• Hiring a Contractor · Protection Guide

10 Questions to Ask a Roofing Contractor Before You Sign Anything

Florida has one of the highest rates of unlicensed contractor activity in the country. These 10 questions will help you separate the legitimate professionals from the ones who will take your money and leave you with a problem. Every question. Every contractor. No exceptions.

Nathan Caraway

Owner & Licensed Contractor, Salt Light Roofing

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Why These Questions Matter in Florida Specifically

I want to be transparent about something: I’m a roofing contractor writing a guide on how to vet roofing contractors. That means I’m asking you to apply these same questions to Salt Light Roofing. I’m comfortable with that — because we answer all of them correctly and can prove it.

Florida’s combination of storm frequency, high homeowner insurance costs, and large elderly population makes it a prime market for contractor fraud. The Department of Business and Professional Regulation reports thousands of unlicensed contractor complaints annually in Florida. A bad roofing decision doesn’t just cost money — it can void your insurance, create structural issues, and make your home harder to sell.

These 10 questions cost you nothing to ask and can save you everything.

The 10 Questions — and What to Listen For

Can you provide your Florida State Contractor License number?
Every roofing contractor in Florida is required by law to hold a valid state contractor license issued by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). A licensed contractor can be verified instantly at myfloridalicense.com. Ask for the license number before any other conversation and verify it yourself.
  • 🚩 Red Flag: Hesitation, vague answers, or a license that doesn't verify — walk away immediately.
Do you carry general liability insurance and workers' compensation?
General liability insurance protects your property if the contractor damages something during the job. Workers’ compensation covers their employees if someone is injured on your roof. Without workers’ comp, you — the homeowner — can be held liable for medical costs if a worker is hurt on your property in Florida.
  • 🚩 Red Flag: "We don't need workers' comp" or inability to provide a current certificate of insurance.
  • ✅ Right Answer: A current certificate of insurance with your name listed as additional insured for the project duration.
Will you pull the required permits for this project?
All full roof replacements in Florida require a building permit. Permits create an official record of the work, require a county inspection, and protect you legally. An unpermitted roof can void your homeowner’s insurance claim, create problems when you sell, and leave you with no recourse if the work fails.
  • 🚩 Red Flag: "We don't need a permit for this" or "Permits just slow things down." Both are wrong and both are warning signs.
Are you local to the Tampa Bay area?
After every major storm, out-of-state contractors flood Florida looking for quick work. They have no local accountability, no established reputation, and no presence if something goes wrong after they leave. A local contractor has a business address, a local phone number, and a reputation they’ve built over years in your community.
  • 🚩 Red Flag: Out-of-state plates, a PO Box address, or a contractor who "just happened to be in the area."
Can you provide references from recent local projects?
A contractor confident in their work will readily provide references from recent projects in your county. Ask specifically for homeowners with a similar project type — reroofing, storm repair, tile, etc. Call at least two references and ask about communication, timeline, cleanup, and whether they’d hire them again.
  • 🚩 Red Flag: Unable to provide local references or references who seem unprepared for the call.
Is the quote a complete all-in price, and what's included?
A legitimate estimate includes materials, labor, tear-off and disposal, underlayment, drip edge, flashing, permits, and cleanup. Vague quotes that list only “roof replacement — $X” with no itemization leave room for surprise charges. Ask the contractor to walk you through every line of the estimate before you sign.
  • 🚩 Red Flag: Non-itemized quotes, verbal price adjustments, or pressure to sign before the estimate is finalized in writing.
What warranty do you offer on your workmanship?
A roofing system has two warranties: the manufacturer’s product warranty and the contractor’s workmanship warranty. The product warranty covers material defects. The workmanship warranty covers installation errors — which are actually the most common cause of premature roof failure. Ask specifically: how long, what’s covered, and is it transferable if you sell the home?
  • ✅ Right Answer: A written workmanship warranty of at least 2–5 years minimum. Contractors who believe in their work guarantee it.
Who specifically will be doing the work — your employees or subcontractors?
Many roofing companies bid jobs themselves and then subcontract the actual installation to day labor crews. This isn’t inherently wrong, but you should know who’s on your roof. Ask whether the crew is employed directly by the company, whether they carry their own insurance, and whether the contractor will be on-site supervising the project.
  • 🚩 Red Flag: Contractor can't tell you who specifically will do the work or won't guarantee supervision.
What is your payment schedule and do you require a large upfront deposit?
Legitimate contractors do not require large upfront payments before work begins. A standard and reasonable payment schedule might be 10–15% on contract signing, progress payments as work milestones are reached, and the balance on satisfactory completion. Asking for 50% or more upfront is a common tactic of contractors who may not complete the job.
  • 🚩 Red Flag: Any contractor asking for more than 25–30% before work begins, or requesting full payment upfront.
How do you handle unexpected issues discovered during the job?
Even on a well-scoped project, unexpected decking damage, hidden rot, or code compliance issues can arise once the old materials are removed. Ask how additional costs are communicated and approved. A professional contractor will stop, show you the issue, explain the additional work required, and get written approval before proceeding. Surprise charges after the fact are unacceptable.
  • ✅ Right Answer: Written change order process with your approval required before any additional work begins.

💬 A Note from Nathan

Every single one of these questions has a clear, confident answer when you call Salt Light Roofing. We’re licensed (ask for our number — we’ll give it immediately), fully insured, local to Tampa Bay, we pull every permit, and we provide written workmanship warranties on every project. If that’s the standard you’re looking for, call us at 727-415-8485.