Why vetting a roofer matters more in Texas
Texas is one of the few states that doesn't require a state-issued license to work as a roofer. Legally, almost anyone can put "roofing contractor" on a truck door. That's not automatically a problem, since plenty of honest crews operate without a formal license, but it does mean there's no licensing board doing the background check for you. Hail season makes this worse: every storm brings a wave of unfamiliar trucks into DFW neighborhoods, some legitimate and some not. If a crew showed up at your door right after a storm, our guide on spotting a storm-chaser scam covers that specific situation. This guide is for the broader question: how do you vet anyone, storm-related or not, before they touch your roof?
Check licensing, registration, and insurance first
RCAT, the Roofing Contractors Association of Texas, is the closest thing the state has to a professional roofing credential, and it's voluntary. Manufacturer certification from brands like Owens Corning or CertainTeed is another signal worth asking about, since manufacturers vet installers before certifying them. Some cities add their own layer: Garland, for example, requires roofers pulling permits above a set cost threshold to register as a general contractor with the city. See our breakdown of Garland's permit and registration rules if that's your city.
Insurance matters just as much as credentials. Ask for current certificates of general liability and workers' compensation, then call the insurance carrier listed on the certificate to confirm the policy is still active. A roofer with nothing to hide will not mind the extra step, and it protects you if someone gets hurt on your property.
Ask who's actually doing the work, and get the warranty in writing
Some companies send their own trained crew. Others subcontract the labor to whoever is available that week. Neither answer disqualifies a contractor on its own, but you want to know which one you're getting and who to call if something goes wrong after the job is done.
Then get the warranty in writing, as two separate things. A labor or workmanship warranty comes from the contractor and covers installation mistakes, like loose flashing or improper nailing, for a set number of years. A manufacturer's warranty comes from the shingle maker and covers material defects separately, often for decades. If a roofer only offers a verbal promise on either one, treat that as a gap, not a formality.
Get a written, itemized estimate, and don't compare on price alone
A trustworthy estimate spells out the material brand and line, the scope of work, tear-off and disposal, and a start and finish date. A single total number tells you none of that. Two quotes with the same bottom-line price can cover very different jobs. If you're down to two or three bids and trying to make sense of why they differ, our guide on comparing roofing estimates walks through the line items that actually explain the gap.
Verify reputation across more than one platform
A single star rating on one site doesn't tell you much. Check the company's Better Business Bureau accreditation status, and look at reviews on more than one platform rather than relying on whichever one the company links from its homepage. Ask for two or three references from jobs completed in the last year, and actually call them. A roofer confident in their work will hand those numbers over without hesitation.
Green flags vs. red flags at a glance
| What to check | Green flag | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Address | Fixed local address you can visit | Out of state or unverifiable |
| Insurance | Certificates you can confirm with the carrier | "Don't worry about it," or no paperwork |
| Warranty | Written labor warranty, separate from the manufacturer's | Verbal promise only |
| Payment | Reasonable deposit, balance due on completion | Full payment demanded up front |
None of these alone makes or breaks a decision, but a contractor who lands on the green side of all four is one you can move forward with confidently. Benchmark has worked out of the same Garland address since 2008, carries RCAT licensing, BBB A+ accreditation, and NRCA membership, and backs every roof replacement and roof repair with a 5-year written labor warranty. We serve Garland and the surrounding DFW area, and we're happy to be the second opinion you check our answers against.