Questions to Ask a Roofer Before Hiring
A concrete list of questions to ask every roofer you bid — license, insurance, materials, flashing, ventilation, permits, warranty, payment, timeline, exclusions, change orders.
Most roofing problems start before the first nail is driven — at the conversation with the contractor. The questions you ask during the bid and contract phase decide whether the project goes smoothly or turns into a horror story. This guide gives you a concrete list of questions to ask every roofer you bid, organized by topic. A confident, professional contractor answers each one directly; one who dodges is signaling something worth paying attention to.
In this guide
- 1. Questions about license and insurance
- 2. Questions about scope
- 3. Questions about tear-off
- 4. Questions about decking
- 5. Questions about underlayment
- 6. Questions about flashing
- 7. Questions about ventilation
- 8. Questions about permits
- 9. Questions about cleanup
- 10. Questions about warranty
- 11. Questions about payment
- 12. Questions about timeline
- 13. Questions about exclusions
- 14. Questions about change orders
Questions about license and insurance
Ask: what is your CSLB license number? Can I see current certificates of insurance for workers' compensation and general liability? Are both policies listing my property as the certificate holder during the project? The license number lets you verify status at cslb.ca.gov; the COIs protect you if a worker is injured on your property (workers' comp) or if work damages something else (general liability). Without both, you can be personally liable for accidents. Reputable contractors provide these without hesitation, often before being asked.
Questions about scope
Ask: can you walk me through every line item in the quote? What's the difference between this scope and what your competitor is proposing? Are there any categories that aren't on the quote but should be discussed? The goal isn't to negotiate price — it's to surface the gaps before signing. A contractor who can walk through their own quote line by line and explain each one is operating at a higher level than one who jumps to total price when asked specifics.
Questions about tear-off
Ask: is this a tear-off or an overlay? How many existing shingle layers are on the roof? What happens if rotten deck plywood is discovered during tear-off? Reasonable answers: tear-off down to the deck (the right approach for most California homes), single-layer tear-off if existing is single-layer, multi-layer if not. For rotten deck, expect 'up to 2 sheets included, $80–$120 per additional sheet with written change order.' Vague tear-off answers are a leading indicator of mid-project surprises.
Questions about decking
Ask: how many sheets of deck replacement are included in the quote? What's the per-sheet rate if more are needed? Will you require written approval before installing additional sheets? The standard answer: up to 2 sheets included, $80–$120 per additional sheet, written change-order authorization required. A contractor who proposes to 'fix whatever's needed and add it to the final bill' is a contractor whose final bill is going to surprise you.
Questions about underlayment
Ask: what underlayment brand and weight will you install? Synthetic or felt? Where will ice and water shield be applied? Reasonable answers: synthetic underlayment named by brand (Titanium UDL, RhinoRoof, Tri-Flex), ice/water shield at valleys and around all penetrations per California code R905. A contractor who answers 'whatever underlayment we have on the truck' is one substitution away from voiding your shingle manufacturer warranty.
Questions about flashing
Ask which flashing pieces will be replaced versus reused, by location: chimney (should almost always replace), step flashing along walls (always replace), valleys (always replace), pipe-vent boots (replace), skylight curbs (replace). Ask what material — galvanized, aluminum, or copper — and why. A contractor who plans to reuse chimney flashing is offering you a roof that's already compromised from day one at the highest-risk location.
Questions about ventilation
Ask: does my existing attic ventilation meet current code (1 sq ft of net free area per 150 sq ft of attic, balanced 50/50 between intake and exhaust)? What upgrades would you recommend? Are bath/kitchen exhaust fans currently vented into the attic, and will they be re-routed to dedicated roof vents? A contractor who plans to 'match what's there' on a 1970s home is repeating an under-ventilated baseline that's been quietly aging the roof for decades.
Questions about permits
Ask: will you pull the permit, or do I need to? Is the permit fee included in the quoted price? What inspections happen during the project, and at what stages? Will you provide inspection sign-off documentation at completion? In most California cities, you want the contractor pulling the permit, fee included in price, with both tear-off and final inspections. Inspection sign-off is what triggers manufacturer warranty registration on many brands — without it, the warranty may never activate.
Questions about cleanup
Ask: how do you protect landscaping and HVAC equipment during the project? Where will the dumpster sit, and for how long? Is there a magnetic nail sweep at the end? How is daily debris handled? Reasonable answers: landscape tarping at the perimeter, plywood over HVAC condensers and pool equipment, dumpster on driveway for project duration, end-of-day cleanup, final-day magnetic sweep over the entire perimeter. Vague cleanup answers predict nails in tires and damaged landscape for years.
Questions about warranty
Ask: what's the manufacturer warranty on the materials you're proposing? What's your workmanship warranty length? Is the workmanship warranty transferable to a new owner on resale? What voids each warranty? Get these in writing as part of the contract. Industry-standard workmanship is 5–10 years; premium contractors offer 25-year transferable. Anything verbal is unenforceable. Anything under 5 years is below market. Non-transferable warranties hurt resale value.
Questions about payment
Ask: what's the deposit, and when is it due? What are the progress payment milestones and amounts? When is final payment due, and what triggers it? Will you provide lien releases from the contractor and material suppliers? The deposit must be at or below 10%/$1,000 (California §7159.5). Progress payments should tie to material delivery and substantial completion. Final payment after inspection sign-off, with both unconditional and conditional lien releases delivered.
Questions about timeline
Ask: when does the project start (in days after permit issuance)? How long will the work take? What happens if it rains? What happens if material is backordered? Reasonable answers: project start within 2–4 weeks of permit issuance, 2–3 crew days for typical 25-square re-roof, weather delays extend timeline without penalty either way, material substitution requires written homeowner approval. A contractor without clear answers hasn't run a real project recently.
Questions about exclusions
Ask: what's explicitly NOT included in this quote? What might come up that would be a change order? Get the answers in writing as part of the contract. Common exclusions: gutter replacement, fascia repair, structural framing repair, attic ventilation upgrades beyond minimum, skylight replacement, solar panel detach/reattach, asbestos abatement. The contractor whose exclusions list is honest about what could come up is the contractor less likely to surprise you mid-project.
Questions about change orders
Ask: what triggers a change order? How are they priced — written rate sheet or negotiated? Do you require my written approval before performing change-order work? The right answers: per-sheet rates for deck, per-foot rates for flashing, per-hour for additional labor — all in the contract upfront. Written homeowner approval required before any change-order work begins. A contractor who 'handles it and adds to the bill' is a contractor whose final bill will surprise you.
Before signing, ask:
- 1.What exact material brand and grade are included?
- 2.Is tear-off included? Single-layer or multi-layer?
- 3.What underlayment will be installed?
- 4.Will flashing be replaced or reused — by location?
- 5.Who handles permits, and is the fee included?
- 6.What cleanup, magnetic sweep, and landscape protection is included?
- 7.What is the workmanship warranty length, and is it transferable?
- 8.What is explicitly excluded from this quote?
- 9.What can increase the final price, and at what rate?
- 10.When is final payment due, and what triggers it?
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Frequently asked questions
How many references should I ask for?
Three from completed projects within the past six months. Call at least two. Ask whether the project finished on time, on budget, whether change orders were handled professionally, and whether the homeowner would hire the contractor again.
Should the roofer carry both general liability and workers' comp?
Yes. Without workers' comp, you can be liable if a crew member is injured on your property. Without general liability, work that damages other parts of your home isn't covered. Always ask for current certificates of insurance (COIs) for both.
Is it rude to ask for a written warranty?
No — it's standard practice. A verbal warranty is unenforceable when an issue surfaces three years later and the original salesperson has moved on. Get the warranty terms, duration, exclusions, and transfer rules in writing as part of the contract.
Related guide pages
HomeGoSmart is not a contractor and does not provide legal, financial, or construction advice. Homeowners should verify license, insurance, references, permits, and written contract terms before hiring.