A bad roofer costs you twice. Once for their work, and once to fix their work. The Maryland Attorney General’s office gets hundreds of complaints against home improvement contractors every year, and roofing is consistently in the top three categories. Storm chasers, fly-by-night outfits, contractors who take deposits and disappear. The problem is real.
The good news is that you can filter out most of the bad actors with a short list of questions. Ask these before you sign anything. A legitimate contractor will answer every one of them without flinching. Anyone who dodges or gets defensive is telling you what you need to know.
Every residential roofing contractor in Maryland needs a Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) license. The license number should appear on the truck, the estimate, the business card and the website. You can look it up in 30 seconds at the MHIC online database. If the number is not real or belongs to someone else, walk away.
Out of state storm chasers often work without a license in Maryland, especially after hail events. That is illegal and it voids any recourse you have through the state if the work is bad.
Two policies matter. General liability of at least 1 million dollars protects your home if the crew damages it. Workers comp protects you if a roofer falls off your roof and tries to come after your homeowners policy.
Ask for a Certificate of Insurance with your name on it. A real contractor will have their insurance agent email it directly to you. If they hand you a photocopy with a scratched out date, call the insurance company to verify the policy is still active.
Shingle manufacturers like GAF, Owens Corning and CertainTeed certify contractors who meet training and quality standards. GAF Master Elite status, for example, is held by less than 3 percent of roofing contractors nationally. Certifications matter because they often unlock enhanced warranties that non-certified installers cannot offer.
A 50 year warranty from the manufacturer is only worth something if the installer was certified to offer it.
A real estimate lists everything. Shingle brand and model, underlayment, ice and water shield coverage, drip edge, ridge vent, flashing, tear off, disposal, decking allowance, permit and labor. A one page quote with a single lump sum and a signature line at the bottom is a red flag.
Detailed estimates let you compare bids apples to apples. Lump sum quotes let contractors hide what they are skipping.
Warranties have two parts. The manufacturer warranty covers the shingle itself, usually 25 to 50 years. The workmanship warranty covers the installation, and this is where contractors vary wildly. A good Maryland contractor offers at least 5 years of workmanship coverage in writing, and the best offer 10 years or more.
Ask what happens if the company goes out of business. Some manufacturer enhanced warranties transfer, others do not.
Not three references from anywhere. Three from your county, from jobs completed in the last 12 months. Call them. Ask if the crew showed up on time, if the price matched the estimate, if there were surprises, and if they would hire the contractor again.
A contractor with no local references is either new or they moved to Maryland after the last hailstorm. Neither answer is comforting.
A straightforward asphalt roof on a single family home takes one to two days with a full crew. Metal or complex roofs take longer. Vague answers like “a few days, maybe a week” usually mean the contractor is overbooked and your job is a filler. Ask for a specific start date and a specific completion date.
Also ask what happens to your landscaping, your driveway and your AC condenser during the job. Professionals protect those with tarps and plywood. Amateurs do not.
Avoid contractors who want more than 10 to 30 percent up front. Maryland law caps the deposit on home improvement contracts at one third of the total price or 1,000 dollars, whichever is less, unless the contractor is MHIC registered with an approved bond. Larger deposits are a warning sign.
A reasonable schedule is a small deposit, a progress payment when materials arrive, and the balance on completion after your final walkthrough.
The Better Business Bureau is not perfect, but it is a useful screen. Look up the contractor on bbb.org. Check the letter grade, the number of complaints and how those complaints were resolved. A contractor with 20 unresolved complaints is telling you something. A contractor with five resolved complaints out of 500 jobs is probably fine.
Also check Google reviews and the MHIC complaint history. The pattern of complaints matters more than any single one.
Maryland weather is unpredictable. Thunderstorms, hail, high winds. A professional contractor has a written rain plan that explains exactly how they will cover an open roof, what materials they will use, and who is responsible if water gets in during a delay.
Ask this question out loud and watch the response. Pros have an answer ready. Amateurs stare at you.
The shingle brand and the warranty and the price all matter. But the single biggest variable in how your roof performs is who installs it. A mid-range shingle installed by a careful crew outperforms a premium shingle installed by a rushed one. Every time.
Learn more about our team and our MHIC license and certifications. Ready to have your questions answered in person? Contact us and we will schedule a free inspection this week.