Question 1: Are You Licensed in Florida?
Florida requires specific state licensing for roofing contractors. The two most common:
- CCC (Certified Roofing Contractor) can perform roofing work
- CRC (Certified Residential Contractor) can perform residential building work
- CGC (Certified General Contractor) broader general contracting authority
The best roofing contractors hold multiple licenses because roofing often exposes structural issues that require building-level work to address properly. Single-license roofers have to subcontract that work (which costs you extra) or cut corners.
State Certified Roofing holds both CCC1334499 (Roofing) and CRC1335172 (Residential Contractor), which lets us handle rotted decking, structural issues, and related work under the same permit without subcontracting.
How to verify: Ask for license numbers. Look them up at myfloridalicense.com. This takes 60 seconds and confirms the contractor is who they say they are.
Red flag answer: "We work under someone else's license." This is typically illegal. The licensed person has to actually supervise the work.
Question 2: Can I See Your Insurance Certificates?
Every legitimate contractor should have two types of insurance:
- General Liability covers damage to your property during the work
- Workers Compensation covers injuries to workers on your roof
If a worker is injured on your roof and the contractor doesn't have workers comp, the worker's medical bills can legally be pursued through YOUR homeowners insurance or against you personally.
How to verify: Ask for certificates of insurance. Call the insurance company to confirm they're current. For large jobs, ask for your property to be named as "additional insured."
Red flag answer: "We self-insure." This is almost always untrue and means no real coverage exists.
Question 3: How Long Have You Been in Business Locally?
Warranties on roofing work are only as good as the company backing them. A 25-year warranty from a contractor who's been in business 2 years is worth less than a 10-year warranty from one who's been around 30 years.
Ask specifically: "How long have you operated under this business name at this location?" Some operators change names frequently to escape accumulated complaints.
What to verify: Business registration date at sunbiz.org (Florida Division of Corporations). BBB listing date. Google Business Profile age (you can often tell from review dates).
Red flag answer: "We just changed our name." Ask why. Usually concerning.
Question 4: Will You Provide a Detailed Written Estimate?
A legitimate estimate includes:
- Scope of work exactly what's being done, section by section
- Materials brand, model, color, warranty of every material
- Labor typically lumped, but itemized on larger jobs
- Disposal removal of old roofing materials
- Permit fees who pays, what amount
- Payment schedule deposit amount and timing, progress payments, final payment
- Timeline start date range and expected duration
- Warranty terms labor warranty and manufacturer warranty separate
- Weather contingencies what happens if rain delays work
Red flag answer: "Just sign this for the total I'll add details later." Walk away.
Question 5: Who Actually Does the Work Your Crew or Subcontractors?
There's nothing wrong with some subcontracting. But you should know who's on your roof.
Better answer: "Our employees. Same crew on every job. Here's the crew lead's name."
Acceptable answer: "We use a long-term subcontractor crew that works exclusively for us. They've been with us 5+ years."
Red flag answer: "We'll assign a crew when we schedule the job." That typically means day-labor or rotating subs with no accountability.
Worth asking: "Are the workers legally authorized to work in the US?" Using undocumented labor creates liability risk for you as a homeowner.
Question 6: What's Your Warranty Exactly?
There are TWO separate warranties on a roof job:
Manufacturer Warranty
Covers material defects. Standard warranties: 25-30 years on architectural shingles, 40+ years on metal, etc. Most are pro-rated the coverage decreases over time. Enhanced warranties require manufacturer-certified installers and registration.
Contractor Warranty
Covers installation workmanship. This is a separate warranty from the manufacturer's and varies widely by contractor from 1 year to 10+ years. A good contractor warranty is 5-10 years on installation.
Red flag answer: Vague warranty promises like "everything's covered." Demand specifics in writing.
Question 7: When Do I Pay?
Legitimate payment schedule:
- Deposit: 10-25% on signing (secures materials ordering)
- Possibly progress payment: For large jobs, a payment at major milestone (e.g., tear-off complete)
- Final payment: Upon completion and your satisfaction walkthrough
Red flag answers:
- "100% upfront" never pay for work not yet done
- "50% upfront" excessive
- "Cash only" legitimate contractors accept multiple payment forms
- "Pay me directly rather than the company" usually tax fraud and fraud against you
Question 8: Can I Get 3-5 Recent Local References?
A legitimate contractor should be able to provide contact information for recent customers in your area. Not just "here's a happy customer from 5 years ago" but recent (last 6-12 months) local (same county) references.
What to do: Actually call 2-3 of them. Ask:
- How was the work quality?
- Did they stick to the original timeline?
- Any surprises on pricing or scope?
- How was cleanup?
- Would you hire them again?
Red flag answer: "Our customer list is confidential." Legitimate happy customers are happy to be references.
Question 9: What Happens If It Rains During the Job?
This sounds minor, but it reveals a lot about the contractor's professionalism. Florida afternoon thunderstorms are frequent. Any roof replacement involves days when the roof is partially exposed. A good contractor has a specific plan:
- Monitor weather continuously not just at morning start
- Limit tear-off to what can be covered/replaced same day
- Use temporary tarping for overnight or weather delays
- Have written damage protection if their exposure leads to interior damage, they repair it
Red flag answer: "Don't worry about it" or vague reassurances. The contractor who's thought through weather contingencies is the contractor who's thought through everything.
Bonus Question: Permits
"Are you pulling the permit, and in whose name?"
Permits must be pulled in the contractor's name (not the homeowner's that shifts liability to you). Any contractor offering to do the work "without permits" is breaking Florida law and exposing you to serious downstream problems. Full stop.
What If a Contractor Refuses to Answer?
If a contractor is evasive, dismissive, or irritated by these questions, that's your answer find another contractor. Legitimate professionals expect and welcome these questions. Only people with something to hide resist them.
Worth remembering: YOU are the customer spending -+. You are entitled to detailed answers. Don't let anyone rush you or make you feel like you're being difficult for asking basic due-diligence questions.
State Certified Roofing's Answers
- Licenses: CCC1334499 (Roofing) + CRC1335172 (Residential Contractor) both verifiable at myfloridalicense.com
- Insurance: Full general liability + workers compensation, certificates available on request
- Years in business: Since 1990, from Belleview FL office, 35+ years continuous operation
- Written estimates: Detailed line-item estimates standard, never "just sign here"
- Crew: Sarge's own crew on every job, no rotating subcontractors
- Warranty: Manufacturer warranty (typically 25-30 years on shingle, 40+ on metal) + our installation warranty on labor
- Payment: Standard deposit + final on completion, multiple payment forms accepted
- References: Local references available for any requested county (Marion, Lake, Sumter, Citrus)
- Weather plan: Continuous monitoring, limited daily exposure, tarping overnight, written protection against exposure damage
Call (352) 696-8989 to start the conversation.