Roofing Contractors in Durham: Questions to Ask First
Roofing contractors Durham homeowners can hire range from crews that have been here through thirty Septembers to a truck that showed up the week after the last one. On a door hanger they can look the same. So the questions matter, and they're not hard to ask.
First, the license question
North Carolina has no roofing-specific license. The NC Licensing Board for General Contractors licenses general contractors, and larger projects require one — look up any roofer who claims a license at nclbgc.org. Which jobs need a license is a question to check with the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors and your city's permit office, not something to take from a sales pitch.
One practical point: "licensed" on a truck door may mean a business registration with the city, which is not a competence check. If a roofer says they hold a state license, get the number and look it up. Whoever you hire, ask to see their certificate of insurance before work starts.
The seven questions
1. Do you hold a North Carolina general contractor license, and what's the number?
Look it up on the board's website before you sign. If the answer is "we don't need one for this job," check that with the licensing board and the City of Durham's permit office, and move to question two with more attention.
2. Can you send me your general liability and workers' compensation certificates?
Ask for the certificates, from the insurer, naming you as certificate holder — not a photocopy of a card. Workers' comp is the one that matters most: if an uninsured crew member falls off your roof in Durham, your homeowners policy is where the claim lands. A roofer who "uses subcontractors who carry their own" should be able to show you those certificates too.
3. Where are you based, and can I see a job you did here three years ago?
The useful test for a Durham roofer isn't how many roofs they've done; it's whether the phone number on the estimate will be answered in three years when a shingle lifts. A local address, a truck you've seen before, an address in Woodcroft or Duke Park you can drive past — any of those beats a magnetic door sign.
4. Will you walk the roof and open the attic before you quote?
A quote from a satellite measurement and a driveway conversation hasn't seen the decking, the ventilation, or the bath fan venting into the insulation. On a Durham house built before 1960 it hasn't seen how many layers are up there or whether the deck is boards with gaps. Ask how the number was arrived at.
5. What exactly is in the quote?
A real quote names the shingle line and its wind rating, the underlayment type, where ice-and-water membrane goes, six nails per shingle, a per-sheet price for decking, new flashing (not reused), ventilation, and the warranty in years. Our pricing page lists all eleven lines. A one-line quote for "new roof, $11,500" is a number, not a scope.
6. Who handles the permit question?
Whether a re-roof needs a permit depends on the scope — check with Durham City-County Inspections (or your town's permit office) and ask your roofer who pulls it and whether it's in the price. The wrong answer is "roofs never need permits."
7. What happens if it leaks?
Get the workmanship term in years, in writing, from the roofer who installs it — and make sure it's a company that will still exist. A manufacturer's shingle warranty covers the shingles, not the installation, and most leaks are installation.
Storm chasers, specifically
Within a week of a named storm, out-of-state crews work the streets off Hope Valley Road and through Parkwood. The pattern to recognize:
- A knock on the door offering a free inspection, followed by a claim that you have damage
- A request to sign a "contingency agreement" or "assignment of benefits" before you've called your insurer
- An offer to waive, cover or absorb your deductible — insurers treat it as fraud and it can put your claim at risk; ask your agent if anyone offers
- Pressure to decide today
- A deposit larger than the materials
Any one of these might have an innocent explanation. Together they describe a company that may not be here when the roof they installed leaks in 2028. Photograph the damage yourself and call your agent or insurer. A roofer can give you a written repair estimate and photos, but in North Carolina only a public adjuster licensed by the NC Department of Insurance can negotiate a claim for you. The storm damage page covers what to expect after a storm.
What a good answer sounds like
Roofers in Durham who've been here a while tend to answer these questions before you ask them, because they're tired of cleaning up after the ones who can't. The quote comes with photos from your roof. The certificates arrive by email the same day. Any license they mention comes with a number you can look up. And somewhere in the conversation they tell you something you didn't want to hear — that the roof has three years left and doesn't need replacing yet, or that it doesn't have three years and the repair you asked for is a waste.
If you have a quote in hand and want a second set of eyes on it, a second estimate from another local roofer is usually free; a formal written roof inspection report typically runs $150–$300. Sometimes the answer is that the first quote is fine.
Questions about the job itself
Once you're satisfied about who you're hiring, ask about how the work will go:
- When can you start, and how long will it take? Most replacements are one or two days; repairs are usually one visit.
- Who is in charge on the day? Get a name and a number for the person on site.
- What happens if you find rotten decking? It should be a per-sheet price already on the quote, with photos.
- How will you protect the yard? Tarps over the beds, a trailer or dumpster placed where you agree, and a magnet sweep for nails.
- What if it rains mid-job? The deck should be covered with underlayment before the crew leaves each day.
- How is payment split? Ask what deposit is due, if any, and when the balance is owed. Pay the final amount after the walk-through.
How to compare the answers
Write the answers down for each roofer, side by side. Look for the gaps: one roofer who wouldn't give a license number they claimed, one who skipped the attic, one whose quote reused flashing. The best choice is often not the lowest price but the clearest answers.
Common questions
How many roofers should I talk to?
Two or three is usually enough to see what a normal price and scope look like. Fewer leaves you with nothing to compare; many more adds time without much new information.
Is it rude to ask for certificates and references?
No. Good roofers expect it and have the paperwork ready. Asking politely, early, saves everyone time, and a roofer who resists is telling you something useful.
What should be in the contract?
The same items as the written estimate: scope, materials by name, decking price per sheet, start date, payment terms, cleanup and the workmanship term in years. Read it before signing, and ask for anything that was promised in conversation to be added.
What if a roofer won't put something in writing?
Treat it as not promised. A verbal "we'll take care of that" about decking, cleanup or a warranty is easy to forget once the job is done. If a roofer won't write down a point that matters to you, that's a reason to keep comparing, and a reason the next estimate may be the better one.
Need roof work in Durham?
Call for a free estimate. Mon–Sat 7am–7pm.