Hiring

Fort Collins Roofing Contractors: 12 Questions Before You Hire

By Fort Collins Roof Repair · September 6, 2026 · 8 min read

Colorado has no statewide roofing license, so there's no state board to look up a roofer's number on. That is part of why, within two days of any big hailstorm along the Front Range, Fort Collins fills with crews who were in Texas last month and will be in Nebraska next. Some do fine work. Many don't, and the roof they install will have nobody to call in 2029. These questions to ask a roofing contractor sort them out in about ten minutes.

Licensing, insurance and permits

1. What's your City of Fort Collins contractor license number?

Colorado has no statewide roofing license. The City of Fort Collins licenses roofing contractors — check a roofer's license with the city before you sign. Other towns and Larimer and Weld County set their own rules; check with that building department. A roofer with a Texas or Florida license and nothing local deserves a closer look. This guide's own standard for referrals is simple: we only use roofers licensed by the City of Fort Collins — ask to see their license.

2. Can I see your insurance certificates?

General liability and workers' compensation, both, with the certificate sent to you from the insurer or agent rather than a photocopy on the truck. Roofing is one of the most dangerous trades in the country. If a worker falls off your roof and the company has no workers' comp, your homeowners policy is where the claim lands.

3. Will you pull the permit?

Whether a re-roof needs a permit, and what the code requires at the eaves, depends on the job — check with the City of Fort Collins building department (or your town's), and ask your roofer who pulls the permit. Where one is required, the answer should be specific: who pulls it, whether it's in the price, and when the inspection happens. An inspection record is also something a buyer's inspector may ask about when you sell.

4. Where is your office?

A street address in Larimer or Weld County. Not a PO box, not a hotel off Prospect Road, not a truck. Look it up on a map while they're standing there.

The contract and the deductible

5. What happens with my deductible?

The only correct answer: you pay it, in full, and the invoice matches the work. Colorado law bars a roofer from paying, waiving or rebating your deductible. Never accept an offer to cover it — insurers treat it as fraud, and it can put your claim at risk. This one question ends most storm-chaser conversations.

6. What exactly is in the contract?

Colorado has a consumer-protection law for residential roofing work paid through insurance (C.R.S. 6-22-101 and following). Among other things, it requires a written contract and bars a roofer from paying, waiving or rebating your deductible. Ask your insurer or an attorney how it applies to your job. At a minimum, a contract worth signing states the scope of work, the price, approximate start and completion dates, and the contractor's contact information. If the "contract" is a one-page contingency agreement with none of that, don't sign it.

7. Will you show me the damage?

On the roof, with photos, before the claim is filed. A roofer who says the roof is totaled but won't show you a chalked test square with hits counted is guessing, or hoping. Bruised shingles are soft, dark spots that give under a thumb; a good roofer will hand you the photos and let you press one yourself.

The roof itself

8. What shingle, what rating, how many nails?

A named product line — Malarkey Vista, Owens Corning Duration, CertainTeed Landmark, GAF Timberline HDZ — with its impact rating stated, and six nails per shingle, not four. In the hail belt, ask specifically about Class 4 impact-resistant shingles and whether they'll supply the certification your insurer needs for the discount.

9. What's underneath?

Synthetic underlayment, and ice-and-water shield at the eaves and in the valleys. Fort Collins gets heavy wet snow in March and April, and the ice barrier is what stops meltwater from backing up over the top plate. A quote that doesn't mention it is a quote that's leaving it out.

10. What about decking?

A per-sheet price for replacing soft plywood — typically $90–$150 — and an allowance in the quote, with photos of any sheet they replace. "As needed" with no number is a blank check.

11. Who's actually on my roof?

Many companies sell the job and subcontract the crew. That's normal, but ask whether the sub is covered by the company's insurance and who supervises. The person who signed your contract should be the person who answers when something goes wrong.

12. What's the warranty, and who honors it?

Manufacturer's warranty on the shingle, and the workmanship term from the roofer. Get the workmanship term in years, in writing, from the roofer who installs it. A promise from a company with no local address is a piece of paper.

Questions to ask a roofing contractor: the short version

Any local company that has been through a few Larimer County hail seasons will answer all twelve without blinking. The about page explains who this guide refers you to, and the hail damage page covers what the claim process should look like once you've picked someone.

Questions to ask yourself after the visit

The questions to ask a roofer are only half of it. Once they've left, think back:

• Did they go into the attic, or only walk around the house?
• Did they show you photos of what they found, including the slopes that were fine?
• Did they explain the cause of the problem, not just the price?
• Did anyone push you to sign that day?
• Did the estimate arrive in writing, with the shingle line named?

Three or more "no" answers and it's worth getting another estimate.

How to check what they told you

The license. Look it up yourself with the city, or with your town's building department outside city limits. Make sure the name matches the company on the estimate.

The insurance. Ask the roofer's agent to email you the certificate directly. Check the company name and the policy dates.

The address. Look it up on a map. A real shop or office is a good sign; a mailbox store is not.

The estimate. Hold it against the cost page ranges and the checklist above. If a line is missing, ask about it in writing.

Answers that should worry you

• "We don't need a permit for this." Maybe true for a small repair, but ask the city if you're unsure.
• "Our insurance is on the truck." Have it sent by the agent.
• "We'll handle the deductible." Walk away.
• "We'll figure out the decking when we get there." Ask for the per-sheet price now.
• "Sign today and we'll get you on the schedule." A fair price will still be fair next week.

Good roofing contractor questions get plain, specific answers. Vague ones tell you as much as the price does.

Bring this list to every estimate

Print the twelve questions, or keep them on your phone, and ask them in the same order of every company you talk to. Write the answers next to each one. When you sit down to compare, you'll be comparing the same things, not three different sales pitches. Most homeowners find the right choice is obvious once the answers sit side by side: one company answered everything plainly, one dodged the deductible question, and one never sent the estimate at all.

After you sign

Ask for a start date in writing and the name of the person who will be on site. Before the crew arrives, move cars, take down wall hangings near the roofline and mark sprinkler heads. On the last day, walk the yard and the roof edge with the crew lead, and keep the contract, invoice and permit record together.