To choose a roofing contractor in Colorado Springs, confirm the company holds an active license with the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (PPRBD), ask for its insurance certificate, get two or three bids written on the same scope, read the contract for the items Colorado law requires, and pick the contractor whose answers about your roof are specific, written and backed by photos. Price matters, but only after you know every bid describes the same roof.
Step by step
- Check the license. PPRBD licenses roofing contractors for Colorado Springs and El Paso County. A roofer must pass an ICC exam, show proof of insurance and wait roughly 6 to 8 weeks for the license, and PPRBD does not accept licenses from other building departments. It is a code violation to advertise or sign a contract for permitted work without the proper license. Search the contractor on PPRBD’s contractor search.
- Read the insurance certificate. PPRBD requires the certificate to show that reroofing is included, or not excluded, in the description of operations. A general liability policy that excludes roofing does not protect you.
- Get two or three bids on the same scope. Give every contractor the same information and ask each to list shingle line, underlayment, ice barrier, ventilation, flashing, drip edge and decking allowance. Our guide to reading a roofing estimate shows what each line means.
- Look up their permit history. PPRBD’s permit search shows a contractor’s past permits and inspections. One failed inspection fixed the same day is normal. A pattern of roofs torn off and rebuilt is not.
- Ask to see their work. A local company can show you finished roofs in your area and, ideally, a job in progress.
- Read the contract. Colorado’s roofing contract law (C.R.S. 6-22-103) requires the scope, approximate dates and cost, the contractor’s contact details and liability insurer, a 72-hour cancellation right with a full deposit refund, a deductible statement, and a bold notice that your payment is held in trust until materials arrive or most of the work is done.
- Make sure the permit is pulled before work starts. Any repair or replacement over 100 square feet needs a PPRBD permit, and only the contractor who pulled it can request the inspection.
Discount roofer or value-focused roofer?
| Discount roofer | Value-focused roofer | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Starts low, then adds “unforeseen” items | Explains each line and only changes price when the scope changes |
| Deductible | Offers to cover or “rebate” it, which Colorado law forbids | Tells you that you pay it |
| Crews | Hires whoever is available after a storm | Uses its own crews with a supervisor |
| Inspection | Verbal, no photos | Written, with photos you keep |
| After the job | Hard to reach | Answers warranty calls years later |
A low bid is not automatically a bad one. Ask the low bidder what it left out. If the answer is “nothing,” compare the line items until you find it.
Questions that separate contractors
- Who will supervise my job, and can I reach that person directly?
- What components will you replace, and which will you reuse?
- How do you handle decking you find rotted after tear-off, and at what price?
- Do you use your own crews?
- What does the manufacturer warranty cover, and who registers it?
- If I am filing an insurance claim, what do you document for me?
A contractor who answers with specifics, in writing, is easier to hold to them later.
Repair or replace?
Not every leak means a new roof. If a contractor insists on replacement for a roof that has no storm damage, ask which parts are failing and why a repair would not last, and get a second opinion. See Colorado Springs roof repair for what a repair visit covers.
About the knock on your door
After a hailstorm you will meet roofers at your door. A knock does not make someone a scammer, and a TV ad does not make someone honest. Judge every contractor the same way: license, insurance, written scope, local office. If you would rather not talk at the door, our guide to stopping roofing solicitors has a printable sign. For the warning signs that show up after big storms, see roofing scams after a Colorado Springs hailstorm, and to vet a company in about 15 minutes, see how to know if a Colorado Springs roofer is legitimate. Before you sign on an insurance job, check how your policy values the roof. For a flat or low-slope section, read what a flat roof contractor should explain.
Go deeper with our guides to choosing a contractor, our step-by-step homeowner how-tos, and our Colorado Springs roofing guides on PPRBD rules.
Why homeowners pick us
Integrity Roofing and Painting is veteran-owned and family-run since 1990, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor, BBB accredited with an A+ rating, and has 650+ Google reviews. Our office is at 115 N Union Blvd, and we explain what a local company owes you on its own page. Call (719) 488-2800 or book a free Colorado Springs roof inspection; we reach out the same business day. Financing is available if you need it.
Sources: Pikes Peak Regional Building Department, Roofing Contractors: Common Licensing Questions, Reroofing Guidelines (rev. 03/05/2024) and Hail and Disaster Information; C.R.S. 6-22-103 and 6-22-105 (unofficial reproduction).
