Money, Paper and People
Lesson 18. How to Check a Contractor Before You Sign
Eight checks, fifteen minutes, all free, and they eliminate most of the ways a roofing job goes badly wrong.
At a Glance
- Verify the license with the state, not with the company
- Call the insurance carrier on the certificate yourself
- An address you can drive to is worth a great deal
- Never sign anything the same day somebody knocks
The Eight Checks
- Verify the license. Illinois roofing contractors hold a state roofing license. Iowa requires contractor registration with the state. Look the number up on the state site rather than trusting the card
- Get a certificate of insurance and call the carrier's number on it. Confirm general liability and workers compensation are active today
- Find a physical address and look at it on a map. A house, a lot, or a mailbox store all tell you something
- Search the business name plus the word complaint, and check the Better Business Bureau
- Ask how long they have traded under this exact name. Roofing companies dissolve and reopen under new names, and that resets a warranty
- Ask for local references from the last twelve months, in your town, and actually call two
- Read the contract for the cancellation clause. Most states give you a right to cancel within a few days, and storm claim contracts often extend it
- Check that the person you are talking to is an employee and not a subcontractor who disappears after the job
The Storm Chaser Pattern
After a big hail event, out of state crews arrive within days. Some are competent. The pattern to watch for is consistent.
- Knocks on the door unprompted, often saying they are working on a neighbor's roof
- Offers a free inspection then finds serious damage immediately
- Pressure to sign today, often a document described as just authorizing an inspection
- Offers to cover or absorb your deductible, which is illegal in both states
- Out of state license plates and a phone number with a distant area code
- No local address, or an address that is a mailbox
Worth knowing. Signing a document in your driveway can assign your claim to the contractor. Read anything you are handed, all of it, and never sign on the spot.
Run These on Us
Everything above applies to Ironbridge exactly as it applies to anybody else. Ask us for the license number, the certificate of insurance and three references in your town, and check them.
A roofer who is uncomfortable with that has told you something useful.