different overhead, supplier relationships, crews and business models.

But if one bid is dramatically lower than every other proposal, find out why.

  • Was something left out?
  • Are different materials being used?
  • Does the price include removal and disposal?
  • How are flashings being handled?
  • What happens if damaged decking is discovered?
  • What workmanship warranty is provided?

The cheapest initial number is not always the least expensive outcome if omitted work, installation problems or warranty disputes appear later.

Learn more: Why the Cheapest Roofing Estimate Can Become the Most Expensive Roof

Watch for pressure and paperwork problems

A reputable contractor should want you to understand what you are signing.

  • Do not sign blank documents.
  • Do not assume a paper described as an “inspection authorization” is harmless without reading it.
  • Do not sign something you do not understand simply because you are told you have to act immediately.

Be cautious about large unexplained upfront payments or requests for full payment before work has been performed.

The Texas Department of Insurance specifically recommends written bids, checking references and carefully reading documents before signing.

Texas homeowners should be especially cautious when a contractor makes promises about an insurance claim.

A contractor may evaluate the roof and prepare a roofing estimate.

But Texas prohibits a contractor who is doing or may do the roofing work from acting as a public adjuster on that same property.

A contractor also may not waive, rebate or absorb the homeowner's insurance deductible.

Statements such as:

  • “We'll waive your deductible.”
  • “We guarantee your insurance company will buy the roof.”
  • “We'll negotiate the claim for you and get every dollar you're owed.”

should cause a homeowner to stop and ask questions.

The roofer should be comfortable remaining in the roofing lane.

Ask about what happens after installation

A roof is not finished merely because the last shingle has been nailed down.

Ask how the contractor handles cleanup.

  • How will nails and debris be removed?
  • Who performs the final inspection?
  • What documentation will you receive?
  • What happens if you discover a concern after the crew leaves?
  • Who provides the workmanship warranty?
  • How do manufacturer warranties work?
  • How do you contact the company later?

A company that expects to maintain a relationship with customers after the project should have straightforward answers.

Red flags do not always look dramatic

Sometimes a warning sign is obvious.

Other times it is simply a pattern:

  • Pressure to sign before you have had time to read.
  • Vague answers.
  • Promises that sound too good to be true.
  • An unwillingness to document agreements.
  • Difficulty verifying the company.
  • No clear explanation of the work.
  • A bid that contains almost no detail.
  • A contractor who seems more interested in the insurance check than the roof.

Learn more: Roofing Red Flags Every Homeowner Should Know

Use the same questions with every contractor—including us

The purpose of homeowner education should not be to convince you that one particular roofing company is trustworthy.

It should give you a way to evaluate any roofing company.

Ask Ridge Point Roofing the same questions you would ask another contractor.

Compare the answers.

Compare the scope.

Verify the information.

Take enough time to feel comfortable with the decision.

A roof is a major home investment. You should understand who is working on it, what they are doing and what happens if you need help afterward.

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