How to choose a Houston roofer

Picking a roofer is a 25-year decision. The wrong contractor means leaks, callbacks, warranty fights, and eventually paying for a second roof out of pocket. The right contractor means you don't think about it again until the next storm cycle.

This guide is the framework we wish every Houston homeowner used.

The non-negotiable baseline

Before any other considerations, a contractor must clear these:

• Real Houston address. Not a P.O. box, not a virtual office. Drive there if you have to.
• Active Texas LLC or corporation. Verify on sos.state.tx.us. Check formation date — older = more accountability.
• Current general liability insurance, minimum $1M, with you listed as additional insured during the project.
• Workers' comp coverage for crew members. Without it, an injured worker on your roof can sue your homeowner's insurance.
• References from work completed 5+ years ago. Newer contractors can be fine, but warranty enforcement requires a paper trail.
• Written, line-itemed estimates. Verbal quotes and one-page scopes are red flags.

If a contractor doesn't clear these, stop. Move to the next one.

Research before you call

Before calling any contractor:

1. Search the company name + Houston on Google. Read the first 2 pages of results.
2. BBB profile. Accreditation matters less than complaint pattern. Read the complaints, not just the rating.
3. Google reviews. Read the 1-star and 2-star reviews. Patterns are telling: "couldn't reach for warranty" = chaser; "took longer than promised" = poor scheduling; "scope changes mid-project" = sloppy estimating.
4. Nextdoor + neighborhood Facebook groups. Search the company name. Real customer sentiment.
5. Texas Secretary of State. Verify the LLC. Check officer names. Reasonable: a few people running a real company. Suspicious: officer changes every year.
6. Yelp. Filtered reviews matter — read past the visible 5-star block.

30 minutes of research saves a year of warranty fights.

Ten questions to ask any contractor

1. "How long have you been operating in Houston?" Answer should be 5+ years for a roof you'll keep 25.
2. "What's your physical address?" Listen for a real street address, not a P.O. box or "we're based in [other city]."
3. "Can I see your liability insurance certificate?" Should be available within an hour. If they hesitate, that's a flag.
4. "Do you carry workers' comp on crew members?" Yes is the right answer. "Subcontractors carry their own" is acceptable but second-best.
5. "Walk me through your warranty in detail." Listen for separation of materials warranty (manufacturer) vs workmanship warranty (contractor). Both should be in writing.
6. "How do you handle code-required upgrades?" Decking replacement, ice/water shield, ventilation balance — all might be required by current code. The right answer: documented and quoted.
7. "What's your payment schedule?" Standard: small deposit, progress payment at material delivery, final payment at walkthrough. Anyone wanting full payment up front is a flag.
8. "Will you attend my adjuster meeting?" Yes. If they don't do this, they're not equipped for insurance work.
9. "Can I see your scope of work template?" Real scopes are 3-8 pages of line items. One-page summaries miss things.
10. "What happens if I have a leak in year 8?" The answer should be specific: a phone number, a process, a turnaround time.

Reading the estimate

A real estimate has line items for:

• Tear-off. Number of layers being removed. Disposal cost.
• Decking inspection & replacement. Quoted at per-board rate; only billed for what's actually replaced.
• Underlayment. Felt vs synthetic. Spec by manufacturer.
• Ice & water shield. Required at valleys, eaves in many cases.
• Starter strip. Separately quoted from field shingles.
• Field shingles. Brand, line, color, square count, warranty class.
• Ridge cap. Often missed. Should be separate line item.
• Flashing. Galvanized vs aluminum vs copper. Step flashing, valley flashing, chimney flashing.
• Vents. Roof vents, ridge vents, soffit vents. Ventilation balance calculation.
• Drip edge. Required by current Texas code on most installs.
• Cleanup. Magnetic nail sweep, dumpster removal, gutter cleanout.
• Permit. Quoted separately so you can verify cost.

If any of these are missing or bundled into vague line items, ask for clarification. Bundling hides margin.

Warranty terms

Two separate warranties matter:

Manufacturer's warranty (materials)

Provided by the shingle manufacturer (GAF, CertainTeed, Owens Corning, etc.). Typical: 25-50 years on materials. Conditions for honoring usually include manufacturer-specified installation methods, certified installer, and proper ventilation. If the contractor wasn't certified or didn't follow specs, the manufacturer warranty fails when you need it.

Contractor's workmanship warranty

Provided by your roofer. Covers installation defects independent of materials. Typical: 5-10 years from a competent local contractor. This is the one that matters for installation issues — leaks, improper flashing, ventilation problems.

Get both in writing before signing. Verify the contractor warranty is from a Texas company you can find in 10 years.

Payment structure

Standard, reasonable payment schedule:

• 10-25% deposit on contract signing.
• 50-60% progress payment at material delivery to the home.
• Remainder after final walkthrough and your acceptance.

Variants are fine (some contractors split into 33/33/33; some prefer 50/50). What's NOT fine:

• 100% upfront. Any contractor wanting all the money before work starts is high-risk.
• Cash only. Limits your recourse if something goes wrong.
• Payments to a personal account rather than the company. Money laundering / tax evasion red flag.

Talking to references

Ask for 3-5 references from work completed 3-7 years ago. Then actually call them. Ask:

1. How was the project completion compared to the original estimate?
2. Were there scope changes mid-project? How were they handled?
3. How was the cleanup?
4. Have you had any warranty issues since? How were they handled?
5. Would you hire them again?

The third question (warranty handling) is the most important. Anyone can do a clean install in week 1. The test is week 250.

Making the decision

Get 3 quotes. Compare on:

• Total price — but never the cheapest. Cheapest is usually cutting corners somewhere.
• Scope detail — more line items = more thoughtful contractor.
• Warranty terms — both manufacturer and contractor warranties.
• Time in business — older = more accountable.
• Communication quality — how they answered your questions reflects how the project will go.
• Reference feedback — most predictive of your experience.

Don't pick on price. The roof is one of three things on your house that will outlast your mortgage (foundation and framing being the others). It's worth getting right.

Ready for a free estimate that follows this framework? Free quote here — and feel free to use this checklist on us.