The questions to ask a roofing company fall into five groups: who will do the work, what they found on your roof, what the price includes, how the job will run, and what happens after they leave. How a company answers, in writing and without dodging, tells you more about the service you will get than any slogan. To ask NEMA Roofing any of them, call 866-631-3366.
Questions about the company and the crew
- “What is your license number and classification?” A good answer is a California license number you can look up on the Contractors State License Board site, showing an active license with the C-39 (Roofing) classification or a B (General Building) license. The number should already be printed on the bid.
- “Who will be on my roof: your own crew or a subcontractor?” Either can work, but you should know. California’s home improvement contract law requires the contractor to give you a list of subcontractors, with their license numbers, if you ask.
- “Can you send your workers’ compensation certificate?” The state board requires every active C-39 roofing contractor to carry workers’ compensation, even with no employees, and it shows on the license record. If a worker is hurt on your property and the contractor is not covered, the board warns you could be liable.
- “Which roof types do you work on most?” A company that installs tile every week knows its underlayment and flashing details; ask about your roof, not roofs in general.
Questions about what they found
- “Where exactly is the problem, and can I see the photos?” Quality service starts with a diagnosis you can follow: the spot marked, the cause named, photos from the roof.
- “Why is it leaking there?” Water often enters uphill of the stain, at flashing around a chimney, wall, vent or skylight. An answer that names the failed part is worth more than “the roof is old.”
- “Repair or replace: what would change your recommendation?” A straight answer explains what a repair buys (how much of the roof is still sound) and what would tip it toward replacement.
- “What will you do if the deck under the old roof is soft?” Nobody sees the deck until the old roof comes off. A careful bid prices rotten sheathing per sheet in advance, so a surprise does not become an argument.
If you are still deciding whether to call at all, the signs that you need a roofing company will help.
Questions about the price and the contract
- “What is included, line by line?” Tear-off and disposal, underlayment type, new or reused flashing, drip edge, ventilation, the permit, cleanup. Two bids can only be compared when they list the same work.
- “Is the permit in your price, and who calls for the inspection?” On a reroof the answer should be yes, and the company should schedule the final inspection. A contractor who offers to skip the permit is offering you a roof no inspector has checked.
- “How much do you need up front?” California caps the down payment on a home improvement contract at 10 percent of the price or a fixed dollar limit in the law, whichever is less. A request for more is a warning.
- “How are changes handled?” By law, extra work and change orders become part of the contract only once they are written and signed before that work starts, with the added or subtracted cost and the effect on the payment schedule.
- “When would you start and finish?” The contract has to show an approximate start date and an estimated completion date.
Also check that the contract carries the notice of your right to cancel: three business days in most cases, five for a senior citizen, under Business and Professions Code section 7159.
Questions about the job itself
- “Who is in charge on site, and how do I reach them?” Quality service means one named person who answers during the job, not a general office number.
- “What happens if rain is forecast mid-job?” The answer should describe how an open roof is dried in or covered at the end of each day.
- “How do you protect the yard, the walls and the driveway?” Tarps over plants, a plan for the dumpster, care with gutters and ladders.
- “How do you clean up nails?” Look for a magnetic sweep of the lawn and driveway, rather than a broom alone.
- “Can I stay home during the work?” Usually yes; ask about noise, attic dust and where cars should park.
Questions about after the job
- “What warranty do I get, and who registers it?” There are two kinds: the manufacturer’s warranty on materials, and coverage for the installation itself. Ask which you get and ask for the paperwork. Some manufacturer warranties can only be registered by certified contractors; NEMA is a GAF Master Elite contractor and an Owens Corning Preferred Contractor, so it can register GAF’s enhanced warranties and the Owens Corning Preferred Protection warranty, both of which include workmanship coverage.
- “If it leaks after the job, what happens?” A good answer names who you call and how the return visit works.
- “Will I get the permit final and a record of the materials?” Keep both with your house papers; a buyer’s inspector will ask.
Answers that should make you pause
- A price given before anyone has been on the roof or in the attic.
- Pressure to sign today for a “special” price.
- No license number on the bid, or a number that belongs to another business name.
- Cash only, or a large deposit before any material arrives.
- “You don’t need a permit for this.”
- Vague answers about who will actually do the work.
For the checks you do on your own before you call (the license record, reviews, insurance), read what to look for in a roofing contractor. For the stages of a job from first visit to cleanup, see what to expect from a roofing company.
Ask NEMA Roofing
We would rather you ask all of these than none. NEMA Roofing holds CSLB license #1083283 (C-39 Roofing and B General Building) and answers these questions the same way wherever you are: our teams work from Santa Barbara, Oxnard, Woodland Hills, Tarzana and Downey, and together they cover the whole of all five counties we serve: Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino County. Our roofing contractor services page lists the work we do. Call 866-631-3366 and bring your list.
