Roof leak or storm damage? How to choose a roofer you can trust

First steps

1. Contain the leak: put a bucket under it, move valuables away, and photograph the damage for your insurer.
2. Stay off the roof. Inspections are a job for a professional with safety gear.
3. Check your insurance policy before signing anything after a storm.

Questions to ask

• Licensed, insured, and with a local address you can verify?
• A written, itemised estimate (materials, labour, removal, permits)?
• The manufacturer's warranty and the workmanship warranty: how long, and in writing?
• Who handles the permits and the final inspection?

What drives the price

Roof size and pitch, material, how many layers are removed, and repairs to the deck underneath.

Red flags (especially after storms)

• Door-to-door "storm chasers" with out-of-state plates.
• Asking you to sign over insurance payments.
• Large deposits before materials arrive.