// Post
Roofing has a low barrier to entry. A truck, a ladder, a nail gun, and a willingness to work at heights is enough to call yourself a roofing contractor. Storms bring opportunists into the Gallatin Valley by the dozen, and every spring we get calls from homeowners trying to track down the out-of-state crew that installed their roof eight months ago and won't return a call.
Here are the seven questions we'd ask any contractor — including us — before signing a contract.
1. Are you licensed and insured in Montana?
Ask for the certificate of liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage. Don't accept a verbal answer — get the certificate emailed to you, with your name listed as a certificate holder if the job is over $25,000. Then call the issuing agent and confirm the policy is current and the contractor is in good standing.
If a contractor doesn't carry workers' comp and someone gets hurt on your property, your homeowner's insurance can be on the hook. This is non-negotiable.
2. How long has your company operated in the Gallatin Valley specifically?
Local presence matters when you need warranty work three years from now. A contractor with a Bozeman address, a Bozeman phone number, and three years of local references is a different proposition than one whose business address is a PO box in another state. Storm-chasers are usually long gone by the time the first leak shows up.
3. Who is actually going to be on my roof?
In-house crew or subcontractors? Both can do good work, but you want to know. Ask how long the lead installer has been with the company, whether the crew works for the contractor full-time or job-by-job, and who supervises the work. If the answer is 'we'll figure it out when the materials show up,' that's a red flag.
4. What exact materials and specs are you using?
A real roofer will answer in detail. Brand and grade of shingle or panel. Brand and weight of synthetic underlayment. How much ice & water shield, and where (eaves, valleys, around all penetrations, under the entire roof on low slopes). Drip edge profile. Ridge vent type. Ventilation calculations showing intake and exhaust are balanced.
If you get a one-line answer like 'standard roofing materials,' move on. The details are where good roofs are made.
5. What's the workmanship warranty — in writing — and what voids it?
Manufacturer warranties cover material defects. Workmanship warranties cover installation, and they vary wildly between contractors. We offer a written workmanship warranty that transfers to the next owner of the home; some companies offer 90 days. Both are legal, but they tell you something completely different about how confident the contractor is in their own work.
Get the warranty document before signing the contract. Read it. Ask about what voids it.
6. Will I get photo documentation?
You should receive photos of the existing roof before tear-off, the deck once it's exposed (so you can see what was repaired or replaced), the underlayment installed, key flashings, and the finished roof from multiple angles. This is your documentation for the manufacturer's warranty registration and for any future insurance claim.
If a contractor balks at providing photos, ask yourself what they don't want you to see.
7. What's the payment schedule?
A reasonable schedule on most residential jobs is a small deposit (or none — we don't take deposits on jobs under $20,000), a progress payment when materials are delivered to site, and the balance on completion after the final walk-through. Beware anyone asking for the full amount up front, anyone asking for large deposits before materials are on site, or anyone offering a 'today only' discount for paying in cash.
The bottom line
A roof is a 25-to-50-year purchase. The cost of asking these seven questions is twenty minutes. The cost of skipping them can be the entire price of the roof — plus the interior repairs from leaks, the legal fees from chasing down a contractor who disappeared, and the headache of starting over with someone else. Take the twenty minutes.