After a big hailstorm in Colorado Springs, the red flags are almost always the same seven: an offer to cover your deductible, a “free” upgrade to Class 4 shingles, a salesman with no license selling under someone else’s, materials dropped before a permit, out-of-town crews with no supervisor, pressure to break a contract you already signed, and a request for money before anything arrives. Each one is either illegal under Colorado law or a sign the roof will be built cheaper than it was paid for.
The seven red flags
1. “We’ll take care of your deductible”
Colorado’s roofing contractor law (C.R.S. 6-22-105) bars a roofer paid from an insurance claim from advertising or promising to pay, waive or rebate any part of your deductible. If a roofer does it anyway, your insurer can disregard that contractor’s estimate, and you or the insurer can sue the contractor for damages. The “rebate” is often disguised as an advertising fee or a yard-sign discount. It is the same thing. Our Senate Bill 38 article explains the history.
2. A “free” Class 4 upgrade
Impact-rated shingles cost more than standard ones. An insurer pays to restore the roof you had, not to upgrade it. When a contractor says the upgrade is free, the difference has to come from somewhere: the deductible, skipped flashing or ventilation, cheaper labor, or an invoice that does not match the work. If you want an impact-rated roof, ask for the upgrade as its own priced line. Our Class 4 shingle comparison explains what the rating means.
3. A salesman with no license
PPRBD makes it a code violation to advertise or contract for work that needs a permit without the proper license, and licenses are not shared or reciprocated. In 2016 we were approached by sellers who had signed homeowners without a license and wanted us to install the jobs under ours. We said no. Ask whose license the permit will be pulled under, and check it.
4. Materials before the permit
In PPRBD’s jurisdiction, stocking shingles on the driveway or roof counts as starting the job. Doing it before the permit is issued brings a triple permit fee and a stop work order. A pallet that shows up the morning after you sign is a warning, not a sign of service.
5. Crews nobody supervises
After a large storm, some companies hire installers and sellers from out of state who do not know local rules such as PPRBD’s ice barrier requirement on homes above 7,000 feet. Ask who supervises your roof, whether the crew works for the company, and who comes back if it leaks. We do not staff up with seasonal storm crews; our own crews work under a superintendent.
6. Pressure to break a signed contract
Some door knockers target homes with another company’s yard sign and promise a better deal if you walk away. Colorado gives you 72 hours after signing to cancel for a full deposit refund. After that, breaking the contract can cost you. Decide before you sign, then honor the decision.
7. Money up front
Colorado law requires the contract to state, in bold, that the contractor holds your payment in trust until materials are delivered or most of the work is done. A roofer who wants the whole insurance check endorsed over on day one is asking you to carry the risk.
What to do instead
Run the 15-minute legitimacy check, follow the seven steps to choose a roofer, and if the knocking will not stop, put up our no-soliciting sign for roofers. The same tactics show up north of us; see what happened when storm crews hit Castle Rock.
The local alternative
Integrity Roofing and Painting is veteran-owned and family-run since 1990, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor with 650+ Google reviews, at 115 N Union Blvd. You pay your own deductible with us, the claim stays yours, and we make sure nothing gets missed in the scope. Call (719) 488-2800 or book a free hail inspection; we reach out the same business day.
Sources: C.R.S. 6-22-103, 6-22-104 and 6-22-105 (unofficial reproduction); Pikes Peak Regional Building Department, Roofing Contractors: Common Licensing Questions and Reroofing Guidelines (rev. 03/05/2024).
