How to Choose a Roofing Contractor in Tampa Bay

Roofing has a higher share of bad actors than most trades, especially after storms. The good news is that separating the real companies from the rest takes about fifteen minutes of verification.

Verify the license yourself

Florida licenses roofing contractors, and the license number should be on their materials. Do not just accept a number on a business card. Look it up through the state and confirm it is active and matches the company name you are contracting with.

Confirm insurance, both kinds

You want to see general liability and workers compensation. Workers compensation is the one people forget, and it is the one that matters if someone is injured on your property. Ask for a certificate sent directly from their insurance agent rather than a copy they hand you.

Questions worth asking

• ▸Are you pulling the permit, and will the work be inspected?
• ▸Is the crew your employees or subcontractors, and are they insured?
• ▸What underlayment are you using, and is it code minimum or an upgrade?
• ▸What is your price per sheet if you find rotted decking?
• ▸What is your workmanship warranty, separate from the manufacturer warranty?
• ▸How long have you operated under this company name in this area?
• ▸Can I see recent local projects?

Red flags

• ▸Pressure to sign immediately, especially door-to-door after a storm.
• ▸A large deposit demanded up front before materials are ordered.
• ▸No written scope, or a one-line quote with a single number.
• ▸An offer to cover or waive your insurance deductible, which is a legal problem in Florida.
• ▸No physical local address, or a phone number that goes straight to voicemail.
• ▸Reluctance to pull a permit, which is a serious warning sign.

The permit test

If you take only one thing from this article, take this. A contractor who wants to skip the permit is telling you something important about how they work. Permits mean inspections, and inspections mean somebody besides the contractor confirms the job was done to code.