Built from real complaint records

What goes wrong with roofs, and how to stay out of it

We read the public complaint records of eleven roofing companies across nine states, sorted what actually went wrong, and wrote the answers. No company is named — these are patterns, and most of this trade never appears in them.

Storm damage Someone Knocked On Your Door After the Storm Some of them are legitimate local companies working a neighbourhood. Some will be three states away by spring. Six questions separate them, and they take about four minutes. 8 min read · 6 questions answered Insurance & payment Your Insurance Check Is Not the Roofer's Money How roof claims actually pay out, why a cashed check can't be reissued, and the one thing almost no homeowner knows about liens. 9 min read · 6 questions answered Leaks & warranty The New Roof Is Already Leaking Roofs almost never fail in the middle. They fail where something sticks through them — and that tells you both what to inspect and what to say. 9 min read · 7 questions answered Final walkthrough What to Check Before You Pay the Roofer The final payment is the last leverage you will ever have on this job. Spend twenty minutes before you release it. 8 min read · 6 questions answered Permits & code Roof Permits and the Final Inspection A roof permit is the one part of the job with an independent referee. It is also the part most likely to be quietly skipped. 7 min read · 6 questions answered Before you hire 15 Questions to Ask a Roofer Before You Sign Reverse-engineered from public complaint records against roofing companies in nine states. Every question here would have prevented a real one. 9 min read · 7 questions answered

Sources are public complaint records published by the recipient, plus consumer advisories from state contractor licensing boards and consumer-protection offices. Quotes are verbatim and attributed no more specifically than by state. Nothing here is legal advice.