Choosing a roofer is mostly an exercise in comparing proposals that look similar and are not. Two estimates for the same house can differ by thousands of dollars because one includes tear-off, proper flashing replacement and a decking allowance while the other quietly does not. This checklist is written to help you ask better questions before you sign anything.
Nothing here is specific to our company. Use it on every contractor you talk to, including us.
Verify Florida contractor credentials
In Florida, roofing work is performed under state licensing requirements, and license status can be verified through the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Ask for the license number and the name it is held under, then verify it yourself rather than relying on a logo on a truck or a brochure.
Confirm the business name on the proposal matches the entity you are verifying, and ask about insurance coverage relevant to the work, requesting documentation directly from the insurer where appropriate.
Insist on a written scope
- Whether the price includes complete tear-off or an overlay
- The specific roofing material, product line and color
- Underlayment type and where enhanced protection is applied
- Whether flashing is being replaced or reused, and at which locations
- Pipe boots, vents and other penetration components
- Ventilation components and any changes to intake or exhaust
- Drip edge and edge metal specification
- How damaged decking is handled, including the allowance and unit pricing
- Debris removal, magnetic sweep and property protection
- Permit responsibility and inspection expectations
- Payment schedule and what triggers each payment
Understand the details that decide roof performance
Flashing, ventilation and penetration details cause more leaks than shingles do. A proposal that does not mention them is not a complete proposal. Ask what happens at wall transitions, valleys, chimneys and skylights, and ask whether existing flashing will be replaced.
Ventilation deserves a direct question: is intake at the soffits adequate, and is the exhaust configuration being changed? An unbalanced system shortens roof life from below.
Permits, warranties and documentation
Ask who pulls the permit and under whose license. Be cautious if a contractor asks you to pull your own permit for a full replacement.
There are typically two warranties in play: the manufacturer's coverage on materials and the contractor's workmanship warranty. Get both in writing with their terms and duration, and understand what voids them. A verbal warranty is not a warranty.
Ask what documentation you receive at completion — photographs, material information, permit closeout and final inspection details.
Red flags
- Pressure to sign immediately or a discount that expires today
- Large upfront deposits out of proportion to the project
- Refusal to provide a detailed written scope
- Claims that insurance will definitely cover the work
- Requests to sign an assignment of your insurance claim
- Out-of-town crews appearing immediately after a storm with no local presence
- No verifiable license, business address or way to reach the company afterward
- A bid dramatically lower than others with no explanation of what was excluded
Questions to ask before you sign
- Who pulls the permit, and what inspections happen?
- Is complete tear-off included?
- What happens if damaged decking is found, and how is it priced?
- What underlayment is specified, and where?
- Which flashing details are being replaced?
- Is cleanup and a magnetic sweep included?
- Exactly which materials are being installed?
- What warranty is written into the agreement, and for how long?
- What documentation do I receive when the project is finished?
- Who is my point of contact during the project?
Common questions
Should I always take the lowest roofing bid?
Not without understanding why it is lowest. Price differences between roofing proposals usually trace to scope rather than profit margin: whether tear-off is included, whether flashing is being replaced or reused, what underlayment is specified, whether a decking allowance exists, and whether ventilation work is part of the job. A bid can be thousands lower simply because it leaves those items out, and you discover the gap when the crew is on your roof. Put the proposals side by side line by line. If one is significantly lower, ask specifically what it excludes. Sometimes a lower bid genuinely reflects efficiency; often it reflects a narrower scope that will cost more later.
How many estimates should I get?
Two or three is usually enough to understand the range for your roof without turning the process into a project of its own. What matters more than the number is getting comparable information from each: the same questions asked, the same scope items addressed, and a written proposal you can actually compare. If one contractor inspects thoroughly, photographs what they find and explains the reasoning while another quotes from the driveway in ten minutes, you have learned something useful beyond the price. Take the time to verify credentials on each one, and do not let urgency — particularly after a storm — push you into signing before you have that information.