I recently noticed water stains on my living room ceiling and consulted a BBB Accredited roofer for advice on what to do. They said the roof was leaking and, since it was 24 years old, I should replace it. They showed up on schedule, finished ahead of schedule, and did a great job.

Some consumers who hire roofers aren’t so lucky. A local consumer filed a complaint with the BBB saying “This company was hired to create a cover for patio area. They started quickly and finished quickly. However, the roof has leaked constantly. I have made several attempts to have the owner fix this issue but it has not been done yet.”

Another consumer who paid a roofer $7,600 up front complained that “They began work. But on two occasions disappeared from the job for 2-3 weeks with no contact. Eventually  I discovered they were doing work with an expired license and no insurance.”

Consumers pull more BBB reports on roofers than any other type of business. The consumers quoted above should have checked out their roofers with the BBB. Neither was a BBB Accredited roofer; one already had a bad report; and the other one had no report, which is unusual for a reputable roofer. Neither responded to the complaint.

The BBB offers these tips when hiring a roofer:

• Make sure you understand the full scope of the project. What exactly is the roofer going to do? Will they be doing spot repairs or replacing the whole roof? Will they be removing the old roof or covering it with the new roof?
• Ask about clean-up and waste removal. Confirm that your contractor will be responsible for taking away all old materials and cleaning up your site after their work is complete.
• Consider your gutters and landscaping. A roofing job will require ladders that can cause damage when leaned against your gutters or stuck in your landscaping. How will your roofer protect against damage or fix things after the job?
• Plan for bad weather. What happens if there is bad weather while your roof project is underway? Ask your roofer about what they will do to protect your home in the case of rain or snow.
• Check your insurance coverage. Check your homeowner’s insurance to see if your project is covered and how you should proceed if it is. (You also want to check your contractor’s insurance coverage for worker’s compensation, property damage, and personal liability.)
• Hire a contractor you trust. Check BBB.org to see if your roofer is BBB Accredited. Check reviews and make sure the company is licensed and insured. The BBB verifies that BBB Accredited Businesses have required competency licenses.
• Don’t pay the entire amount up front.

Ensure that everything is detailed in the proposal and contract. “Fix roof” or “replace roof” leave a lot of opportunity for disagreement later about whether the roofer did the job as agreed.

Most roofers are honest and competent, but some aren’t, and some are out-and-out scammers. Be particularly careful engaging a roofer or other contractor who knocks on your door after a storm and offers a great deal on repairs, particularly if they only accept cash. They may not be licensed or insured and will be gone by the time you discover a problem.