The best way to check if a roofing company is legitimate is to ask the roofer for their license number. They should have no problem providing you. A representative of a roofing company was in our neighborhood after apparently doing other roofs in the area. He stated that the other roofs had been hit by hail and offered to take a look at ours.
However, once I filed a claim with my insurance, their adjuster checked for damage to the vent covers, gutters and pipes, but stated that there was no evidence that hail had damaged the roof. Put the estimated cost of the repair below my deductible. Now things get a little weird when the roofing company puts me in touch with an independent claims adjuster to find my insurance company and cover the costs of the repair. They have sent me documents to sign and will receive 30% of the insurance claim once they convince the insurance company to take care of the repairs (I won't pay anything out of pocket, of course)).
My next step is to call another roofing company to get a quote and see how high the replacement cost would be. Always ask to see a contractor's credentials. Accredited roofing contractors are licensed and insured. If someone offers to repair your roof without proper inspection, be careful.
It's best to contact your insurance company and a trusted local roofer for a second opinion. While it's reasonable for legitimate roofers to ask for a modest upfront down payment, contractors who request a large lump sum upfront should exercise caution. If you check the roofer's license with your local building department or licensing agency, make sure it's legitimate. If a roofer knocks on your door, claims to have just built a roof in the future and then offers you a discounted price due to unused materials or a “just for today” offer, it's a warning sign that their sales pitch for door-to-door roofing is actually a scam.
So how can you check if a roofing company is legitimate? A legitimate roofing company should excel in multiple areas, which we'll cover throughout of this blog.
