The best places to check a roofing contractor before you hire are the local building department’s license and permit records, review history on Google and the Better Business Bureau, referrals from neighbors who used them, and the manufacturer whose warranty they claim to offer. In El Paso County, the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (PPRBD) lets you search contractors and permits online. Use these sources to cut your list to two or three companies, then meet each one in person.
1. The building department: license and permit records
This is the only source that is official. PPRBD issues contractor licenses for Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Fountain, Manitou Springs, Monument, Woodland Park and several smaller towns. Its homeowner guide tells you to check the license before you sign:
- Contractor search. On pprbd.org, the contractor search shows whether a company is licensed to work in the region. PPRBD will also look one up if you call 719-327-2880.
- Permit search. The permit search shows permits on any address, with inspection results and status. A roofer who has pulled many reroof permits that passed final inspection has a record you can see.
PPRBD also suggests getting a few recommendations from friends and family and then verifying each one on its website. We explain the license and insurance rules in do Colorado Springs roofers need a license and insurance?
2. Reviews: Google, the BBB and Nextdoor
Read reviews for patterns, not stars:
- Recency and volume. A company that has collected reviews steadily for years has a track record; a burst of reviews after a storm tells you less.
- Specifics. Good reviews name the town, the work and the people. Integrity has 650+ Google reviews, and you can read them by market.
- The bad ones. Every busy roofer gets some. Read how the company answered and whether the problem was fixed.
- The BBB. The Better Business Bureau keeps complaint records on companies whether or not they are accredited members, so it is worth checking any roofer. It is a private organization, not a regulator.
- Neighborhood apps. Nextdoor and similar apps are useful for local referrals. Ask the neighbor what went wrong and how it was handled, not just whether they liked the crew.
3. Neighbors and people you trust
A referral from someone who has lived with a roof for a few winters is worth more than an ad. Ask them how the company handled the permit, the cleanup and any problem after the job. Referrals can still miss, so verify the name in step 1 anyway.
4. Manufacturers
Shingle makers keep contractor networks with different levels. If a roofer claims a credential, the manufacturer can tell you whether it is current and which warranty that contractor can register. Integrity is an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor.
5. The roofer, face to face
Once you have two or three names, meet each one. Ask whether they are licensed for your jurisdiction, whether they carry workers’ compensation and liability insurance, how long their crews have worked for them, and who will be your contact after you sign. Notice whether they explain what they found and show you photos, or just push for a signature. For the full interview list, see how to choose a roofer: eight checks.
How to spot a storm chaser
After a big hailstorm, out-of-state crews arrive looking for signatures. On August 6, 2018, the NOAA Storm Prediction Center’s preliminary storm reports logged hail up to 4 inches near Security, 2.5 inches north of Fountain and 2.75 inches in south Colorado Springs, where eight people at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo were taken to the hospital. Fountain and Security-Widefield streets filled with contractors from all over the country in the weeks after. Warning signs:
- No local office, or an address that turns out to be a hotel or a rented mailbox.
- Not on the PPRBD contractor list, or asking you to pull a homeowner permit for them. PPRBD says never to do that.
- Offering to cover your deductible. That is illegal in Colorado (C.R.S. 6-22-105); see what an honest roofer will refuse to do.
- Pressure to sign the day they knock.
Also see why a local roofer matters in Cimarron Hills for what a nearby contractor can do after a storm, and what good customer care looks like for the service side.
Small repairs: do you need a roofer at all?
Not always. A cracked rubber boot around a plumbing vent is a simple fix for a handy homeowner. Leaks in a valley, along a wall or at a chimney usually need shingles removed and flashing installed correctly, which is roofer work, and a repair over 100 square feet needs a PPRBD permit. Tar over a leak only hides it.
Check us the same way
Integrity Roofing and Painting is veteran-owned, family-run since 1990, and an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor. Look us up on PPRBD and read our reviews, then call our Colorado Springs office at (719) 488-2800 or book a free Colorado Springs roof inspection. We respond the same business day.
Sources: Pikes Peak Regional Building Department, Do You Have Roof Damage From a Storm? and pprbd.org (jurisdictions, contractor search); NOAA Storm Prediction Center, preliminary storm reports for August 6, 2018; C.R.S. 6-22-105.
