How to Hire a Roofing Contractor: A 2026 Checklist

A new roof is one of the biggest checks you will ever write for your home, and the hardest part is not the shingles. It is trusting the person on your roof. Roofing has more than its share of bad actors, from storm-chasers to lowball outfits that vanish mid-job. The good news: the difference between a great roofer and a regret is almost always something you can check before you sign. This guide walks you through exactly how, step by step, with a checklist you can use today.

Quick answer: To hire a roofer you can trust, verify the state license and check it on your licensing board’s website, confirm active general liability and workers’ comp insurance, read real reviews and the BBB, ask for local references, and get two to three written, itemized quotes. Read the full contract, watch for a big upfront deposit, and require both a workmanship and a manufacturer warranty before you pay.

Start with the one thing 99% of homeowners skip

Most people hire a roofer the same way: they call two or three companies, pick the friendliest one or the cheapest quote, and hope for the best. That is exactly how homeowners get burned. The roofers who cause the most damage are often the most charming and the most affordable, because cutting corners is cheaper and pressure sells.

Here is the better way to think about it. Hiring a roofer is not a vibe check, it is a background check. You are about to let a crew tear the lid off your house and rebuild it. You deserve proof, in writing, that they are licensed, insured, reviewed, and accountable. Every step below is a way to gather that proof.

Key takeaway: Choose a roofer based on verified facts, not charm or the lowest number. A trustworthy contractor expects you to check and is glad to help you do it.

That is the whole reason Onward exists. We do this background check for you. Every roofer in our network passes The Onward Shield, our six-point vetting: state license verified, liability and workers’ comp insurance verified, background and track-record check, a written workmanship warranty required, real reviews from finished jobs plus BBB, and a re-check every single year. Nearly 1 in 3 roofers who apply do not make it in. The rest of this guide shows you how to do that same homework yourself, so you know what good looks like.

Step 1: Verify the state license (and actually check it)

A license is the floor, not the ceiling, but a roofer who cannot show you a valid one is an instant no. Licensing tells you the contractor has met your state’s basic requirements and can be held accountable by a licensing board if something goes wrong.

Here is how to verify it in about two minutes:

1. Ask for the license number directly. A legitimate roofer will give it without hesitation. If you get a runaround, that is your answer.
2. Look it up on your state’s board website. Search your state plus “contractor license lookup.” Most state boards (and many city or county offices) have a free public search.
3. Confirm three things: the license is active and current, it is the right trade for roofing, and it has no major unresolved violations or suspensions.
4. Check that the name matches. The license should match the business and the person you are dealing with, not a borrowed number from another company.

One catch worth knowing: rules vary a lot by state. Per Insureon, some states license roofers at the state level, some leave it to cities and counties, and a handful do not require a roofing license at all. So if your state does not license roofers, lean harder on insurance, reviews, references, and manufacturer certifications instead.

Key takeaway: Never accept a license number at face value. Look it up yourself on the official board site, and confirm it is active, the right trade, and clean.

Step 2: Confirm liability and workers’ comp insurance (this protects you)

Insurance is the step that protects your wallet and your home the most, and it is the one storm-chasers skip. A roofer should carry two separate policies, and you should see proof of both.

• General liability insurance covers damage the crew causes to your home, your neighbor’s property, or anything else during the job. If a worker puts a foot through your ceiling or a ladder cracks your window, this is what pays for it.
• Workers’ compensation insurance covers medical bills and lost wages if a crew member is hurt on your property. Roofing is dangerous work. Without workers’ comp, an injured worker could try to come after you, the homeowner, for their injuries.

Owens Corning advises confirming that any contractor carries both liability and workers’ compensation coverage before you hire. To verify it properly:

1. Ask for a certificate of insurance (COI), not a verbal “yes, we’re covered.”
2. Call the insurance carrier listed on the certificate and confirm both policies are active and not expired.
3. Check the coverage amount. Many homeowners look for at least $1 million per occurrence in general liability.

This matters far more than people realize. An uninsured roofer might be cheaper precisely because they are not paying for the coverage that protects you. If you are also dealing with storm damage, a properly insured pro makes the insurance claim process far smoother too.

Key takeaway: Get a certificate of insurance and call the carrier to confirm liability and workers’ comp are active. No proof, no hire.

Step 3: Look for bonding (the extra layer)

Bonding is not the same as insurance, and the difference trips up a lot of homeowners. Insurance protects you from accidents and injuries. A surety bond is a financial guarantee that pays you if the contractor fails to finish the job or breaks the contract.

Think of it this way: if a roofer takes your deposit and walks off, insurance does nothing, but a bond can help make you whole. Some states require bonding as part of licensing; others do not. It is a meaningful extra layer, especially on larger jobs.

When people say a roofer is “licensed, insured, and bonded,” those are three distinct protections. Ask which ones apply to your contractor and request proof of each. A bonded contractor is signaling that a third party has vetted their finances and stands behind their reliability.

Key takeaway: Bonding is a separate guarantee that protects you if the contractor walks. Ask whether your roofer is licensed, insured, and bonded.

Step 4: Read reviews, check the BBB, and ask for references

Paperwork tells you a roofer is legal. Reviews and references tell you whether they actually do good work and treat people well. You want both.

Read reviews across several sites. Look at Google, the Better Business Bureau, Angi, and Facebook. Do not trust a single five-star review; look for patterns across many recent ones. According to the Better Business Bureau, a company’s BBB profile shows its rating, customer reviews, and, importantly, any complaints and how the business resolved them. A few complaints are normal for a busy company. How they handled the complaints tells you more than the star count.

Ask for local references and recent addresses. This is the step that separates real contractors from fly-by-night crews. Ask for three to five recent customers in your area, plus a few job addresses you can drive by. A reliable contractor shares references gladly; a hesitant one is telling you something. When you call references, ask:

• Did the crew finish on time and on budget?
• Did the final price match the quote, or were there surprise charges?
• How was cleanup, and did anything go wrong afterward?
• Would you hire them again?

Local matters here. A roofer with a real local address and years of nearby reviews has a reputation to protect. With Onward, every listed pro already has real reviews from finished jobs and a BBB check built into how we verify roofers, so you are not starting from scratch. You can also browse our best roofing companies to see top-rated local options.

Key takeaway: Trust patterns, not single reviews. Always ask for local references and recent job addresses you can verify yourself.

Step 5: Get two to three written, itemized quotes

One quote tells you nothing. You need at least two or three written, itemized estimates so you can compare apples to apples, not just chase the lowest number.

A good estimate, per Angi, should spell out the scope of work, the specific materials and brands, labor, the timeline, warranties, and cleanup, not just a single total. The best way to compare is to lay them side by side. List each contractor across the top and the details down the side.

Here is the trap to avoid: the lowest bid is not automatically the best deal. If one quote is dramatically lower than the others, there is usually a reason, often cheaper shingles, a layover instead of a full tear-off, or skipping new underlayment. Ask each roofer to explain any big gap.

Onward is built around this exact step. Tell us your ZIP and what you need, and we match you with a few vetted local pros so you can compare fair, written quotes. We are not a shared-lead site: your details go to only a few matched roofers, never sold to 10 cold-callers. You can get a free quote in about 60 seconds.

Key takeaway: Get two to three itemized quotes and compare scope, materials, and warranty, not just the total. The cheapest bid often hides a corner that got cut.

Step 6: Understand the contract before you sign

The contract is where trust becomes enforceable. If a price, material, date, or promise is not written into the contract, treat it as if it does not exist. A vague one-line estimate is a red flag all by itself.

A complete roofing contract should clearly state:

• Scope of work. Exactly what will be done: tear-off, decking inspection and replacement of rotted wood, underlayment, flashing, ventilation, and the new roof system.
• Materials. The specific products and brands, colors, and quantities, not just “architectural shingles.”
• Start and finish dates. Including how weather delays are handled.
• Total price and payment schedule. Tied to milestones (see below), with the deposit clearly stated.
• Permits. Who pulls them and who pays for them. Reputable roofers handle permits.
• Lien waivers. A promise to provide signed waivers from the contractor, subs, and suppliers with each payment.
• Warranties. Both the workmanship warranty length and the manufacturer warranty.
• Cleanup. Debris haul-away and a magnetic nail sweep of your yard.

Tie payments to milestones, not the calendar. A healthy payment schedule connects money to verifiable progress: a modest deposit, a payment when materials are delivered and tear-off is done, and the final payment only after the job passes inspection and cleanup is complete. Pay by check or credit card, never large amounts of cash, so you have a paper trail.

Key takeaway: Everything in writing, or it does not count. Tie payments to milestones you can see, and hold the final payment until the work passes inspection.

Step 7: Know the right deposit (and why a big cash one is a red flag)

A deposit is normal. A large upfront cash demand is not. This single rule protects more homeowners than almost any other.

A reasonable deposit covers special-order materials or permit fees, and it is documented in the contract. As Levelset notes, several states even cap how much a contractor can collect upfront on home-improvement work, often around 10 percent or a set dollar amount. A deposit above roughly a third of the total job is higher than typical, and you should ask why and compare it to your other quotes.

Watch for these deposit red flags:

• A demand for 50% or more upfront, or for the full amount before work starts.
• A push to pay in cash with no receipt or paper trail.
• A large deposit with no specific material or permit reason behind it.
• Pressure to sign and pay today to lock in a “discount.”

The reason this matters: roofers who collect big deposits and disappear are a classic scam. A legitimate contractor has the cash flow to buy materials and only needs a modest, documented deposit to get started.

Key takeaway: A small, documented deposit is fine. A large upfront cash payment, especially with pressure to pay today, is one of the clearest warning signs of a bad actor.

Step 8: Get both warranties in writing (workmanship vs. manufacturer)

A roof has two ways to fail, so it needs two warranties. Confusing them is one of the most common and expensive mistakes homeowners make.

• A workmanship (labor) warranty comes from the roofer and covers installation mistakes, like a botched flashing detail that leaks. These typically run anywhere from 1 to 10 or more years, depending on the contractor.
• A manufacturer (material) warranty comes from the shingle maker, such as GAF, Owens Corning, or CertainTeed, and covers defects in the product itself.

The catch most people miss: a basic workmanship warranty usually dies if the installer goes out of business. An enhanced, manufacturer-backed warranty stays in force even if the contractor closes shop, because the manufacturer stands behind it. That is a big reason certified contractors are worth seeking out. For a deeper breakdown, see our guide to roofing warranties explained.

Key takeaway: You want both a workmanship warranty and a manufacturer warranty, in writing. Manufacturer-backed warranties survive even if the roofer goes out of business.

Step 9: Check for manufacturer certifications (GAF, Owens Corning)

Manufacturer certifications are one of the strongest trust signals in roofing because the shingle maker has already vetted the contractor’s license, insurance, and track record before granting it.

The two biggest names:

• GAF Master Elite. Per GAF, this top certification is held by only about 2 to 3 percent of US roofers. Master Elite contractors can offer GAF’s Golden Pledge warranty, one of the most comprehensive in the industry.
• Owens Corning Platinum Preferred. An even smaller share of contractors qualify, and they can offer Owens Corning’s Platinum Protection warranty with enhanced, longer coverage.

CertainTeed runs a similar program (SELECT ShingleMaster). What these certifications buy you is twofold: a contractor the manufacturer trusts enough to put its name behind, and access to enhanced, manufacturer-backed warranties you cannot get from a non-certified roofer.

One honest caveat: certification is a strong plus, not the only thing that matters. Plenty of excellent local roofers are not certified, and certification alone does not guarantee a perfect job. Use it as one signal among the others in this guide, not as a substitute for checking license, insurance, reviews, and the contract.

Key takeaway: GAF Master Elite and Owens Corning Platinum are rare, hard-earned certifications that unlock stronger warranties. Treat them as a strong trust signal, alongside your other checks.

The questions-to-ask checklist (and the red flags)

Bring this to every roofer you talk to. Angi and Owens Corning both stress that a good contractor welcomes questions, while one who gets annoyed is one to back away from.

Questions to ask every roofer:

1. What is your state license number, and can I look it up?
2. Can I see certificates for your liability and workers’ comp insurance?
3. Are you bonded? Can you show proof?
4. Who actually does the work, your employees or subcontractors?
5. How long have you worked in this area, and can I have local references and recent addresses?
6. What materials and brands do you use, and are you manufacturer-certified?
7. What is the workmanship warranty, and what is the manufacturer warranty?
8. What is the payment schedule and deposit, and will you provide lien waivers?
9. Who pulls the permit, and is it included in the price?
10. How do you handle surprises like rotted decking, and how do you handle cleanup?

Red flags that should make you pause or walk away:

• Knocks on your door after a storm and pressures you to sign today.
• Offers to waive or “eat” your insurance deductible (this is insurance fraud).
• Refuses to give a license number or proof of insurance.
• Demands a large cash deposit or full payment upfront.
• Gives only a verbal price or a vague one-line estimate, no real contract.
• Uses only a P.O. box, a cell phone, and no verifiable local address.
• Pushes a “today only” discount to rush your decision.

If you see several of these together, you are likely dealing with a storm-chaser. Our full guide on how to spot a roofing scam breaks down each tactic. The simplest defense: never sign or pay on the spot, and take time to verify.

Key takeaway: Ask every roofer the same 10 questions and watch for the red-flag pattern. Pressure, secrecy, and big cash deposits are the warning signs that matter most.

How Onward takes the fear out of hiring a roofer

Doing all nine steps yourself is absolutely possible, and this guide gives you everything you need to. But it is a lot of phone calls, license lookups, and insurance verifications, usually while you are stressed about a leak or storm damage. That is the exact problem Onward was built to solve.

When you tell us your ZIP and what you need, we match you with a few vetted local roofers, free, in about 60 seconds, with no spam. Every one of them has already passed The Onward Shield:

1. State license verified
2. Liability and workers’ comp insurance verified
3. Background and track-record check
4. A written workmanship warranty required
5. Real reviews from finished jobs, plus BBB
6. Re-checked every year

We are not a shared-lead site. Your details go to only a few matched pros, never sold to 10 cold-callers, and we never sell your info. Every matched job is backed by The Onward Promise, our homeowner-protection guarantee. You can start with a free inspection by a vetted pro and compare fair, written quotes, then pick the roofer you trust. See exactly how it works or browse local roofers near you.

Key takeaway: Onward does the six-point background check for you and matches you with a few vetted local pros, so hiring a roofer feels safe instead of scary.

The bottom line

Hiring a roofer comes down to one habit: verify before you trust. Check the license on the official board site, confirm liability and workers’ comp insurance, read reviews and the BBB, call local references, and get two to three written, itemized quotes. Then read the whole contract, keep the deposit modest, and require both a workmanship and a manufacturer warranty in writing. Do those things, and the charming-but-cheap operators and storm-chasers screen themselves out.

Your next step is simple. Use the checklist above on any roofer you are already considering, or let us do the homework for you. Get a free quote and Onward will match you with a few vetted local pros who have already passed all six checks, so the only thing left to decide is who you like best.