Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Roofing Contractor

Before you hire a roofing contractor, get a written scope, a readable estimate, and a plain-language reason for repair versus replacement. Ask how materials, cleanup, and communication will work. Ask any contractor how you can verify license and insurance, and what warranty — if any — they say applies. Then look at customer feedback and project evidence, not just a low number.

Ask what is included and what is not. A useful scope names the roof areas, the work (repair, replacement, or both), tear-off versus overlay if that applies, flashing, vents, and who handles permits if a permit is required. If the conversation stays vague, the job can grow after work starts.

• Which slopes, penetrations, and details are in the job?
• Is decking repair included only if damage is found, and how is that priced?
• What happens if hidden damage shows up after tear-off?

Ask for line items you can compare: labor, materials, tear-off, disposal, and anything marked as allowance. Ask how long the estimate is valid and what would change the price. An estimate is not the same as a roof inspection. If you only have a number and no condition notes, you still do not know why the work is recommended.

Ask why the recommendation is a repair or a full roof replacement. A contractor should be able to point to what they saw — localized damage, widespread wear, recurring leaks, or something else — without treating every visit as an automatic replacement. If two contractors disagree, the useful follow-up is what each one inspected, not who talked faster.

Ask what roofing material or system they are proposing, and whether another listed option would also fit the house. You do not need a brand pitch. You need to know what is going on the roof and whether the estimate matches that product. Compare types on a roofing types page if you want a starting list, then confirm what is appropriate for your house during the estimate.

Ask how debris will be handled, whether magnets or similar pickup are used for nails, and who is responsible for dumpsters or haul-away. Cleanup expectations should be in writing so the yard and gutters are not an afterthought.

Ask who your point of contact is, how weather delays are handled, and how you will be told if extra work is found. You want a name and a method (call, text, or email), not “the crew will figure it out.”

License and liability-insurance questions below are due-diligence items for any contractor. They are not a statement of what BRJ Construction currently holds.

• Ask whether the company is licensed for the work, and how you can verify that with the issuing agency.
• Ask what insurance they carry, and how you can confirm it (certificate, agency contact, or other proof they provide).
• Ask what warranty, if any, applies to labor and to materials, what it covers, what it excludes, and who honors it if the company changes.

For BRJ Construction, roofing workmanship is backed by a 1-year warranty covering leaks or issues caused by improper installation. That is a workmanship warranty, not a blanket roof or material term. Do not treat a website claim, a verbal “we’re covered,” or a logo as verification of license or liability insurance. Ask for a way to check those.

Read recent reviews as customer quotations, not as a guarantee of your result. On this site, Google reviews and company background are on the About page. Project photos belong on Projects when verified photos are published there. If a contractor cannot show work they actually did, weigh that against a polished sales pitch.

If you want BRJ Construction to look at a roof, contact the company or request an estimate. Bring the same questions to every bid so you are comparing scope, not slogans.