A verification checklist that takes an evening: license, insurance certificates, local footprint, manufacturer credentials, references — and the questions every legitimate contractor answers easily.
After a big hail event, your area will have more roofing companies in it than it did the week before. Many are excellent. Some exist only between the storm and the last insurance check. You can’t tell them apart by the yard signs or the pitch — you can tell them apart by verification, and it takes one evening.
The verification checklist
License: look the company up yourself on your state or local licensing site — don’t just accept a number on a business card. (Requirements vary by state and city; know what yours requires.)
Insurance: ask for certificates of general liability AND workers’ compensation, issued by the insurer, naming the company. If an uninsured worker is hurt on your roof, your homeowner’s policy is the target.
Physical local presence: a real address you could drive to, not just a truck and an out-of-state area code. Ask how long they’ve operated in your area, then verify with state business registration records (usually searchable free online).
Track record: reviews across more than one platform, and 2–3 references from jobs completed in your area over a year ago — old enough that problems would have surfaced.
Manufacturer credentials: certifications like GAF factory certification require vetting and enable stronger warranties. Verify on the manufacturer’s own site.
Written everything: itemized scope, materials and shingle line, total price, payment schedule, start and completion window, cleanup terms, and both workmanship and manufacturer warranty terms — in the contract, not in conversation.
Questions every legitimate contractor answers easily
Who exactly will be on my roof — your employees or subcontractors? Who supervises?
What does your workmanship warranty cover, for how long, and who honors it if you close or leave the area?
How do you handle supplements if hidden damage is found mid-job?
What’s the payment schedule? (Reasonable: modest deposit, balance tied to completion. Red flag: large cash up front.)
Will you provide a lien waiver when the job is paid?
The tell isn’t the answers — it’s the reaction: Established contractors expect these questions and answer them without friction; verification helps them, because their fly-by-night competition can’t pass it. Irritation, urgency, or "we don’t usually put that in writing" is your answer.
Verify even the referral: A neighbor’s recommendation, a sign in a yard, or a listing on any website — including ours — is a starting point, not a substitute. Run the checklist on everyone. The Contractor Comparison Worksheet in Print & Keep puts three bids side by side on identical terms.