How to Choose a Roofing Contractor: Questions to Ask Before You Hire

By Patriots’ Roofing · Updated June 2026 · Hiring a Contractor

TL;DR: To choose a roofing contractor, verify three things before anything else: an active state license, proof of both general liability and workers compensation insurance, and a verifiable local track record with real reviews. Then look for manufacturer certifications like GAF Master Elite, insist on a detailed written estimate and a clear warranty, and ask how they handle insurance claims. Walk away from storm-chasers, anyone demanding a large upfront deposit, anyone with no physical address, and high-pressure “sign today” tactics.

Start with the bars every good roofer can clear

Most roofing complaints do not come from bad shingles. They come from the wrong contractor: an unlicensed crew, an uninsured one, a fly-by-night operation that vanishes the week after the check clears, or a high-pressure salesperson who rushed you into a contract you did not understand. The good news is that the contractors worth hiring can all prove the same handful of things on request, and the ones to avoid usually cannot. The questions below sort one from the other fast.

Use this as your shortlist before you sign anything. A trustworthy roofer will welcome every question on it, because answering them is how they win the job.

1. Verify licensing and insurance (this protects you, not them)

This is the non-negotiable first filter. Ask for the contractor’s state license number and confirm it is active and in good standing with the state board. In North Carolina, residential and commercial roofing work above the licensing threshold requires a general contractor license; in Louisiana, roofing falls under the state contractor licensing board. A legitimate company will give you the number without hesitation.

Insurance is just as critical, and there are two policies you must confirm, not one:

• General liability insurance. Covers damage to your property if something goes wrong during the job, like water intrusion from an open roof or a fall that damages your siding.
• Workers compensation insurance. This is the one homeowners forget. If a worker is injured on your roof and the contractor has no workers comp, you can be the one held liable. Ask for a current certificate of insurance, and do not accept a verbal “we’re covered.”

The simplest move is to ask for the certificate of insurance (COI) in writing and confirm both coverages are active for the dates of your project. Patriots’ Roofing is fully licensed and insured (NC #85568, LA #562192) and provides documentation on request.

2. Check manufacturer certifications, and what they actually unlock

Anyone can buy a box of premium shingles. Not everyone can install them under the manufacturer’s best warranty. That is the real value of manufacturer certifications: they gate the strongest coverage available on your roof.

What GAF Master Elite means

GAF is the largest roofing manufacturer in North America, and Master Elite is its top contractor certification. GAF reports that only about 2% of roofing contractors qualify, because a company has to be properly licensed and insured, hold a strong reputation, and stay current on GAF installation training year after year. Crucially, only a Master Elite contractor can offer GAF’s strongest coverage, the 50-year Golden Pledge limited warranty, which adds workmanship coverage backed by GAF on top of the material warranty. A standard installer can sell the same shingles but cannot put the same warranty behind the job.

What President’s Club adds

President’s Club is GAF’s highest annual honor, awarded to the Master Elite contractors who score highest on performance, reliability, and customer satisfaction. You must already be Master Elite to qualify, and only a fraction of that group earns it. Patriots’ Roofing holds both, and we are also an IBHS FORTIFIED certified installer for coastal wind-resistant roofs. You can read what these designations mean for your warranty on our GAF President’s Club page or in our deeper guide to GAF Master Elite and the Golden Pledge warranty.

3. Look for a local track record and real reviews

A roofer with deep local roots has a reputation to protect and an office you can find. Out-of-town operations that follow storms have neither. Look for a contractor with a physical local address, a real phone number, and years of work in your market, not a magnetic sign on a rented truck.

Then read the reviews, and read them critically. A genuine track record shows a high volume of reviews over a long period, specific details about the work, and how the company responded when something went wrong. Check Google, the Better Business Bureau, and the company’s own customer reviews. Patriots’ Roofing holds an A+ rating with the BBB and a 4.9-star rating on Google, with local crews working across West Texas, Eastern North Carolina, the Outer Banks, and coastal Louisiana. You can see the credentials and history behind the company on our about page.

4. Insist on a detailed written estimate and scope

Never hire off a number scribbled on the back of a card. A professional estimate is itemized and tells you exactly what you are buying. At minimum, it should spell out the materials and brand, whether a full tear-off or a layover is planned, what underlayment and flashing are included, ventilation, the cleanup and debris-haul plan, and the warranty terms. A vague one-line price is a red flag, because it leaves room for surprise “additions” once the work starts.

Get the scope in writing and compare estimates line by line, not just by the bottom number. The cheapest bid often wins by quietly leaving out the very items that make a roof last, like proper underlayment, drip edge, and starter strip. When you request an estimate from us, you get a clear written scope you can hold the work to.

5. Understand the warranty: workmanship vs manufacturer

There are two separate warranties on a roof, and you want both explained clearly:

• The manufacturer warranty covers the materials against defects. Its strongest tiers, like the GAF Golden Pledge, are only available through certified contractors.
• The workmanship warranty covers the installation, which is where most roof problems actually originate. Ask how long it lasts, what it covers, and whether it survives if the company changes hands.

A contractor who is vague about the workmanship warranty is telling you something. Get the length and the terms in writing, and confirm the manufacturer warranty is being registered in your name.

6. Ask how they handle insurance claims

If your roof was hit by hail, wind, or a fallen limb, the right contractor makes the insurance process easier, not murkier. A reputable roofer will inspect and document the damage slope by slope, meet your adjuster on the roof so everyone is describing the same damage, and bill the real, approved scope. What they will never do is offer to “waive,” “absorb,” or “eat” your deductible, because that practice is illegal in many states and can jeopardize your claim. For how the process should work end to end, see our storm damage and insurance claims service and our guide to whether homeowners insurance covers roof replacement.

Red flags: when to walk away

Some signals are not just “shop around” warnings; they are reasons to end the conversation. If you see these, do not sign.

What you see	What a trustworthy roofer does	Red flag to walk away from
Showing up	Local address, marked vehicles, scheduled visit	Door-knocking storm-chaser with out-of-state plates
Payment	Reasonable progress terms, pay on completion	Large cash deposit demanded up front
Paperwork	Itemized written scope and warranty	Verbal quote, no contract, no license number
Insurance	Documents the real damage, never touches your deductible	Offers to waive or rebate your deductible
The pitch	Answers questions, gives you time to decide	“Sign today or the price goes up” pressure

The pattern is consistent: contractors worth hiring are transparent and patient, while the ones to avoid manufacture urgency, dodge documentation, and ask for money before the work is done.

The questions to ask before you sign

Print this short list and run through it with any contractor you are considering. The right roofer answers every one without flinching.

• What is your state license number, and is it active?
• Can you provide a current certificate of insurance for both general liability and workers compensation?
• Are you manufacturer-certified, and what warranty does that let you offer?
• How long have you worked in this area, and can I see local reviews and references?
• Can I get an itemized written estimate with the full scope of work?
• What does your workmanship warranty cover, and for how long?
• How do you handle the insurance claim and the adjuster meeting?
• What is the payment schedule, and what do you require up front?
• Who is the actual crew, and are they your employees or subcontractors?
• What is your plan for cleanup, debris haul-off, and protecting my property?

How Patriots’ Roofing measures up

We built our process around exactly these questions. Patriots’ Roofing is licensed and insured (NC #85568, LA #562192), GAF President’s Club and Master Elite, an IBHS FORTIFIED certified installer, BBB A+ accredited, and rated 4.9 stars on Google. We use local crews, provide an itemized written scope before any work begins, register your manufacturer warranty, and stand with you through the insurance claim from inspection to final invoice. We are a family-owned company, fifth generation, founded by the O’Brien family in 1836, and we are proud to serve veterans, first responders, and military families across every market we work in.

When you are ready, the honest first step is the same one we recommend with any roofer: a free, no-obligation inspection and a written estimate you can hold the work to. Request yours and put every question on this page to us directly.

• GAF Master Elite and President’s Club: what they mean
• Does homeowners insurance cover roof replacement?
• Storm damage and insurance claims
• About Patriots’ Roofing