Homeowners spend real money on kitchens, pools and additions. The roof - the one system protecting all of it - gets almost no scrutiny until it is already leaking. Part of that is that the industry makes checking genuinely hard.
These seven checks are things you can run yourself, mostly in a few minutes, on any roofer including the one writing this. They are not a pitch. The same seven questions produce the same answers regardless of who you hire.
1. The licence, and how long it has actually been active
Florida licences roofing contractors under a CCC number, and general, building and residential contractors under CGC, CBC and CRC. Look the number up on the state's licence database. You are checking three things: that it is real, that it is current, and - the one people miss - how long it has been active. A licence issued eight months ago on a company claiming twenty years of experience is worth a conversation.
2. Real insurance, or a legal exemption
"Workers' comp exempt" is legal in Florida and it is not the same as being insured. An exemption means that if somebody is injured on your roof, there is no workers' compensation coverage behind them. Ask for the certificate of insurance, and ask specifically whether the crew on your roof is covered or exempt. Both answers are lawful. Only one of them protects you.
3. Will the roof actually be inspected?
This is the one that surprises people most. Florida permits certain re-roofs to be closed out by contractor affidavit rather than by a building inspector physically looking at the work. It is legal. It also means nobody independent ever saw your deck, your fastening pattern or your dry-in.
Ask directly: will this permit be closed by inspection or by affidavit? Then check the city or county permit portal yourself - permits and their inspection history are public.
4. Is the named system approved for your roof?
Florida maintains a product approval database. Every roofing system on your quote should name specific products, and those products should carry approval for the covering going over them and for the wind design of your location. A quote that says "synthetic underlayment" without naming a product cannot be checked, which is the problem.
One local note worth knowing: Palm Beach County is not in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. The HVHZ is Broward and Miami-Dade only. Anyone telling you a Palm Beach County roof requires HVHZ approvals is either confused or leaning on it.
5. Does the price cover the actual scope?
The cheapest quote is frequently the one that left something out. The usual omissions are deck replacement, permit fees, and what happens if rotten wood turns up after tear-off. Ask what the plywood allowance is, what a sheet costs beyond it, and whether permit fees are included or passed through. A contract that is silent on rotten wood is not a cheaper roof. It is an unpriced one.
6. What warranty is real?
There are two, they are different, and they get blurred in sales conversations. The manufacturer warranty covers the materials, comes from the manufacturer, and usually requires the system to be installed exactly as specified. The workmanship warranty covers the installation and is only as good as the company standing behind it.
Ask for both in writing. Then ask the uncomfortable version of the question: how long has the company offering a twenty-year workmanship warranty been in business?
7. Is the company stable?
A workmanship warranty is a promise from a business. If the business is gone, so is the promise. Corporate registration records are public and free. Check when the entity was formed, whether it is active, and whether the name on the contract matches the licensed entity. Those last two not matching is worth stopping over.
What to do with the answers
None of these seven checks require you to know anything about roofing. They require about twenty minutes and a browser. Run them on everyone you are considering, including us.
If a contractor is uncomfortable being asked any of the seven, that is itself a data point.
Every Roof Sentry visit produces the same paperwork these checks are looking for - dated photos, written findings and a record you keep.
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