The first thing you need to establish is if the roofer providing you a quote has a valid State Contractors License. You should always ask to see a copy of his pocket license. If he does not provide at least a copy of the license you should be very careful! After you obtain his license number you should do a simple license status check. This can easily be done in a few seconds by clicking or using this link: http://www2.cslb.ca.gov/General-Information/interactive-tools/check-a-license/License+Request.asp and inserting his license number as required. You will be directed away from this website to the Contractors State License Board's website. The information you can obtain by checking the license number will tell you if a contractor's license is active or suspended, if he has judgments or unresolved complaints pending against his license, when he received his license, his workers' compensation insurer/provider.
After you know the contractor is properly licensed and his license is active without pending judgments or unresolved complaints, you then need to verify the contractor carries Workers Compensation and Employers Liability Insurance. This will protect you and your home from any accident or injury that might occur. A reputable contractor will give you an updated copy of his insurance policy. Roofing Contractors are only required to have a license, a bond and Workers Compensation; therefore many roofing contractors do not carry Employers Liability Insurance. If a roofer is hired without the proper insurance, the property owner can be held 100% responsible for all accidents and claims that may arise. I know this does not seem fair, but it is the law. The best way to protect all parties involved is to have the contractor's insurance company mail you a hard copy of the policy with your property address and name on the policy statement. This is called being additionally insured or added to their policy.
At South County Roofing, we know the above suggestions regarding proper documentation may seem a bit much, but asking and making it mandatory from the contractor will save you any potential headaches and ensure a smooth roofing project. Many roofers do not carry these insurance policies which will greatly affect the price bid by as much as 10-20 % or more, so when going over the entire package it is important to take this into consideration.
VERY IMPORTANT: Make sure your roofer is highly qualified to install the specified materials. Many roofers only specialize in certain aspects of roofing (fair or not, they are allowed to bid on products in which they are not familiar). It is not uncommon for a contractor who is not knowledgeable with a roofing product to sub out your job. 
This is very unfair to the homeowner who put his/her trust in the contractor's hands. Chances are if you were aware of this from the beginning you may not have wanted to hire that contractor.
There are so many different applications for the various products. New codes are constantly being implemented to upgrade the applications. If your roofer is knowledgeable and familiar with the products he should be able to supply you with a list of phone numbers and addresses as references for you to check. When following up on references make sure you call and ask specific questions that are important to you. When going by job sites try to stop and knock on the door to verify who did the roof (believe it or not many roofers will give you addresses of products that they did not install hoping you will only drive by and not stop to inquire.)
The above is so important because there are so many new roofers getting their licenses each year it is very difficult for the consumer to weed out the proper information. An informed consumer will get better results in their search for a roofing contractor, which will lead to a satisfied customer and contractor.
When discussing the project with the roofing contractor make a list of things you feel are important and would like to implement into the proposal. Every consumer has different needs and desires. By keeping the roofer informed of those needs it creates a smooth working environment for everyone involved.
Make sure the roofing contractor has pulled all permits and city business licenses before work commences, and if you live in an association you may want to contact them before the work begins. Many associations have certain requirements and regulations on color and grades; you may need to get association approval before commencing the project. If the above suggestions are not implemented you could be headed for a problem with the roofer and the association.
Ask your roofing contractor how he pays his employees. Make sure they are not piece workers, for these workers get paid on how fast and how much they get done which often compromises quality. We recommend that you find a roofing contractor that pays his men a salary or by hourly, for in this case there is no need to rush the job and you will get the quality you have paid for and deserve.
Many material companies give achievement awards and master roof certifications to roofing contractors who have installed their products above and beyond requirements; these are earned not just given. If your roofing contractor is concerned about quality he will more than likely have several awards. When accepting his bid ask to see a copy of these awards.
Protect your home from any liens! In order to protect the home from liens you will need to do several things to protect yourself. All material payments should be made to the suppliers directly. There may be more than one supplier involved such as the plywood supplier and the roofing material supplier. These vendors can give the contractor a 30-day grace period on his line of credit. To protect you and your home, you should ask the roofing contractor the name of the supplier(s) he used and call the credit manager to find out how much the supplies are for your job. The next step is to write the check(s) for payment of the materials directly to the supplier(s) for the final amount. Under lien laws if you pay the contractor and he does not pay for the supplies, the distributor has every right to lien your property for the material amount. Make it easy on yourself; write the checks directly to the supplier and you are protected.
Be aware if your roofer subcontracts out any work. For example there could be up to three subs on your project such as roofing removal, workers/installers (day laborers) or roof loading in some cases. If the roofing contractor subs out any work you can be responsible for the subs if they do not carry insurance.
Make sure you completely understand the contract and all the details before approving and signing it. If you are not clear on any area, ask the roofer to further explain it and make the appropriate changes before approving. Never sign a contract that is not complete. The contract needs to state the color, style, serial # if any, weight of tile, shape and any other specific requirements. Never sign an incomplete contract or make a verbal or a handshake agreement. Take the time to initiate the proper agreement and the job will go much smoother.
Never be intimidated into signing a contract. Phony rebates and gimmicks are just that. If your roofer has confidence in his company and its abilities to provide the highest quality of service, he will invite you to explore the company until you have made an informed decision, which usually leads to a good decision! Remember the customer is always the boss!!!
Payments: Never give more than 10% or $1000.00 deposit, this is the law. And never pay in full until the local city officials have signed off the roofing job. If the job is improperly installed and you have paid the contractor in full it may be tough to get the required changes made. Instruct the roofing contractor to include this in the contract. If he is reputable he will have no problem implementing it.
To ensure a timely installation, your job should be scheduled, materials ordered and all permits pulled and a date given.
South County Roofing provides daily roofing inspections to ensure the highest quality of installation.
If possible try to go by a job site where a job is in progress to inspect the site, the workmanship and the cleanliness of the roofer. We recommend that you knock on the door and get feedback from the homeowner to see if the contractor has honored the proposal. Remember this roofer and crew could potentially be installing your new roof sometime soon; a little legwork will go a long way. At South County Roofing our employees respect your property, do not leave trash, play loud music on the site or disturb your neighbors.
Here at South County Roofing, we take pride and have integrity in what we do. That is why we implement all of the above into our contracts to provide an informed and very satisfied customer.
We know the above may seem a bit much, but if you can use this information while screening perspective roofing contractors you will have a much better chance of hiring the right guy for the job.
Thank you, we hope we have helped you.
