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A roof bid is one of the bigger checks a Utah homeowner writes. Whether you’re looking at a pipe-boot repair after a storm, a full replacement, or a restoration on an aging but sound asphalt roof, the difference between a clean job and a headache often comes down to what you asked before you signed.
The NuRoof Guys put this list together for Utah homeowners. Print it, take it to every contractor you interview, and compare answers side by side. For licensing, it points you to Utah DOPL, where you can check a license yourself. GoNano publishes a similar contractor-questions checklist that makes a useful companion.
1. Are you licensed and insured in Utah?
Ask for the contractor license number, a current general liability certificate, and workers’ compensation coverage. Then verify the license yourself on the Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) license lookup. A good answer is a number you can look up, active status, and insurance paperwork without a fight. “Trust me, I’m covered” is not an answer.
2. What is your legal business name, and how long have you operated under it?
Storm seasons bring temporary crews. Ask for the legal name that matches the license and insurance, and how long that entity has been active. A name that doesn’t match the paperwork, or a brand-new entity with no trail, is a reason to slow down.
3. Can I see three local references from the last 12 months?
Ask for recent Wasatch Front or Utah jobs — Ogden, Layton, Kaysville, Bountiful, Salt Lake, Provo, Logan, or wherever you live — with names you can call. Call at least two. Ask about timeline, cleanup, communication, and whether they’d hire them again. Generic online blurbs without names don’t count.
4. Will I get a written estimate with an itemized scope?
A solid estimate breaks out labor, materials by type, tear-off or debris removal if any, permit handling, and warranty terms. Vague totals with “roof package” as the only line make change orders easy and disputes hard.
5. What exactly is covered by the warranty, and who backs it?
Ask whether the warranty is from the contractor, the product manufacturer, or both, what voids it, and whether it transfers if you sell the house. Get it in writing. Marketing phrases like “lifetime” need the same scrutiny we cover in our post on what a “lifetime” shingle warranty really means.
6. What manufacturer or product certifications do you hold?
If the bid includes a specific shingle line or a restoration system such as GoNano, ask whether the crew is trained and authorized for that product. Certifications aren’t everything, but a contractor who can’t say how they were trained on the product they’re selling is a yellow flag.
7. Have you done this exact type of job recently?
Repair, restoration, and replacement are different skills. A crew that mostly chases insurance replacements may not be the best fit for a careful rejuvenation on a still-sound roof, and the reverse can be true too. Ask for a recent example of the same category of work.
8. Who will be on site, and who is the day-of contact?
Ask for crew size, whether subcontractors will be used, and a name and number for the person who answers when something unexpected shows up in the deck. You should know who is walking your property before the first ladder goes up.
9. What is the timeline, and what happens if weather delays the job?
Utah weather changes fast — wind along the Wasatch Front, early snow in the canyons, summer storms. Ask for a start window, how many days on site, and how rain or snow days are handled in the contract.
10. What safety practices does your crew use?
You want a clear answer on fall protection, ladder safety, and how they keep kids, pets, and neighbors clear of the work zone. Anyone on a roof should be using visible fall protection. If the answer is vague, believe the silence.
11. How will you protect my property and clean up?
Ask about driveway boards, landscaping protection, magnet nail sweeps, and where debris goes. A clean job site at the end of each day is a reasonable ask, not a luxury.
12. Have you inspected whether repair or restoration could work instead of a full tear-off?
Pressure to replace everything the same day is a classic storm-chaser move. A thoughtful contractor will say when a cracked boot, open flashing, or an aging-but-sound asphalt roof can be repaired or restored, and when replacement is truly the only honest path. The NuRoof Guys sort roofs into repair, restore, or replace after an inspection — not before. Rejuvenation is not right for every roof. Soft decking, active leaks, and failed systems need repair or replacement first.
13. What is the payment schedule?
Reasonable schedules usually tie payments to signed contract, material delivery or start, and completion. Large cash-up-front demands, especially from a door-knocker after a hailstorm, are a warning. Never pay the full balance before the work is done and you’ve walked the property.
14. Will you pull required permits, and whose name are they under?
Ask who pulls the permit with your city or county, whose license is on it, and whether inspections are included. A contractor who wants you to pull the permit under your own name so they can skip accountability is not doing you a favor.
15. Can I have everything in writing before I sign?
License, insurance, scope, price, warranty, timeline, payment schedule, and cleanup should all be in the contract. If a salesperson says the paperwork will “come later,” wait for later.
How The NuRoof Guys run an estimate
When homeowners from Logan to St. George call us, we start with a free roof inspection, photos, and a plain-language recommendation. You can look up our Utah contractor license (#14225732-5501) on the DOPL lookup yourself, ask us every question on this list, and we will tell you when rejuvenation is a fit and when it is not. If another contractor’s answers on this list are stronger than ours, hire them. The point of the list is a good roof, not a rushed signature.
For related reading, see our Utah roof maintenance checklist, the homeowners insurance roof checklist, and roof sealing vs. rejuvenation.
Get a straight answer on your roof
The NuRoof Guys offer a free roof inspection with photos and a written recommendation for repair, restoration, or replacement. We serve homeowners statewide across Utah, with deep roots in Northern Utah and the Wasatch Front.
Licensed Utah contractor #14225732-5501. Authorized GoNano installer.
Call 385-383-8479 · Email info@nuroofutah.com · Schedule a free roof inspection
Sources and further reading
- Utah Division of Professional Licensing: License lookup
- GoNano: 15 Questions to Ask a Roofing Contractor Before You Sign Anything (companion checklist)