Understand why the work is being recommended
A proposal should explain the roofing problem before asking you to choose a solution. Request photographs and a description of the areas assessed. If repair is recommended, ask what that repair is intended to address and what remains outside the scope. If replacement is proposed, ask why a limited repair was not selected. Keep the recommendation and any uncertainty in the written record.
Ask about materials and the installation plan
A phrase such as quality materials does not identify what will arrive at your property. Ask for the product names and the documents supporting the proposed installation. Find out who is responsible for supervising the work and explaining changes. Request relevant project examples and ask what the company did on those jobs.
- Which roof components will be removed, repaired, reused, or replaced?
- What application instructions support the selected materials?
- How will concealed conditions be documented?
- Who approves substitutions or additional work?
- What information will I receive before the work is covered?
Define what completion means
Ask how the completed work will be reviewed and which inspection or closeout records you will receive. Read the warranty documents applicable to the selected scope, including their conditions and reporting process. A repair and a replacement may have different agreements, so compare the actual documents. Choose the proposal whose purpose, products, responsibilities, and limits you can understand rather than relying on a broad claim about certified crews or premium quality.
Follow the water. Understand the repair.
A stain tells you where water became visible. It does not, by itself, identify where water entered the roof. A useful repair assessment traces the likely entry point, looks at surrounding materials, and explains whether a localized repair can address the cause.
A stain that returns after a patch
Bring the earlier invoice and photos. They help distinguish a repeated problem in the same area from a new leak nearby. Ask what the next repair changes and which parts of the previous work can remain. Make the limits of a localized repair clear before authorizing it.
Read the supporting guidance: IBHS: roof flashing · IBHS: roof weathering and maintenance
