Questions to ask a roofer before you hire, and the answers to listen for

Updated November 10, 2026 · KeystoneProGuide editorial team

Who are you, and can you prove it?

1. What is your Pennsylvania home improvement registration number? Anyone doing at least $5,000 of home improvement work a year must register, and the number must be on your estimate and contract. A good answer is a number you can look up and find active.
2. Where is your business based, and how long has it been there? The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), the trade's association, suggests checking for a permanent place of business, a phone number and a tax identification number.
3. Can I have copies of your liability and workers' compensation certificates? NRCA says both should be in effect for the whole job. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) suggests calling the insurer to confirm the coverage, using the policy number on the certificate.
4. Can you give me references from jobs like mine? NRCA says a contractor should readily offer client references and a list of completed projects.

Do you know my kind of roof?

1. How many roofs of this material have you installed or repaired? The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), a research organization, says to make sure the roofer has worked on your roof type before, because different materials need different skills.
2. How many layers are on my roof now, and will you tear them off? Under the 2021 International Residential Code, a new covering may not go over a roof that already has two or more layers, or over slate, tile, or a roof that is water soaked or deteriorated. A roofer who has been up there should know the answer.
3. What happens if you find rotten decking? Ask how it will be priced and approved before anyone starts tearing off.
4. Could the old roofing contain asbestos, and how will you find out? The Environmental Protection Agency lists roofing shingles among materials that may contain it and says you cannot tell by looking. It says sampling should be left to a trained and accredited professional.
5. Is your firm certified for lead-safe work? Relevant if the house was built before 1978 and the job will disturb paint. The EPA requires certification for any firm paid to disturb painted surfaces in such a home.

What exactly will you do?

1. Will you replace the flashing, or reuse it? The code says rusted, damaged or deteriorated flashings, edgings and vents must be replaced.
2. What underlayment will you use, and is an ice barrier required here? The code requires an ice barrier at the eaves where the local code records a history of ice damming. NRCA has its own recommendations on underlayment weight and layers by roof slope.
3. What will you do about attic ventilation? NRCA says shingle manufacturers' warranties may require minimum ventilation, and it suggests balancing vents between the eaves and the ridge.
4. Who will supervise, and how many people will be on the job? NRCA suggests asking for the name of the person who will oversee your project.
5. Who pays if rain gets in while the roof is open? NRCA says the contract should say who is responsible for any damage the work causes.

How does the money work?

1. What deposit do you need, and when are the other payments due? On a job over $5,000, the deposit may not be greater than one-third of the price plus special-order materials, and no payment can be taken until the contract is complete and signed. The Attorney General suggests paying as the work progresses, with a final payment on completion.
2. How can I pay? The Federal Trade Commission says anyone who insists on cash, gift cards, wire transfers, payment apps or cryptocurrency is a scammer, and suggests paying by credit card after the work is done if you can. The NAIC suggests a check or credit card so there is a record.
3. Is your price fixed, or time and materials? If it is time and materials, Pennsylvania law requires a written initial estimate, and the final cost may not exceed it by more than 10% without a signed change order.

What happens after the job?

1. What do the manufacturer's warranty and your workmanship warranty each cover, and what voids them? NRCA says many contractors offer one or two years on workmanship, with no industry standard. The FTC says to assume that anything not listed as covered is not covered, and to get spoken promises in writing.
2. Will you register the manufacturer's warranty and give me the certificate? NRCA says to make sure you receive it.

Are you going to deal with my insurance company?

1. Are you asking me to sign an assignment of benefits? The NAIC says such an agreement lets a roofer file your claim, make the repair decisions and collect the insurance money without your involvement, and that you do not need to sign one to have repairs done. If the roofer also offers to act as your public adjuster, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department says the same person can do only one of those jobs at a time, under two separate contracts, and cannot start repairs until the insurer has decided the claim.

Which answers should end the conversation?

No registration number. No insurance certificates. Pressure to sign today. A demand for full payment up front, or for cash. An offer to take over your insurance claim before you have spoken to your insurer. The FTC says scammers after storms often give no written contract and want payment in advance.

How to choose a roofer explains the checks behind these questions, what happens during a roof replacement covers the job itself, and the scams guide covers the storm pitches in full. Roofers serving the area are on the roofers directory page.

Sources

1. Frequently Asked Questions: Home Improvement Contractor Registration, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
2. AG Sunday Warns of Potential Scams Following Deadly Storms that Impacted Pittsburgh and Surrounding Areas, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
3. 10 Things You Can Do to Avoid Contractor Fraud and Abuse, National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)
4. Selecting a Contractor, National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA)
5. Resources (frequently asked questions), National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA)
6. Tips for Hiring a Roofing Contractor, Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)
7. Chapter 9 Roof Assemblies, 2021 International Residential Code, International Code Council
8. Protect Your Family from Exposures to Asbestos, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
9. Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
10. Public Adjuster, Pennsylvania Insurance Department
11. Assignment of Benefits: Consumer Beware, National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)
12. Warranties, Federal Trade Commission
13. How To Prepare for a Weather Emergency While Avoiding Scams, Federal Trade Commission