Ownership and Accountability
- Who owns the company, and is that ownership local?
- Has ownership changed recently, and under what name did the business operate before?
- How long has the company operated under its current ownership?
Why it matters: the entity that signs your contract is the entity that owes you the workmanship warranty. Ownership changes are legal and common — you just want to know the answer before, not after.
Who Does the Work
- Who will actually install my roof — employees, a regular crew, or subcontractors hired for the week?
- Who supervises the project day to day, and how do I reach that person?
- Is my estimator paid a commission tied to the size of the contract?
Why it matters: subcontracting is not automatically a problem, but you should know whether the crew has worked with this company before, and who is on site making decisions when a rotted rafter tail turns up.
Price and Scope
- Will my quoted price change if I do not sign today?
- What exactly is included in the estimate, line by line?
- What costs could legitimately change after tear-off, and at what published rate?
Why it matters: deck replacement is the most common legitimate change order in the Northwoods. A published per-sheet rate, agreed in advance and documented with photos, keeps that from becoming an argument.
After the Roof Is Done
- Who issues and backs the workmanship warranty, and is it transferable?
- What happens if I have a problem five or ten years from now?
- Can I see recent, genuine projects and references near my address?
Ask us the same twelve
We will answer all twelve in writing during the estimate, including the ones about ownership and how our estimators are paid. Call 715-453-4800 or request an estimate.
Documents You Should Receive Before Signing
- Certificate of general liability insurance and workers' compensation
- An itemized written scope, not a one-line bid
- The written workmanship warranty terms
- The manufacturer warranty being offered and any registration requirement
- The published deck replacement rate
- Payment schedule, including deposit terms
Common questions
- What is the most important question to ask a roofer?
- Who backs the workmanship warranty, and will that entity still exist and honor it years from now. Most roof failures are installation failures, and the workmanship warranty is the only coverage that addresses them.
- Should a roofing contractor give me a written estimate?
- Always, and it should be itemized. A written scope listing tear-off, underlayment, ice and water coverage, flashing, ventilation, and cleanup is the only way to compare bids fairly.
- How many roofing quotes should I get?
- Two or three is usually enough if each one is itemized. More quotes without comparable scopes just adds noise.