8 QUESTIONS THAT EXPOSE A BAD ROOFER

Roofing has a trust problem, and it's earned. The trade has low barriers, high tickets, and enough storm-chasing operators to keep the consumer-affairs complaint lines busy. Here's how homeowners protect themselves in New York City.

Ask every bidder:

• "What's your NYC HIC license number?" — then actually verify it on the city's DCWP site. Unlicensed contracting is illegal in NYC, and an unlicensed contractor's contract is legally unenforceable.
• "Send me your insurance certificates." — liability and workers' comp, before anyone climbs a ladder. If a worker is hurt on your property and the contractor is uninsured, your homeowner's policy is the target.
• "Tear-off or layover?" — covering old problems hides them until they're expensive.
• "Is flashing replaced or reused?" — reused flashing is the most common source of the one-year-later leak.
• "What's the per-sheet price for deck replacement?" — get plywood pricing in writing before it's discovered mid-job.
• "Who registers the manufacturer warranty?" — it should be filed in your name, not lost in a truck.
• "What's the payment schedule?" — NY law requires payments to bear a reasonable relationship to work performed. Walk away from anyone demanding most of the money up front.
• "Can I see addresses of recent local jobs?" — real references are streets you can drive past, not testimonials on a website.

You also have a legal safety net: for home-improvement contracts signed in your home, New York gives you three business days to cancel. A legitimate contractor puts that notice in the contract proudly. A cowboy hopes you don't know about it.

Common questions