How do you check out a roofer in the Triad?

North Carolina does not license roofers separately for most re-roofs. A general contractor license is required only when a project costs $40,000 or more (G.S. 87-1). For a typical house roof, that means checking insurance, references, a local address and the permit carefully.

License rules in North Carolina

Short answer: North Carolina has no separate state license for roofers on smaller jobs. A general contractor license from the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors is required when the total cost of a project is $40,000 or more (G.S. 87-1), and roofing work at that size falls under the board's building, residential, or specialty roofing classifications. Below that amount, ask for proof of liability insurance and workers' compensation, and check the local building permit office.

Most Triad reroofs fall under $40,000, so many roofers do not need a state license for them. For larger jobs, check the license on the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors lookup, and make sure the license name matches the contract.

Insurance certificates

Short answer: request certificates for general liability and workers' compensation directly from the roofer's insurance agent, then call the agent to confirm.

That protects you if a worker is injured on your property or the crew damages your home or a neighbor's. Ask to be listed as certificate holder so you hear if coverage lapses during the job.

A real Triad address

After a big hailstorm, crews from out of state can arrive within days and leave just as fast, which makes warranty service hard. Ask for a physical address in the area, look it up, and ask how long the business has worked here. Temporary offices, out-of-state plates and a phone number from elsewhere call for more questions.

What the contract should say

Short answer: the business name and address, scope, materials, price, payment terms, dates, permit, warranties, hidden-damage pricing and how to cancel.

• An itemized estimate you can compare with the insurer's.
• Materials: shingle brand and line, underlayment, ice and water barrier at valleys and eaves where required, drip edge and ventilation.
• Older homes: how they will handle a second layer, plank decking or slate.
• Decking: price per sheet if rot is found.
• Payments: no large deposit; final payment after completion and inspection.
• Cleanup: magnetic nail sweep and protection for landscaping and gutters.

North Carolina does not have a roofing-specific contract law like South Carolina's or Tennessee's. A 2023 bill that would have added one (Senate Bill 622) did not pass. That makes the written contract more important: get the scope, materials, price, start date, and what happens if your insurer denies the claim in writing before you sign. A contractor who offers to cover or hide your deductible is asking you to misstate the loss to your insurer, which can expose you to insurance-fraud problems. Only a licensed public adjuster may represent you on the claim for a fee.

The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule also generally gives you three business days to cancel many contracts signed at home with a door-to-door seller, with some exceptions.

Permits and inspections

Reroofs generally need a permit from the city or county inspections office that covers your address. Ask the roofer to pull it and schedule the final inspection. If they ask you to pull it as the owner, responsibility for the work can shift to you. See the county and town pages.

Warranties

• Workmanship: from the roofer, for installation errors. Get the term in writing.
• Manufacturer: for material defects; enhanced versions usually need a certified installer and registration. Ask for proof it was registered.

Deductible offers

Short answer: A contractor who offers to cover or waive your deductible may be overstating the loss to your insurer, which can create insurance-fraud problems for you. Treat it as a warning sign and ask your insurer.

A genuine discount should appear in the contract price, and that price is what the insurer should see. Billing the insurer more than you are charged, to cover your deductible, misstates the job's cost.

Can the roofer deal with your insurer?

Short answer: Only you, or a licensed public adjuster you hire, should negotiate the claim itself; ask any contractor who offers to do it whether they hold a public adjuster license.

A roofer can inspect, estimate, document and attend the adjuster's visit. North Carolina public adjusters must be licensed by the NC Department of Insurance (G.S. 58, Article 33A). After a catastrophic incident declared by the President or the Governor, a public adjuster may not charge more than 10% of the settlement, and may not take any fee, retainer or deposit before the claim settles (G.S. 58-33A-60). According to the department's consumer guide, you can rescind a public adjuster contract in writing within three business days of signing, and if the insurer offers the full policy limits within 72 hours of the loss report, the adjuster cannot take a percentage commission.

Contingency agreements and AOBs

A contingency agreement, sometimes labeled an inspection or authorization form, can commit you to that roofer once the claim is approved. An assignment of benefits transfers some policy rights to the contractor. Read before you sign, and see assignment of benefits.

Red flags after a Triad hailstorm

• Shows up uninvited the day after and pushes for a signature.
• Offers to cover or "eat" your deductible.
• Promises to "handle the insurance company."
• Wants a big deposit or cash only.
• No local address or verifiable references.
• No written, itemized estimate.
• Gets on your roof without permission, or shows photos you cannot verify.

More: storm chasers and scams. Report suspected fraud to the North Carolina Department of Insurance (855-408-1212) and the NC Attorney General's consumer protection division.

After big Triad storms, the NC Department of Insurance has warned about fly-by-night contractors. A Greensboro, High Point or Winston-Salem address you can drive to is one of the simplest things to check.

Find a roofer

Our directory of roofing contractors serving Greensboro and the Piedmont Triad lists each company's own published address and phone. Being listed is not an endorsement; ask every company these questions.

Payment terms

Be wary of paying the full price up front. A common arrangement is a deposit, with the rest due when the work is complete and you have inspected it. Insurance checks that include your mortgage company may take time, so agree in writing on how payment will work.

On the day of the job

• Ask how they will protect landscaping, AC units and windows.
• Ask whether they will sweep for nails with a magnet when they finish.
• Ask who the crew lead is and how to reach them.
• Take photos of the decking if any is replaced; your insurer may pay for it.

After the job

Get the final invoice, permit sign-off if needed, and warranty paperwork, and send the invoice to your insurer to recover any held-back depreciation.