Hiring a roofing contractor who doesn’t install your roof correctly can cause many problems for you and your business. Dealing with a leaky roof is frustrating enough, but it can be even worse if the contractor you hire puts your roof on wrong, refuses to fix their mistake, and leaves you to deal with the consequences. This can and does happen, more frequently than you would think.
So how can you protect yourself? Ask every commercial roofing contractor you’re considering the following seven questions.
Can you provide proof of insurance – today, not later?
The first question is on purpose. Legitimate contractors should have both general liability insurance and workers’ compensation coverage and can provide a certificate of insurance to you within 24 hours of your request.
General liability will protect your property in case the crew damages the building, surrounding structures, or a tenant’s vehicle. Workers’ comp is just as important – it covers on-the-job injuries to the roofers themselves. If they don’t have it, an injured worker could potentially bring a claim against you as the property owner.
Don’t just ask if they’re insured. Request to be named as an additional insured on the policy for the project’s duration. It’s a common-sense ask that any good contractor can and should meet on the spot. If they hesitate to comply or tell you “they’ll get it to you soon,” that’s a red flag to toss them out now.
You’ll also want to make sure coverage amounts are appropriate. A $300,000 liability policy could work for a small residential job, but it won’t cut it for a big commercial property.
What does your written estimate actually include?
A vague quote can signal potential problems. So, before commencing any repair or installation work, make sure that you get a detailed written estimate that includes all costs for materials, labor, tear-off, debris disposal, and permits. Also, it should include a reasonable start date and an estimated completion timeframe.
Regarding materials, be as detailed as possible. For example, on a commercial roof, you may request TPO or EPDM membrane systems, where details such as brand, product line, thickness, and warranty terms should be clearly stated on the estimate. If a contractor only mentions a total cost without providing this kind of information, you won’t be able to compare it with other bids, nor will you have any evidence if the final product doesn’t meet your expectations.
Also, the estimate should explain how unexpected events will be managed. As roofing materials are being removed, it’s quite typical to find damaged decking, trapped moisture, or structural problems. A professional contractor will immediately stop the work, take photos or write a detailed report, present you with a new written quote, wait for your approval, and only then proceed with the repair. If they just move forward and charge you extra later, you should turn them down.
What safety protocols do you follow on-site?
Roofers have one of the highest rates of fatal work injury of any occupation, more than 40 deaths per 100,000 full-time workers (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Know this number before you sign that contract.
OSHA – Occupational Safety and Health Administration – oversees regulations covering fall protection, personal protective equipment, ladder safety, and hazardous conditions specific to your site. A contractor that skirts these standards not only risks the health of its workers but poses a greater risk to your business. An OSHA violation on your premises can trigger an inspection, issue citations and create liability exposure that could outlast the project that triggered a visit.
Ask what fall protection system they use. Ask if they have a written, site-specific safety plan for your project. Ask how their crew supervisors ensure daily worker safety. Vague answers here carry real-world consequences. Good contractors answer patiently because they want you to understand their safety practices. They follow the rules every time; they’re used to explaining their procedures.
For commercial sites with active tenants or employees below, the safety question extends to debris containment and secure access control. One falling piece of material in an occupied parking lot creates problems that no insurance policy fully resolves.
How familiar are you with local building codes and permit requirements?
Most commercial roof replacements need building permits. And there’s a lot more variation from one jurisdiction to the next than you might assume. The same goes for how weather patterns in your area can complicate or compromise some types of installations if you’re using a contractor that’s new to your region.
What you really need is to hire a contractor who’s familiar with what your local permitting office requires, as well as what inspectors are particular about. Likewise, a contractor working primarily in the area already has a handle on how local weather complicates installation and construction around peak seasons.
It’s not so much an added bonus to your project as a commercial property owner’s bare minimum in protecting and increasing the value of your property.
That’s why it makes sense to work with a roofing contractor in Johnstown, PA who already knows the region’s permitting process and precipitation patterns, rather than an out-of-area company learning your jurisdiction on your project’s timeline.
Instead, ask contractors how many permits they’ve pulled in your municipality within the past season. Ask how they plan for local weather conditions. And find out if they’ve worked with the same type(s) of commercial buildings before. Regional contractors will have more satisfying answers to these questions. Other contractors may give less direct answers.
Are you a certified installer for the materials you’re proposing?
This is a tricky question that many property owners stumble on because it seems like a small technicality. The reality is that it’s not.
Most of the largest roofing material manufacturers in the U.S. – those providing the TPO and EPDM systems you likely have on your list of options for a commercial roofing project – require that the installing contractor be a current manufacturer certified installer in order for the product and labor warranty to be valid. An uncertified installer nullifies the product warranty the instant the final termination bar is screwed down, no matter what the product warranty document says.
Ask the contractor to name the manufacturer certifications they hold, then verify with the manufacturer directly if the project is big enough to warrant it. For a commercial reroof with a 20-year warranty hinging on the fact that the installer has this cert, this 20-minute phone call is worth the time.
Typically manufacturer certified contractors are held to ongoing training standards, have a direct line to the manufacturer for technical advice and troubleshooting, and are required by the manufacturer to maintain a higher installation standard than non-certified installers. That additional accountability carries through the entire project too.
Who is actually doing the work?
This is a tougher question than many people realize. Most contractors act as managers and subcontract the actual work. That’s standard in the industry, and isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The bad part is when those crews and subs aren’t properly evaluated and insured.
The first question to ask is, “Will any portion of this work be performed by subcontractors?” If the answer is yes, the second question needs to be, “Do your subcontractors carry their workers’ comp and liability… or are they covered under your policy?” It’s a simple yes-or-no question, but the details are easy to get wrong.
The contractor “covers” those subs when it comes to the quality of their work. They do the work, and the contractor has to guarantee that it meets your expectations. That’s very different from being covered by insurance (if they don’t carry their own) when they do the work. If they’re not covered, you are.
For commercial projects with tight timeframes for completion, you also need to ask who the onsite supervisor is or will be daily. Is it an employee of the contractor, or do they act as a lead/foreman of the crew you’re subcontracting? You must have an accountable person onsite every day the site and project is active. You should know who this person is, how to contact them, and get their contact information in writing.
What are the payment terms, and how will lien waivers be handled?
How the payments are supposed to be made says a lot about a contractor’s financial health and business practices. You should be wary of any contractor demanding more than 25-30% of the total cost upfront. This could be particularly harmful to the project since it creates a misalignment of interests – the contractor has lower motivation to finish the project on time and to a high standard once they have most of the money.
Ideally, payments should be made based on project milestones, meaning you should break down the total cost into smaller portions and pay only when a certain portion of the project is completed. This makes the progress clear and eliminates any misunderstandings.
Regarding the final payment, it’s best to agree beforehand that they will only get it after providing all the final documents and warranties and after you’re positive that there’s no debt left related to the project. They need to provide you with lien waivers from all the subcontractors and vendors who worked on your property. A lien waiver is just a legal document stating that the subcontractor or vendor was paid in full and waives their right to file a mechanic’s lien.
This isn’t a rare scenario. It happens, and it’s entirely preventable by making lien waivers a condition of final payment before you sign the contract.
One final point on disruption.
Each question above is also a disruption risk check. Inadequate insurance creates legal delays. Vague estimates generate disputes that halt work. OSHA violations invite inspections when you’re the least prepared to deal with fallout. Permit errors trigger mandatory stops. Uninsured subcontractors open liability gaps. Poor payment terms breed contractor cash flow problems that slow progress.
For commercial properties, the operational cost of a prolonged roofing project is real – lost revenue, disrupted tenants, reputational friction with the businesses that occupy or depend on your building. The right contractor will have answers for all seven of these questions ready before you finish asking them. If they don’t, that’s not a negotiation – it’s a signal.
Leave a Reply