Questions to Ask a Roofer Before You Sign

You have a written estimate from a roofer in Anderson or the Upstate, maybe two or three, and someone is ready to schedule. This is the point where most of the trouble on a roofing job gets decided, because the things that go wrong later, a surprise decking charge, a subcontractor crew you never met, a warranty that turns out to be verbal, are all things you could have asked about today.

The older posts on this site cover the basics: key questions to ask your roofers and five things to ask before the project starts. This guide goes a level deeper and pairs each question with why it matters and where the answer should end up: in the contract, on the estimate, or in a message you keep. Ask them of any contractor, including Anderson Metal Roofing and Shingles.

If you have not yet checked the licence lookup and the insurance certificates, do that first; the contractor guide walks through it. The questions below assume the company has passed those checks.

Start with who will be on your property and who is responsible for what.

• Who pulls the building permit, and will I see it? The SC Department of Insurance says to ask the contractor to show you the permits and to check with local officials about permit and inspection requirements. The FTC lists a contractor asking you to obtain the permit yourself as a scam sign. In Anderson the answer depends on whether you are inside the city or in the county, and on the town for the rest of the service area; ask the building department if the contractor is vague.
• Will the crew be your employees or subcontractors, and who supervises? NRCA suggests asking who will oversee the project and how many workers will be on site. If subcontractors are involved, ask whether each one carries its own liability and workers' compensation coverage.
• How does the crew protect itself from falls? OSHA's construction standard 1926.501 requires fall protection for roofing work six feet or more above a lower level, by guardrail systems, safety nets or personal fall arrest systems. A clear answer tells you the company takes its own rules seriously on your roof.
• Who is my one contact during the job, and how do I reach them? Get a name and a number, and ask what hours they answer. Our office hours are on the contact page.

NRCA says a written proposal should name the roof covering type, manufacturer and color, the scope of work, the flashing and ventilation work, and the installation method. These questions get those details onto paper.

• Exactly which product, in writing? For metal: panel profile, gauge, substrate and coating type, color. For shingles: the product line and color. 'Metal roof' or 'architectural shingle' on an estimate is not a specification.
• Which underlayment, and is it rated for use under metal? Read the manufacturer's installation guide with the roofer; the underlayment choice affects both the roof and the warranty.
• What happens to flashing and edge metal? Ask whether existing flashing at chimneys, walls and pipes is replaced or reused, and whether drip edge is included. IBHS says loose or ill-fitting flashing can cause roof cover failure and water intrusion in high wind.
• Will ventilation change? Ask whether intake and exhaust vents stay the same, change, or are added, and why. A new roof is the easiest time to fix an attic that sweats.
• What is the price per sheet if decking has to be replaced? Rot is often found only after tear-off. The figure itself belongs on the estimate; what matters today is that it is written in before work starts, not negotiated with the old roof already off. The estimate guide explains allowances and unit prices.
• Tear-off or roof-over, and why? Both have a place. Ask what the roofer saw that led to the recommendation.

The FTC says the contract should carry estimated start and completion dates, and that you should not pay the full amount up front or make the final payment until the work is done and you are satisfied.

• What is the payment schedule, and what triggers each payment? Materials delivered, roof dried in, final walk-around: tie payments to stages you can see. Pay in a way that leaves a record.
• When do you expect to start, and what delays it? Weather in the Upstate changes plans; ask how you will be told, and whether an opened roof is dried in before the crew leaves for the day.
• How are change orders handled? Ask for every change in writing with a price before the work is done, including decking, rotten fascia, or a vent you decide to add.
• Is this an insurance job, and what does that change? If the roof will be paid from an insurance claim, S.C. Code Section 40-59-25 lets you cancel the contract until midnight on the fifth business day after you receive written notice that the insurer denied all or part of the claim, and the contractor must give you a written cancellation notice when you sign. The same section bars the roofer from negotiating the claim for you or rebating your deductible.
• Does the quote change after a site visit? Our quote page says virtual quotes by Zoom or FaceTime are available and that all measurements must be verified on site, which could adjust the price. Ask any company what is still an estimate and what is a firm price.

Two warranties should exist, and NRCA describes them separately. The manufacturer's warranty generally covers defects in the roofing material itself; the contractor's workmanship warranty covers installation and related issues, and NRCA notes there is no industry standard for its length. Ask for both in writing, ask what voids them, and ask who registers the manufacturer's warranty and when you will receive the paperwork.

Then ask about the last day. Who does the cleanup, is there a magnet sweep for nails and screws in the lawn and driveway, where does the dumpster sit, and will someone walk the finished roof with you from the ground and show you photos of the decking and flashing taken during the job? Those photos are your record if a leak appears later. For the full sequence, read what happens on installation day.

Good answers are specific and come without irritation. A roofer who cannot say which underlayment is going on, who will not put the decking price in writing, or who says the warranty 'is all handled' has told you something. SC Consumer Affairs says to get at least two other bids; if one is far below the rest, the FTC says to ask for an explanation before you treat it as the deal.

Sometimes the right answer is not to sign anything yet. If the only problem is a slow drip at one pipe boot, a repair inspection may be the right first step. If an insurance claim is open, the SC Department of Insurance says not to make permanent repairs before talking with your insurer, because the company may not pay for repairs it did not authorize. And if a contractor pressures you to sign today, the FTC lists that as a reason to stop.

When you are ready to put these questions to us, use the request a quote form, which lets you choose a reroof, repair or new purchase inspection and a call, email, Zoom or FaceTime consultation. Bring this list. Any company that stands behind its work will be glad you did.