Most homeowners spend more time choosing shingles than they do vetting the contractor who installs them. That's backwards. A mediocre material installed by a skilled crew will outlast a premium product put on by someone cutting corners. The contractor you hire determines whether your roof lasts 15 years or 30, whether your warranty is valid, and whether a permit was pulled so you're not stuck with an unpermitted structure when you go to sell the house. Getting this decision right is worth more than any upgrade you could make to the material itself. Before you call anyone, get a free instant estimate so you understand the baseline cost and can spot bids that are too low to be legitimate.
Start with the basics: licensing and insurance. Every state has a contractor licensing board — look yours up and verify the roofer's license number is active and in good standing. Don't take their word for it. Go to the board's website and run the number yourself. For insurance, ask for a certificate of insurance (COI) that lists both general liability and workers' compensation. Have the certificate sent directly from the insurer to you — not just handed over by the contractor. Call the insurer to confirm the policy is current. If a worker falls on your property and the contractor has no workers' comp, the lawsuit could land on your homeowner's policy.
What a Legitimate Bid Looks Like
A proper written bid should itemize the job: number of squares being replaced, underlayment type and specification, ice-and-water shield footage, drip edge material, ridge cap type, number of pipe boots and flashings being replaced, dump fees, and permit cost. If you receive a single-line bid that says "replace roof: $12,500," that is not a bid — it's a handshake deal with no accountability. You cannot hold a contractor to quality standards that were never written down.
Get three bids. If one comes in 40% below the others, ask why in detail. The answer will tell you a lot. Legitimate contractors rarely dramatically underbid; they know what labor and materials cost. A suspiciously low number usually means thinner underlayment, no new flashings, non-certified labor, or no permit.
Storm chasers are a specific threat worth calling out. After a major hail or wind event, out-of-state contractors swarm affected neighborhoods with high-pressure door-to-door sales. Many are gone before the job is finished or before a problem shows up. Some offer to "waive your deductible" — which sounds like a benefit but is insurance fraud in most states. Your insurer pays the contractor based on an agreed scope; waiving your deductible means the contractor is inflating the invoice to cover it, and you're participating in a fraudulent claim. Legitimate contractors do not make this offer.
Permits and Why They Protect You
A re-roofing permit is required in most jurisdictions. The permit triggers an inspection by the local building department, which independently verifies that the installation meets code. This protects you in three ways: it ensures minimum installation standards were met, it creates a public record that the work was done, and it protects your ability to make future insurance claims — some insurers deny claims on homes with unpermitted work. For a full breakdown of what permits require and how to check your local rules, see our guide on roofing permit requirements.
Some contractors skip permits to move faster and avoid scrutiny. If a contractor says permits aren't necessary or that "we never pull permits for shingle jobs here," verify that claim yourself with your local building department before signing anything. In most jurisdictions, the permit is the homeowner's responsibility even when a contractor pulls it on your behalf — so you carry the liability if it wasn't obtained.
Manufacturer Certifications
Major shingle manufacturers operate contractor certification programs. GAF's Master Elite designation is held by only about 2% of roofing contractors nationwide — it requires licensing verification, insurance verification, continuing education, and demonstrated installation standards. Owens Corning's Preferred Contractor program has similar requirements. These certifications matter because they're the gateway to enhanced warranty coverage. GAF's Golden Pledge warranty, for example, covers both materials and workmanship for 25 years, but it's only available through Master Elite contractors. A standard installation by a non-certified contractor gets a basic manufacturer warranty that typically excludes workmanship.
Certification doesn't guarantee a perfect job, but it does mean the contractor has a documented relationship with the manufacturer that they stand to lose if they perform poorly.
Questions to Ask Before Signing
Ask the contractor: Who are your crews — employees or subcontractors? If they subcontract, are those subs verified for insurance and licensing? What does the warranty cover and for how long, and is it a manufacturer warranty or your company's warranty? What happens if decking damage is found during tear-off — how do you price additional decking? How do you handle daily cleanup and nail removal? Who is my point of contact if I have questions during the job?
The answers matter less than whether the contractor can answer clearly and specifically. Vague or dismissive responses are a red flag. A contractor who can't tell you what underlayment they use or who dismisses your questions about permits is not someone you want managing a $15,000 job on your home.
Payment Schedules and Lien Waivers
Never pay more than 30% upfront. A reputable contractor with established supplier relationships and steady cash flow doesn't need your money to buy materials — that's what a materials account is for. A large upfront payment requirement is either a sign of cash flow problems or a setup for a contractor who collects and disappears. Standard payment structure is a deposit at signing, a second payment at material delivery or job start, and the final payment upon your satisfaction at completion.
Once the job is complete and you're satisfied, ask for a lien waiver before issuing final payment. A lien waiver is a legal document in which the contractor and any subcontractors waive the right to file a mechanic's lien against your property for the completed work. If a contractor paid his suppliers and laborers, signing a lien waiver costs him nothing. If he hesitates, that's a sign that someone downstream may not have been paid — and that unpaid party can place a lien on your home even if you paid the contractor in full.