Hiring a Roofer

A hailstorm rolls through, and by the next afternoon there are three door hangers on your front door. One says they’re “in the neighborhood.” One offers a free inspection today. One has a phone number with an area code you don’t recognize. They all want to look at your roof.

Some of the people knocking after a storm do good work. Some will be gone before your first leak. The Colorado Division of Insurance warns that door-to-door and phone sales pick up after hail and wind storms, and it gives homeowners simple advice: be careful with anyone who contacts you that way, check references, work with Colorado-based contractors when possible, and get everything in writing.

Here’s how to put that advice to work, one question at a time.

Why the Questions Matter Most After a Storm

After a storm, everything moves fast. Roofers are busy, neighbors are signing, and it feels like you’ll lose your place in line if you wait. That’s when a pressured signature is most likely, and a roof is too big a job for a rushed decision.

You don’t have to settle everything on the porch. A few good questions, asked before you sign, tell you most of what you need to know about who you’re hiring.

8 Questions to Ask Any Roofer Before You Sign

1. Where are you based? Ask for a physical address, and look it up. Colorado law requires a roofing contract to list the roofer’s physical address, email, and phone number, so a roofer who won’t give you one on the porch will have to give you one on paper.
2. Who answers the phone next year? A roof can show a problem months after the crew leaves. Ask who you call if something goes wrong after the job, and whether that number will still reach the same company.
3. Can I see your license and proof of insurance? Colorado doesn’t issue a statewide roofing license. Roofers are licensed or permitted locally, and the rules vary by city and county. In Grand Junction, for example, a contractor license is required only inside city limits, and the Mesa County Building Department runs that program for the City. Ask what’s required where you live, and ask to see the roofer’s paperwork for it. For insurance, ask for a certificate showing current coverage.
4. Will this job need a permit, and who is pulling it? Ask whether your town or county requires a permit for the work, and whose name will be on it.
5. Will everything be in writing? It has to be. Before any roofing work starts, Colorado law requires a written contract signed by you and the roofer. More on what it must say below.
6. What happens to my deposit? The contract must state, in bold type on its face, that the roofer holds your payments in trust until materials are delivered to your home or most of the work is done. It must also let you cancel within 72 hours of signing and get a full refund of your deposit.
7. How will you work with my insurance company? Listen for the verbs. A good answer sounds like documenting the damage, walking you through the claim, and meeting your adjuster on site. Colorado law draws a line here: no roofer may present themselves as, or work as, a public insurance adjuster. After you sign a contract, a roofer may talk through the repair scope with your insurance company for you.
8. Can I talk to homeowners you’ve worked for? References and reviews tell you what the job was like after the sales visit ended. Read the reviews on the company’s Google profile, and ask how many of their jobs are near you.

What Colorado Law Says Goes in a Roofing Contract

Colorado’s residential roofing law, C.R.S. 6-22-103, lists what a written roofing contract must state. Before you sign, check that yours includes:

• The scope of the roofing services and the materials
• The approximate dates of service
• The approximate costs, based on the damage known when you sign
• The roofer’s contact information, including a physical address, email, and phone number
• The roofer’s surety and liability insurer and their contact information, if applicable
• The cancellation and refund policy, including your right to cancel within 72 hours of signing with a full refund of any deposit
• A statement that you may cancel under C.R.S. 6-22-104 if your insurer denies the claim, in whole or in part, within 72 hours after you receive the written denial
• A statement that the roofer cannot pay, waive, or rebate any part of your insurance deductible, if insurance will pay for the work
• In bold type on the face of the contract: the roofer holds your payments in trust until materials are delivered or most of the work is done

These rules cover roofing work on homes. They don’t apply to new construction or to jobs of $1,000 or less per contract. For siding, gutters, and other exterior work, it’s still smart to ask for the same things in writing.

Warning Signs Worth Walking Away From

• Pressure to sign today. “This price is only good right now” or “we’re only in town this week” are reasons to slow down. A storm-damaged roof needs a tarp fast. The contract can wait until you’ve read it.
• An offer to cover your deductible. In Colorado, a roofer can’t advertise or promise to pay, waive, or rebate your deductible. We explain the law in Can a Roofer Pay Your Insurance Deductible in Colorado?
• Cash only. A roofer who wants cash, with no written contract and no receipt, leaves you with little proof of what you paid for.
• A contract with blanks. Missing dates, a missing address, or a scope that just says “roof” is a contract that won’t protect you.
• “We’ll handle your insurance company.” A roofer can document damage and discuss the scope of repairs once you’ve signed. Acting as your adjuster is off limits under Colorado law, and no roofer can promise what your insurer will pay.
• Signing over your claim on the spot. Read anything that mentions your insurance proceeds carefully before you sign it, and ask questions about any part you don’t understand.

Listen for the verbs. A good answer sounds like documenting the damage, walking you through the claim, and meeting your adjuster on site.

If Your Roof Needs Help Right Now

If hail or wind has opened your roof and water is getting in, you don’t need to sign a full replacement contract to stop the leak. Ask for emergency tarping first, then take your time on the bigger decision. Storm response runs 24/7 with us, and our emergency storm tarping page explains what that visit covers.

Ask Us the Same Questions

We’re based in Grand Junction and serve homeowners across the Western Slope and Colorado mountain communities, and we’re fully insured on every job. Ask to see our license and insurance. We’ll show you both.

When you call, we schedule a visit, take measurements, photograph what we see, and go over what we found with you. There’s no charge for the inspection and no pressure to go ahead. You’ll get a quote on the spot or a written estimate shortly after, depending on the job. If the storm did damage, we walk you through your claim and meet your adjuster on site. You can read what homeowners wrote about us on our reviews page.

Note: Ingenubuild documents damage and helps coordinate your claim. We do not waive, rebate, or absorb insurance deductibles, which is prohibited under Colorado law. Your insurer determines coverage.

This post is general information about Colorado law, not legal advice. For advice about a contract you’ve been offered, talk with a Colorado attorney.

Call (970) 649-6469 or request your free inspection online. We respond within 24 hours.