# Questions to Ask a Roofer Before You Sign
I have been putting roofs on Texas houses since 2011, and the thing that still surprises me is how little most homeowners are told before they sign. The questions to ask a roofer are not complicated, and none of them are rude. Any contractor worth hiring will answer all of them without hesitating — and the ones who get uncomfortable have just told you something useful.
The short answer
Before you sign, get clear answers on nine things: who is actually doing the work, whether they carry both liability and workers compensation coverage, what the workmanship warranty covers and for how long, what happens if rotted decking is found, whether the manufacturer certifies them, how payment is structured, who handles your insurance claim, what the cleanup standard is, and how long the price is held. Get all of it in writing.
Key Takeaways
- Ask who physically installs the roof — the answer is not always the company you are talking to.
- Two kinds of coverage matter: general liability and workers compensation. Ask for both certificates.
- A workmanship warranty and a manufacturer warranty are different things and cover different failures.
- Never pay the full amount up front, and be cautious about large deposits.
- Get the decking allowance in writing before work starts, not after the shingles come off.
The nine questions
1. Who is actually installing my roof? Some companies self-perform, some use long-standing crews, some subcontract to whoever is available that week. There is nothing automatically wrong with subcontracting — plenty of good companies do it — but you should know, and you should know whether the same crews come back.
2. Can I see your certificate of insurance? You want general liability and workers compensation. Liability covers damage to your property. Workers compensation matters because if someone is hurt on your roof and there is no coverage, you do not want to find out how that gets resolved. Ask for the certificate itself, not a verbal yes.
3. What does your workmanship warranty cover, and for how long? Workmanship covers installation. A manufacturer warranty covers the materials. They are separate, they fail differently, and a company that blurs the two in conversation will blur it later. At Flagstone every job carries a 7-year workmanship warranty and up to a 30-year manufacturer warranty on the materials, and I will happily explain exactly what each one covers.
4. What happens if you find rotted decking? This is the question that prevents the most arguments. Nobody knows what is under the shingles until they come off. A good bid says in advance how replacement decking is priced per sheet. A bid that says nothing can grow after the tear-off starts.
5. Are you certified by the manufacturer? Manufacturer certification means the company has been vetted and can offer enhanced material warranties. We are GAF certified and TAMKO certified. It is not the only thing that matters, but it is verifiable, and you can check it yourself on the manufacturer’s site.
6. How is payment structured? Reasonable is a deposit, a payment at material delivery or start, and the balance on completion. Be careful with anyone who wants the whole job paid before work begins.
7. Who deals with my insurance company? If this is a storm claim, ask specifically who talks to the adjuster and who documents the damage. Also ask what happens if the carrier approves less than the bid. Get that answer before you sign, because it is when the frustration usually starts.
8. What does cleanup include? Magnetic sweep for nails, tarping of landscaping, and hauling off the old material should all be stated. Nails in a driveway are the single most common complaint after an otherwise good roof job.
9. How long is this price good for? Material prices move. A written expiry date is normal and honest.
What good answers look like
| Question | A good answer sounds like | A warning sign sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Who installs it | A named crew, same team each time | “We will figure that out later” |
| Insurance | Here is the certificate | “We are fully insured” and nothing more |
| Warranty | Two documents, clearly separated | One vague promise covering everything |
| Rotted decking | A written price per sheet | “We will deal with it if we see it” |
| Payment | Staged, balance on completion | Full amount before work starts |
| Claim handling | A named person and a process | “Insurance always covers it” |
The one thing I would never let a contractor tell you
That your insurance claim is guaranteed to be approved. Nobody on the roofing side can promise that. What an honest company does is document the damage properly, meet the adjuster, and make the strongest factual case. Anyone promising the outcome is either inexperienced or telling you what you want to hear, and both cost you later.
The Texas Department of Insurance publishes its own guidance for homeowners on storm damage and claims, and reading it before you talk to anybody puts you in a much better position.
Get it in writing, all of it
A handshake is not a scope. The contract should name the materials, the color, the underlayment, the ventilation work, the decking allowance, the cleanup standard, the payment schedule, the warranty terms and the price expiry. If something you were told in the driveway is not in the document, it is not part of the job.
That is not distrust. It is how any large purchase should work, and a good contractor prefers it too, because it means nobody argues in week three about what was agreed in week one.
If a storm brought you here, how to tell if your roof has hail damage covers what to look for before anyone comes out. And if you want to know who you are dealing with, my own story and how Flagstone started is on this site with my name on it.
Ask us all nine
I built Flagstone Roofing in 2011 with my wife after my father was denied commission he had already earned, and we have completed roughly 3,000 roofs since. We are BBB accredited, GAF certified, TAMKO certified, an Angie’s List Super Service Award winner, and a member of the Roofing Contractors Association of Texas with licensing in progress. Every job carries a 7-year workmanship warranty and up to a 30-year manufacturer warranty.
Ask us all nine questions. Call 855-898-ROOF and I would rather you compare our answers with two other companies than take my word for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What insurance should a roofing contractor carry?
Both general liability and workers compensation. Liability covers damage to your property; workers compensation matters because an injury on your roof with no coverage becomes your problem. Ask to see the certificate itself rather than accepting a verbal assurance.
How much deposit is normal for a roof?
A reasonable structure is a deposit, a payment at material delivery or start, and the balance on completion. Be cautious with any contractor who wants the full amount before work begins.
What is the difference between workmanship and manufacturer warranty?
A workmanship warranty covers the installation and is issued by the roofing company. A manufacturer warranty covers the materials and is issued by the shingle maker. They fail differently and a contractor who blurs the two in conversation will blur it later.
What happens if the roofer finds rotted decking?
Decking condition is unknown until the shingles come off, so a good bid states in advance how replacement sheets are priced. A bid silent on decking can grow substantially once the tear-off starts.
Can a roofer promise my insurance claim will be approved?
No, and nobody on the roofing side can. An honest company documents the damage properly, meets the adjuster and makes the strongest factual case. A guaranteed outcome is either inexperience or telling you what you want to hear.
What should be included in the written contract?
Materials and color, underlayment, ventilation work, the decking allowance, cleanup standard, payment schedule, warranty terms and a price expiry date. If something you were told verbally is not in the document, it is not part of the job.
