A new roof is one of the biggest bills most homeowners ever pay, and in Birmingham and the New Orleans area you often have to make that choice in a hurry. A hailstorm passes, a leak shows up, and a roofer knocks on your door the next morning.
Most people who hire the wrong roofer did care, but they did not know what to ask. The 15 questions below take about an hour to work through, and they can save you from a company that cashes your check and then stops picking up the phone.
Capstone Roofing is a family-owned company that has served Birmingham since 2013, with a second office in Metairie for the New Orleans area. For each question, we tell you what a good answer sounds like and how we answer it ourselves.
1. Are You Licensed in Alabama or Louisiana?
Both states license roofing work on homes. In Alabama, residential contractors are licensed through the Home Builders Licensure Board, and in Louisiana the State Licensing Board for Contractors handles it. Ask for the license number and look it up yourself on the state board’s website, because a real contractor will give you the number right away.
This is your first filter: if a roofer cannot show you a license, stop there and move on to the next company on your list.
Our answer: We hold Alabama Unlimited Home Builder license #30042 and Louisiana Roofing, Sheet Metal & Siding license #79584.
2. Can You Show Me a Certificate of Insurance?
Ask for proof of two kinds of coverage. General liability pays for damage to your home if something goes wrong, while workers’ compensation covers the crew if someone gets hurt on your roof. Roofing is risky work, as we explain in our post on the hidden dangers roofers face every day.
Do not just take their word for it. Ask to have the certificate sent to you by the insurance company, then call the number on it and make sure the policy is active. If a roofer asks you to sign a waiver, or says the crew “doesn’t need” coverage because they are subcontractors, be careful. An injury on your property could end up as your problem.
Our answer: We are licensed and insured, and we are glad to send proof before any work starts.
3. How Long Have You Been in Business, and Is Your Office Here?
After a big storm, out-of-town crews often show up in places like Hoover, Mountain Brook and Metairie. They knock on doors and promise fast starts and low prices. Many are gone before the next hard rain shows what they missed. We cover this in more detail in our post on free roof deals and storm chasers.
Ask for a street address and check it on a map. Look at their Google reviews and see how many years they go back. A company with years of local reviews has a reason to keep you happy, but a company with only a P.O. box in another state does not.
Our answer: We have served Birmingham since 2013, and we have a local office in Metairie for New Orleans area homeowners.
4. Can You Give Me Three Local References From the Past Year?
References should be recent customers near you, not friends or family members. Ask for names and phone numbers, and then take the time to actually call them.
Ask each one whether the crew showed up when they said they would and whether the final bill matched the written estimate. Ask how the cleanup went and whether they would hire this company again. One honest bad answer tells you more than a page of glowing reviews.
5. Will Your Own Crew Do the Work, or Subcontractors?
Many roofing companies hire out the labor. That is not always a red flag, but you should know who will be on your roof and make sure those workers are covered by the contractor’s insurance.
Also ask who will run the job each day, and who you should call if something goes wrong during the install.
The Questions That Separate Good Contractors from Great Ones
Use this table as a quick guide when you meet with any roofer. Good answers come fast, and bad answers tell you a lot about how the job will go.
| Question | A good answer sounds like | Walk away if you hear |
|---|---|---|
| What materials do you recommend, and why? | Specific brands and product lines, with reasons tied to your roof and our weather | “Whatever you want,” with no advice |
| What does the warranty cover? | A written workmanship warranty plus the manufacturer’s warranty | “We stand behind our work,” with nothing on paper |
| Who handles permits? | “We pull the permits before work starts” | “Permits slow things down, let’s skip it” |
| What if you find rotten decking? | A clear written plan, photos, and your OK before any extra work | “We’ll figure it out as we go” |
| What is your payment schedule? | A deposit at signing and the balance when the job is done | Full payment up front, in cash |
6. What Materials Do You Recommend, and Why?
A good roofer should suggest materials based on your roof’s slope, your budget and our climate, not just hand you a brochure. In Birmingham and New Orleans, algae-resistant shingles help keep dark streaks off the roof, and near the Gulf, wind ratings matter a lot. Ask for the brand, the product line and the wind rating of what they plan to install.
Our answer: We are certified with both GAF and CertainTeed, so we can show you options from two major brands and explain the trade-offs in plain terms.
7. What Warranties Come With the Roof?
There are two kinds of roof warranties, and you want both in writing.
| Warranty type | What it covers | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer warranty | Defects in the shingles or other materials | Read the fine print. Many are limited or prorated, and some longer plans require a certified installer. |
| Workmanship warranty | Mistakes in how the roof was installed | Length varies a lot between companies. Get the number of years in writing. |
Many homeowners only ask about the shingle warranty. But most early roof problems come from poor installation, not bad shingles, which makes the workmanship warranty the one to watch in the first years.
Our answer: Every roof we install comes with at least a 5-year workmanship warranty, with 10-year and lifetime options. Because we are certified with GAF and CertainTeed, we can also offer their extended manufacturer warranties. We don’t cut corners, and we stand behind our work for as long as the warranty says we will.
8. Who Pulls the Permits?
Most roof replacements in Alabama and Louisiana need a permit, and the contractor should get it, not you. If a roofer suggests skipping the permit, they are asking you to carry the risk. Unpermitted work can cause trouble when you sell the house or file an insurance claim.
9. What Does Your Written Estimate Include?
A real estimate lists the details of the job. Look for the shingle brand and product, tear-off and haul-away of the old roof, permit fees, and ventilation work. It should also cover flashing (the metal pieces that seal the edges, walls and chimneys) and underlayment (the layer that goes under the shingles). Any exclusions should be spelled out.
A single line that says “new roof” with one total is not enough. You cannot compare it to other bids, and you have nothing in writing to point to if work gets skipped. To see what drives the total, read our roof cost guide for Birmingham.
Our answer: We do a careful inspection first so we can price the job right from the start. Our goal is no surprise change orders (added charges once work begins) unless we find something that could not be seen during the inspection.
10. What Is Your Payment Schedule?
A common setup is a deposit when you sign, often 10 to 30 percent, with the rest due when the job is done. Full payment before work starts is a bad sign, especially if they want cash, and if a roofer needs the whole check before a single shingle goes on, walk away.
If paying all at once is hard, ask about financing. We offer affordable monthly options for homeowners who would rather spread out the cost.
11. How Will You Protect My Property?
Tearing off a roof makes a mess. Ask how they will cover bushes, flower beds and the driveway, and what happens if they damage your gutters or siding. Then ask how they clean up nails, because a stray roofing nail can flatten a tire or hurt a child or pet.
Our answer: Our crews sweep the yard and driveway with magnets at the end of every job to pick up nails.
12. What Happens if Weather Interrupts the Job?
Our weather does not care about your schedule. Pop-up storms are common in Birmingham in summer, and New Orleans gets heavy rain much of the year. Ask how they protect an open roof if a storm rolls in and who pays if water gets in while the roof is open. A local roofer will have a clear answer, and someone making it up on the spot is telling you something.
13. How Long Will the Job Take?
Most home roof replacements take one to two days in good weather, though bigger or steeper roofs can take longer. If a roofer promises a few hours for a full replacement, be careful. Ask for a start date in writing and a realistic finish date.
14. What if You Find Damaged Decking?
Decking is the layer of wood boards under your shingles. Once the old roof comes off, the crew may find soft or rotten spots, which is common in our humid climate. Ask how that extra work is found, priced and approved before you sign.
Our answer: Every replacement includes five sheets of decking at no charge. If we find more damage than that, we take photos, show you, and get your permission before doing any extra work.
15. If I Have a Problem After the Job, How Do I Reach You?
Ask for a real name and phone number, not just the main office line, and ask how warranty claims work and how fast they respond. A roofer with no clear answer has not thought past getting paid.
Red Flags That End the Conversation
These are not just warning signs to weigh against the good ones. If you see any of them, do not hire that roofer.
- Door-to-door sales right after a storm. Busy local roofers usually have plenty of work after a storm and do not need to knock on doors.
- Demands for full payment in cash before work starts.
- Pressure to sign today or lose the price.
- Offers to waive or “cover” your insurance deductible. This can be considered insurance fraud, and it can put you at risk too.
- No local street address you can check.
- Out-of-state plates and no local references.
- Vague estimates, or nothing in writing.
Here is one story we still think about. A homeowner got three bids and picked the cheapest, and the roof soon leaked. The company tried a few repairs, then stopped answering calls, and before long its phone was disconnected. We had to replace that 5-year-old roof, and the homeowner also paid almost $9,000 for framing and decking and about $11,000 for interior repairs and mold cleanup. The cheap roof ended up costing far more than a good one would have.
If a roofer has already looked at your roof and something feels off, it is fine to get a second opinion on your roof inspection.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check a roofer’s license in Alabama or Louisiana?
In Alabama, you can search the Home Builders Licensure Board by the contractor’s name or license number. In Louisiana, use the State Licensing Board for Contractors search. Both searches are free and open to anyone.
How many estimates should I get before hiring a roofer?
Three is a good number, since one estimate gives you nothing to compare. With three, you can spot the odd one out, such as a very low bid that may mean the company plans to cut corners. Get all three in writing, and make sure they cover the same work.
What should a roofing contract include?
It should list the contractor’s name and license number, proof of insurance, the exact materials, and the full scope of work, including tear-off and disposal. It should also show the payment schedule, both warranties, start and finish dates, and how extra work like decking repair will be handled.
Is it normal for a roofer to ask for a deposit?
Yes. A deposit at signing is common and helps the roofer pay for materials and get your job on the schedule. A demand for full payment before work starts is not normal.
Will a roofer help with my insurance claim?
A good one will help. If storm damage is involved, we document the damage with photos and meet your adjuster on site. Learn more on our insurance claim help page.
Schedule Your Estimate
If you are comparing roofers in the Birmingham area or around New Orleans, we will inspect your roof for free and give you a free written estimate with the materials spelled out. There is no pressure to sign on the spot. Call our Birmingham office at (205) 453-1803 or our New Orleans area office at (504) 302-0204, or contact us online.