What To Ask Your Roofing Contractor

January 15, 2025

Don’t just hire any contractor, hire the right contractor for your roofing project. There are many things to consider before hiring someone to work on your home. Take a few steps to be confident in who you are hiring. We recommend always doing online research, ask around to neighbors and friends and verify their CCB license.

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What to consider:

Availability

  • The contractor is immediately available to start your project. The better the contractor, the longer the wait. Sometimes it’s worth it to wait for a good contractor. Any reputable contractor will most likely have some sort of back log. If you have a sense of urgency because of an active leak, ask your contractor to do a temporary repair or tarp until they can roof your house.

Down payment

  • It’s typical for a contractor to ask for a down payment for the project. That being said, if the contractor asks for a large portion of the total project cost, this could be a red flag. Typically a contractor may ask for 25% or 30% to cover upfront costs, so be cautious if your contractor is requesting up to 50% or more.

Estimates

  • Always get more than one bid and never settle for the lowest bid. There is a budget for everything, but settling for the cheapest price is not always the best option. Do a thorough comparison of the bids. What is the difference in the quality of products they’re installing, the quality of work, product they’re installing, warranty and reputation of the company. All of these things come with their own value.

Communication

  • Consider the communication you’ve had with the contractor. Do they always pick up their phone? Do they have an office with set office hours? How did you connect with them? Was it a door-to-door salesman, or did you contact them directly? Not all of these are red flags, but be cautious. Door-to-door sales is typical in the roofing industry, especially if the contractor is working in the area. This also applies to their office. Roofing companies come in all sizes so if they don’t have an office, it could be as simple as them not needing one to save overhead costs. On the other hand, if they can’t provide an address or provide you one that is out of the area, you may want to do some research.

Licensing

  • Is their CCB license expired or has it ever been suspended? A contractor with a CCB License can give you a lot of confidence, but it’s important to check to see if there is any recent negative activity regarding their CCB. This will also tell you how long they’ve been in business and how many different licenses they may have had.

Call A Professional

In conclusion, our in-house installers are factory trained and certified. Most have been with us for 10 years or more. MCE has been a GAF Certified Contractor since 2011 and has held the President’s Club Status since 2014. Master Elite Certification is GAF’s assurance that your roof will be completed professionally and with quality. Above all, get a professional roofing contractor’s opinion. This will give you peace of mind knowing the roof is in good condition.

Here at MCE, we offer free evaluations of your roofing and gutter systems. Give MCE a call at (503) 397-2215 or Fill Out Our Free Roofing Consultation Form to schedule a contact-free roof evaluation. We are family owned and operated serving Columbia County, the Portland Metro and surrounding areas with over 25 years of experience.