Before you hire a roofer, check four things: proof of liability insurance, a local address, references you can call, and a written scope of work. A roofer who gives you all four without fuss is worth a closer look. A roofer who dodges any of them is not.
This matters most after a storm. When hail hits Keller or Arlington, crews from far away show up and knock on doors. Some do good work. Some are gone before the first leak shows.
The four things to ask for
- Proof of liability insurance. This pays for harm to your home if something goes wrong on the job. Ask for the certificate, a one-page paper from the roofer's insurer. Check the date on it.
- A local address. A real office or shop you can drive to, not a P.O. box. If there is a problem two years on, you want to know where to go.
- References. Ask for a few past jobs near you, with names and phone numbers. Call them. Ask if the crew showed up on time, cleaned up, and came back when asked.
- A written scope. This is the list of exactly what will be done. More on this below.
What a good written scope spells out
- That the old roof comes all the way off, down to the wood.
- The exact shingle or metal product, by name and color.
- The underlayment, the water-shedding sheet under the shingles.
- New flashing, the metal strips that seal the joints around chimneys, walls and vents.
- What happens if rotten wood is found, and the price per sheet to replace it.
- Attic vents: what stays, what gets added.
- Cleanup, including a magnet sweep of the yard for nails.
- The total price, the payment schedule and the start date.
If two bids are far apart, lay the scopes side by side. The cheap one often leaves something out.
Warning signs
- Pressure to sign today.
- A request for full payment before any work starts.
- No address, or a truck with out-of-state plates and no local office.
- A price given without anyone looking closely at the roof.
- A price far below every other bid, with no clear reason why.
- Nothing in writing.
Good signs
- They show you photos of your own roof and explain what they see.
- They tell you when a repair will do, even though a full roof would pay them more.
- They answer the phone, and they say who will be on site running the job.
- They are fine with you taking a few days to think.
What to do next
Hold us to the same list. Legacy Roofing is based in Crowley, at 3908 Williamson Rd. Ask us every question on it before you agree to anything. To start, contact us or call (817) 602-2057.
