How to choose a commercial roofing contractor near you: confirm a current C-39 roofing license on the Contractors State License Board site, check the workers’ compensation and bond listed on it, ask for proof of liability insurance, make sure the company installs your roof system and can register its manufacturer warranty, and compare written bids built on the same scope. Being nearby helps with leaks and inspections, but only after those checks pass. NEMA Roofing can be reached at 866-631-3366.
What “near me” should mean for a commercial roof
Distance matters less than whether a contractor works where your building is. A local contractor should already know which building department issues your permit (in Tarzana, Woodland Hills and Encino, for example, it is the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, because those neighborhoods are part of the City of Los Angeles), if your address sits in a fire hazard severity zone, and how the California cool-roof rule applies to a reroof. They should also be able to get a crew to your roof quickly when a storm opens a seam.
Check the license first
California requires the state license number on a contractor’s ads, business cards, bids and contracts. Seeing a number is not enough; look it up:
- Search the license number or business name on the CSLB “Check a License” page, or call the board at (800) 321-2752.
- Confirm the status says current and active, and that the classifications include C-39 Roofing, the classification for roofing work.
- Read the disciplinary history and complaint disclosures on the same page.
- Check the address of record and the bond and workers’ compensation entries.
- When the estimator visits, ask to see the pocket license and a photo ID, and make sure the name matches.
Insurance and bonds: what each one covers
| Coverage | Required? | What it does for you |
|---|---|---|
| Workers’ compensation | Yes: CSLB requires every C-39 roofing contractor to carry it, whether or not the company has employees | If a worker is hurt on your roof, the contractor’s policy pays, not you or your insurer |
| Contractor license bond | Yes: every licensed contractor must carry one | A limited fund for claims against the contractor; CSLB warns the bond amount is often not enough to cover a large project |
| Commercial general liability | Not required by the board | Pays for damage to your building or property; ask for a certificate of insurance |
| Contract (performance and payment) bond | Only if your contract asks for it | Guarantees completion of the job and payment of labor and materials |
Experience with your roof system
Commercial roofs are not one trade. Heat-welding TPO or PVC seams, installing multi-ply modified bitumen, applying spray foam or coatings, and retrofitting metal each take their own equipment and training. Ask which systems the crew installs most, and ask for references from buildings like yours: a similar roof size, similar rooftop equipment, a similar tenant situation.
Ask too which manufacturers have authorized the contractor. Many commercial system warranties are issued only through a registered or approved installer; Polyglass, for example, issues its labor-and-material and roofing-system warranties through registered contractors. If the contractor cannot register the warranty you want, the system on the bid may not come with it.
Compare bids on the same scope
The CSLB advises getting at least three written bids based on identical specifications and scope, and warns that a bid far below the others usually means a mistake or missing work. Make every bidder price the same items:
- Tear-off or recover, and how many existing layers will stay.
- Deck repair, priced per unit so extra damage found later is not open-ended.
- Insulation type and thickness, and whether it meets the California Energy Code for a reroof.
- Cover board, membrane or panel type and thickness, and attachment method.
- Flashings, edge metal, drains and any crickets or tapered insulation.
- The manufacturer warranty offered, and any workmanship warranty, in writing.
- Who pulls the permit and books the inspections.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Who supervises the crew on site each day, and who is my contact?
- How will occupants be protected from fumes, noise and falling debris, and will air intakes be shut down or filtered while you work?
- How is the roof sealed watertight at the end of each workday?
- What fall protection do your crews use?
- What happens if you find wet insulation or a damaged deck?
- Do you offer maintenance inspections after the job, and how often?
How NEMA Roofing answers those checks
NEMA Roofing holds CSLB license #1083283, current and active, with C-39 Roofing and B General Building classifications; its contractor’s bond and workers’ compensation policy are on file with the state board. It is a GAF Master Elite contractor, an Owens Corning Preferred Contractor and a Polyglass Preferred Contractor, and it has 5.0 stars from 400+ Google reviews. Its crews are based at five locations, in Downey, Tarzana, Woodland Hills, Oxnard and Santa Barbara, and between them they serve every part of Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, so a commercial crew is near your building wherever it stands in that region; see our service areas.
For choosing the roof itself, read how to choose a commercial roofing system; for what a commercial roofing company handles day to day, see what a commercial roofing company does. Learn more about our commercial roofing services, or call 866-631-3366 to book a roof assessment and a written proposal.
