What To Look For In A Contractor: 5 Checks Before You Hire

Choosing a contractor shouldn’t feel like a gamble—yet after a storm or when a big project looms, your phone fills with pitches, timelines blur, and “too-good-to-be-true” numbers start to look tempting. The wrong hire can cost you in change orders, missed inspections, denied insurance claims, or a roof that won’t last a season. Add the stress of permits, warranties, and who’s actually on your roof, and it’s easy to second-guess every decision.

This guide cuts through the noise with five practical checks you can run before you sign anything. You’ll learn how to quickly vet a local pro you can verify, confirm licensing and insurance (and who pulls permits), compare apples-to-apples estimates and schedules, validate real references and active jobsites, and lock down a clear contract with fair payments, lien releases, and solid warranties. If you’re a Colorado homeowner—especially navigating hail claims—we’ll note local nuances along the way, so you can move forward confidently and protect your home and budget.

1. Start with a trusted local pro you can vet easily (Semper Fi Restoration in Northern Colorado)

Before anything else, decide if the company is real, local, and accountable. If you’re wondering what to look for in a contractor, start with proximity and proof. Northern Colorado homeowners can quickly vet a nearby pro like Semper Fi Restoration—veteran-owned, active in Brighton and the Greater Denver metro—so you know who’s on your roof and who stands behind the work.

What this check covers

This check focuses on a verifiable local footprint and track record you can confirm fast—crucial after hail or wind events when out‑of‑state storm chasers appear.

• Local presence: Office, trucks, crews working in your city.


• Track record: Recent projects you can drive by and inspect.


• Responsiveness: Clear communication and realistic scheduling.

How to verify it

A few quick steps can separate reliable locals from fly‑bys.

• Confirm address and phone: Look for a physical office and local number.


• Ask for three nearby references: Recent jobs in Brighton, Thornton, Longmont, etc.


• Visit an active jobsite: Check cleanliness, safety, and supervision.


• Check complaint history: Review BBB or local consumer protection records.

Red flags

If you see these, pause.

• Door‑to‑door pressure after a storm


• No recent local references or jobsites


• Can “start tomorrow” with rock‑bottom pricing


• Cash‑only demands or vague paperwork


• Reluctance to handle or discuss permits

Pro tip for Colorado homeowners

Good contractors are often booked out a bit—especially during hail season—so a short wait can be a green flag. Choose a team that knows Colorado insurance claims and installs impact‑resistant options; Semper Fi offers free roof assessments and helps document hail damage so your claim and scope stay on track.

2. Confirm licensing, insurance, and who pulls permits

When you’re deciding what to look for in a contractor, this is the non‑negotiable check. Proper licensing, real insurance, and clear responsibility for permits protect your home, your wallet, and your claim if there’s storm damage. A reputable pro will volunteer this info without hesitation.

What this check covers

You’re verifying that the company is qualified, covered, and accountable for code compliance from day one through final inspection.

• Licensing (as required): Active license/registration for the trade and municipality; bonding where required.


• Insurance: Current general liability and workers’ compensation to cover property damage and on‑site injuries.


• Permits: The contractor, not the homeowner, obtains permits and schedules inspections.

How to verify it

Ask for documents and verify them with the source—don’t take screenshots or promises at face value.

• License/registration numbers: Confirm with your city/county building department or state database that status is active and in good standing.


• Certificate of Insurance (COI): Request GL and workers’ comp certificates; have the insurer email you a COI listing you as the certificate holder.


• Permitting in writing: Your contract should state the contractor pulls permits; ask for the permit number once issued.

Red flags

If any of these pop up, keep shopping.

• “We don’t need a permit” or pressure to skip/avoid inspections.


• No COI or license on request, or excuses about “pending paperwork.”


• Asking you to pull an owner‑permit to shift liability to you.

Pro tip for Colorado homeowners

After hail, permitting offices can backlog. A solid local contractor will build inspection time into your timeline, pull the permit under their company name, and provide the permit number up front—key for smooth insurance approvals and a stress‑free final sign‑off.

3. Compare detailed, apples-to-apples estimates and timelines

Once you’ve found candidates, the next step in what to look for in a contractor is clarity. You can’t compare bids if each one defines the job differently. Require written, line‑item estimates and realistic schedules so you’re evaluating scope, specs, and time—not salesmanship.

What this check covers

You’re standardizing scope, materials, labor, and dates so each proposal answers the same question.

• Defined scope: Tear‑off vs. overlay, decking repairs, ventilation, flashing, gutters.


• Materials/specs: Brand, product line, underlayment, ice/water shield, drip edge.


• Price breakdown: Materials, labor, disposal, permit fees, overhead/profit.


• Timeline: Start date range, duration, inspection milestones, cleanup.


• Change orders: How surprises are priced and approved.

How to verify it

Ask every bidder to price the same playbook. If needed, send a one‑page spec sheet to level the field.

• Demand itemization: Line items with quantities; name brands/models where possible.


• Ask for inclusions/exclusions: Decking repairs per sheet, code upgrades, contingencies.


• Check math and structure: Materials often ~40% of cost; overhead/profit commonly 15–20% (per This Old House guidance).


• Get a calendar: A simple milestone schedule with permit and inspection time baked in.


• Use a simple rule: Comparable = Scope + Specs + Schedule + Price

Red flags

• Vague lump‑sum with no detail on materials or disposal.


• Unusually low bid compared to the pack (often means corner‑cutting or change‑order traps).


• No permit/inspection time in the schedule.


• Missing code items(ice/water shield, flashing, ventilation).


• Pressure to “decide today” to lock a special price.

Pro tip for Colorado homeowners

For hail claims, ask the contractor to mirror your insurer’s scope line‑for‑line and note any needed code upgrades. To keep estimates truly apples‑to‑apples, specify Class 4 impact‑resistant shingles, underlayment type, and flashing details—and build in time for permit backlogs during peak storm season.

4. Check real references, reviews, and active jobsites

If you’re serious about what to look for in a contractor, don’t stop at star ratings. You want proof—names you can call, roofs you can see, and a current jobsite you can visit. This is where polished sales talk gives way to documented results, real communication, and workmanship you can verify in the field.

What this check covers

You’re confirming the company consistently delivers quality and stands behind it when things change mid‑project.

• Recent references: Homeowners from the past 6–12 months you can contact.


• Balanced reviews: A pattern of reliability across platforms (not just a few perfect scores).


• Active jobsite: Clean, safe, organized work with visible supervision.


• Past work quality: Finished projects you can drive by and inspect curbside.

How to verify it

Ask for specifics and follow through. Word‑of‑mouth and firsthand viewing are the strongest signals.

• Request three references and call them; ask about timeliness, communication, quality, and how changes were handled (per industry checklists).


• Scan reviews for patterns, not one‑offs; be cautious—some online reviews can be biased or fake.


• Check BBB/consumer records for complaint history and resolutions.


• Visit a current jobsite to observe cleanliness, organization, and crew demeanor (a This Old House–recommended step).

Red flags

• Reluctance to provide references or “we don’t share client info.”


• Only vague, out‑of‑area reviews with no recent local projects.


• No active jobsites to visit or unwillingness to name recent addresses.


• References won’t call you back or mention missed timelines and poor communication.

Pro tip for Colorado homeowners

Ask for three addresses in your city (Brighton, Thornton, Longmont, etc.) from this year’s hail season and drive by. Look for tidy sites, proper protection of landscaping, and consistent details at edges and flashing. Visiting an active jobsite during peak season also reveals how a contractor manages schedule pressure without cutting corners.

5. Get a clear contract, fair payments, lien releases, and warranties

When you boil down what to look for in a contractor, the contract is where promises become protection. This is your blueprint for scope, price, timeline, permits, cleanup, changes, and what happens if things go sideways. Tight paperwork prevents surprise charges, protects you from liens, and makes sure workmanship and manufacturer warranties are more than just words.

What this check covers

• Written scope and specs: Materials, brands, code items, cleanup, and protections.


• Permits and inspections: Contractor pulls permits and schedules all inspections.


• Milestone-based payments: Modest deposit; progress payments tied to work complete.


• Lien protection: Lien releases from subs and suppliers with each payment.


• Warranties: Workmanship and manufacturer terms, coverage, and claim process in writing.

How to verify it

• Request a full draft contract before signing; confirm inclusions/exclusions and change-order process.


• Tie payments to milestones; avoid large upfront demands. Some pros recommend 10% at signing, then progress draws, with a final holdback at completion.


• Require lien releases with each draw and a final “paid in full” receipt.


• Confirm permits in writing and ask for the permit number once issued.


• Collect warranty documents and who to contact for service or claims.

Red flags

• No detailed written contract or only a vague “proposal.”


• Cash-only or large upfront payment or full payment before work.


• “You pull the permit” or pressure to skip permits/inspections.


• Refuses lien waivers or says “you don’t need them.”


• Blank lines/vague allowances and no documented change-order policy.

Pro tip for Colorado homeowners

During hail season, make the contract mirror the insurer’s scope line‑by‑line, note required code upgrades, and build in permit/inspection time. Keep the permit number, inspection sign‑offs, lien releases, warranty docs, and a final “paid in full” receipt together—crucial for claims and future resale.

Make a confident hire

Now you know what to look for in a contractor: local proof, licensing/insurance and permits, apples‑to‑apples bids, real references, and a written contract with fair payments, lien releases, and warranties. Run these five checks and you’ll hire with confidence, even in hail season. If you’re in the Denver–Northern Colorado area, get started with a trusted local pro—book a free roof assessment with Semper Fi Restoration and move forward with clarity.