10 Questions to Ask Before
Hiring a Roofing Contractor

Do You Use In-House Crews or Subcontractors?

This is the most important question on this list and most homeowners never think to ask it. Many roofing companies are sales operations — they take your money, hire a subcontracted crew to do the actual work, and pocket the difference. That subcontracted crew may be excellent. Or they may be the lowest-bidding option available that week. You have no way to know.

When a company uses subcontractors, accountability disappears. If there's a quality issue, the contractor points at the sub. The sub may be unreachable. The warranty is often only as good as the company that issued it — and some of these companies dissolve and reform under a new name every few years to escape warranty claims.

Using subcontractors isn't automatically wrong — but you should know exactly who is doing the work, whether they're covered by the contractor's insurance policy, and who you call if something goes wrong six months later.

Will You Physically Inspect My Roof or Just Use a Drone / Satellite?

Remote estimation tools have gotten impressive. Some companies can generate a material quantity and pricing estimate in under 20 minutes using aerial imagery without ever visiting your home. This is convenient. It is also frequently inaccurate — sometimes dramatically so.

A satellite image can tell you the approximate square footage of your roof. It cannot tell you how many existing shingle layers need to be torn off, whether your decking has soft spots or rot, what condition your flashings are in, or whether your ridge vents are blocked. All of these factors can add thousands of dollars to a job — and a remote estimate has no way to account for them.

The pattern goes like this: company gives you a low estimate based on satellite data. You sign. They start the job. Then the "discovery" conversation begins: more layers than expected, rotted decking, failing flashings. The original price is now meaningless, and you're stuck — they have your deposit and their crew is already on your roof.

Are You Fully Licensed AND Insured — Including Workers' Compensation?

In New Jersey, roofing contractors are required to hold a Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) license issued by the Division of Consumer Affairs. Many homeowners verify this — but stop there. That's not enough.

The more important question is workers' compensation insurance. If an uninsured worker is injured on your property during a roofing job, you may be liable for their medical expenses and lost wages. Homeowner's insurance policies vary in how they handle this — and many explicitly exclude liability for uninsured contractors.

"We're insured" is easy to say. Ask for the certificate. The certificate should name your address as the job site, list the effective dates, and be from a recognizable insurance carrier. Call the carrier directly to verify it's current if you have any doubt.

Can You Show Me Exactly What My Roof Will Cost — Line by Line?

A professional roofing estimate is a document, not a number. If a contractor hands you a single total — "$12,400 for your roof replacement" — without breaking down what's included, you have no way to evaluate it, compare it to other quotes, or hold them accountable if the scope changes.

A legitimate estimate should include: shingle brand and product line (e.g., GAF Timberline HDZ, not just "architectural shingles"), number of squares, number of tearoff layers, decking allowance, underlayment type, ice-and-water shield footage, ridge cap type and linear feet, starter strip, drip edge, all flashing details, vent stack collars, disposal fees, permit fees, and warranty terms.

Vague estimates aren't just inconvenient — they're a liability. When scope isn't specified in writing, it doesn't exist. "Oh, we assumed that was included" is not a binding commitment.

Who Is Actually Responsible If Something Goes Wrong?

This question separates transparent contractors from evasive ones faster than almost anything else. Ask it plainly: "If there's a leak six months after installation, who do I call, and what happens next?"

With companies that subcontract, the answer often involves multiple layers of passing the buck: you call the company → they contact the subcontractor → the sub may or may not still be available → if they are, scheduling a callback can take weeks → if the relationship between the company and sub has deteriorated, you may be told the warranty is handled by the manufacturer. Understanding this chain before you sign is critical.

Also understand the difference between a manufacturer's material warranty (covers defective shingles) and a workmanship warranty (covers installation errors — which are far more common). Many contractors offer impressive-sounding material warranties while carrying no workmanship warranty at all.

What Happens If You Find Damage During the Job?

When a crew tears off your old shingles, they may find rotted decking, deteriorated sheathing, damaged rafters, or other structural issues that weren't visible in the inspection. This is normal — especially on older homes. What isn't normal is being surprised by a $2,000–$4,000 add-on charge after the job is already underway and you have no leverage.

Ask every contractor specifically: how do you handle discovered damage? What's the per-sheet cost for decking replacement? Will you stop and show me before replacing anything additional? Get this in writing. The best contractors have a clear protocol — they photograph the damage, show the homeowner, explain the cost, and get approval before proceeding.

How Long Have You Been in Business Under THIS Name?

"15 years of experience" is one of the most misleading claims in the roofing industry. It often means the owner has 15 years of roofing experience — but the company may have been formed last year, or dissolved and reformed under a new name five times in the past decade.

This matters because warranties follow the company, not the person. If a company dissolves, your workmanship warranty is worthless. If they reform under a new name, the new entity has no legal obligation to honor promises made by the old one. This is a known and deliberately used tactic to escape warranty liability.

Look them up on the NJ business registry. Check when they were incorporated. Search their business name + "complaints" + "BBB" + "reviews." A Google review history going back 8 years tells you a lot more than a claim of "15 years experience."

What Specific Materials Are You Using — and Why?

"Premium architectural shingles" is meaningless. There are premium architectural shingles that carry a 30-year warranty and premium architectural shingles that carry a 50-year warranty. The difference in material cost between a mid-grade and a high-grade shingle is often $400–$800 on a typical NJ roof. The difference in longevity can be 10–15 years.

Every component matters: the shingle brand and product line, the underlayment grade (synthetic vs. felt), whether ice-and-water shield is specified at eaves, valleys, and penetrations (required by NJ code in certain zones), the ridge cap type, and the starter strip. A contractor who can't name specific brands and products is either not being upfront about what they're installing or doesn't know enough to guide you properly.

Will I Get a Detailed Written Scope of Work?

A scope of work is the document that defines exactly what is being done, what is NOT being done, what materials are being used, and what the project boundaries are. It's distinct from an estimate (which focuses on price) and essential for protecting you if a dispute arises.

"We'll take care of everything" is not a scope of work. If a contractor arrives and the gutters need minor repairs, are they included? What about the pipe boot collars — are they being replaced or just inspected? Is the ridge cap a new install or a recap of existing? Every ambiguity in the scope is a potential dispute waiting to happen.

In NJ, contractors are required to provide a written contract for any home improvement work over $500. The contract must include a description of the work to be performed. Verbal commitments made during the sales visit are not enforceable if they're not in writing.

What Actually Makes Your Company Different?

Ask this one last. After they've answered nine questions — some comfortably, some with hesitation — ask them to tell you what genuinely sets them apart. The answer will be revealing.

A company that competes on price will tell you about their price. A company that competes on sales will tell you about their warranty or their brand affiliations. A company that competes on actual craft will tell you about their crew, their process, their inspection protocol, and the specific problems they've solved on jobs that were more complex than they looked.

What you want to hear: specific, concrete details about how they operate differently — not generic claims that every contractor makes. "We're licensed and insured" is not a differentiator. "We physically inspect every roof before quoting and never change the price mid-job" is.