Roofing Companies Near Me
Before hiring a roofing contractor, always double check that the company is licensed and insured. This may seem like an unnecessary step, especially if you know the contractor, or if they come recommended to you by a friend. However, checking a contractor’s license and insurance is important, because as the homeowner, you are responsible if someone is injured while working on your home and the contractor is not insured.
How to Check if a Roofer Is Licensed
Fortunately, checking if a roofer is licensed is a simple process. Find your state’s online database of licensed contractors. Enter the contractor’s name, the company name, or the license number to find out if the roofing contractor is licensed.
In Florida, go to MyFloridaLicense.com, a database managed by the Florida Department of Business and Professional regulation.
To search the database by name in Florida, you can enter the contractor’s name or the company name. In order to see results with both exact name matches and similar names, check the boxes for those filters.
You can see in the image below that our search for “Castle Roofing Group” yielded one result in Florida. You can see our company address, and to the right, you can see that our license is active and valid with the date of our next required renewal.
If you have already searched by contractor name and license name and the search yielded no results, that’s a problem. Licensed roofing contractors are required to advertise their services according to the name on their license to prevent confusion, fraud, and stolen identity.
How to Find Out if a Roofer is Insured
In order to find out if a roofer is insured, you’ll need to ask the roofer for proof of insurance and call the insurance company. When you get an estimate for your roof, ask the estimator for their certificate of insurance. Then, call the insurance company to inquire about the insurance policy. Verify that the roofing company is covered and that their insurance plan will cover the estimate for a roof replacement on your home.
Insured Roofing Company
Your roofing company should carry General Liability Insurance & Workmen’s Compensation Insurance. These two types of insurance provide comprehensive coverage for operations and employees and protect the homeowner from liability. By law, all contractors are required to carry up-to-date insurance. Your roofing company should show you proof of insurance if you ask for it.
At Castle Roofing Group, our insurance policy information is included with the paperwork for every roofing contract. We are also happy to provide proof of insurance upon request.
Licensed Roofing Contractors
Licensure is your protection against unscrupulous contractors who leave work unfinished or fail to pay subcontractors. If a contractor working on your home fails to pay a subcontractor, the subcontractor can even place a lien against your home. The lien will remain on the title of your home even after the work is finished. Do your homework before hiring, and don’t make final payment on any project unless you are satisfied with work. If you are worried that a contractor is not acting transparently, check that there are no liens placed on your home by subcontractors. Before making final payment, require that any liens be released from the title of your home.
These are just a few examples of the importance of checking for a roofer’s license and insurance. You have likely heard stories in your neighborhood or among family and friends of instances in which unfortunately someone was conned by a roofer who left unfinished work or work that required further repairs after it was completed. Your roof is one of the most important structural elements of your home. Hiring a bad roofer can cost tens of thousands of dollars of repairs in the long run. See our article How to Choose a Roofing Company for more tips on selecting a roofing company.
Roofing Companies Orlando
At Castle Roofing Group, we are licensed and insured, with the highest certifications of excellence in roofing, and a footprint in the local Orlando & Central Florida community. We will give you a fair, honest estimate for your roof replacement. Contact us today by scheduling an appointment online or call us at (407) 477-2823.
