Your Guide to Choosing the Right Houston Roofer
Your roof is one of the largest single purchases you will make on your home, and in Texas there is no state licence to check before you hand the job to someone. That makes the checking your responsibility.
This is the checklist we would give a member of our own family. Seven steps, in order, with what to ask for at each one. Work through it with whoever you are considering — including us.
96%
of roofing contractors go out of business within five years, according to Small Business Administration figures.
Which is why the length of a workmanship warranty matters far less than whether the company offering it will still exist to honor it. A 25-year contractor warranty from a two-year-old company is a piece of paper.
The Seven-Step Checklist
Research local companies
Search for roofers in your area and start with the ones who have actually been here a while. A local company knows Houston building codes, knows what the heat does to a roof, and can be found again if something goes wrong two years later.
- Minimum five years in businessTen or more is better in this market
- A Better Business Bureau listingEven if not accredited — the listing itself matters
- A physical address you can drive toNot a PO box and not a phone number that forwards
Key insight: if a roofing company is not listed with the Better Business Bureau at all, it may not be properly registered with the Texas Secretary of State. That is worth knowing before you hand over a deposit.
Verify insurance — there is no licence to check
Texas does not license roofing contractors. There is no state register, no licence number, and no official body that has vetted anyone. Any contractor implying otherwise is either mistaken or hoping you are. What you can and should verify is insurance.
- Certificate of InsuranceMust show both workers' compensation and general liability
- Call the insurance agentVerify the policy is active. A certificate is a piece of paper; a phone call is proof
- Write checks to the companyNever to an individual. This is how homeowners lose money to people impersonating contractors
- Request a notarized Unconditional Waiver of LienBefore final payment. It protects you if the contractor fails to pay their own suppliers
Why the workers' comp matters: if an uninsured worker is injured on your roof, that can become your liability. Hiring a registered company rather than an individual is the protection. This is general information, not legal advice.
Read the reviews properly
Volume of reviews matters less than what they say. Look for reviews that describe an actual job — the problem, what was done, how it went — rather than a sentence of praise that could apply to anyone.
- Look for specific project detail"They fixed our pipe boot leak" tells you more than "great service"
- Read the critical onesHow a company answers a one-star review says more than fifty five-star ones
- Check more than one platformGoogle, BBB and the manufacturer's own directory
Spotting fabricated reviews: a burst of reviews in a short period, consistent and unnatural phrasing across several reviews, no specific project details, and reviewer profiles with no other activity. If a testimonial on a company's own website names a person and a city you cannot verify anywhere else, treat it as marketing copy.
Compare quotes, not totals
Two quotes with the same total can be very different roofs. The only way to compare is line by line, which is exactly why some contractors give you a single number.
- Shingle brand and product line by nameNot "architectural shingles"
- Underlayment and leak barrier specifiedAnd where each is being installed
- Labor and materials broken outLabor is typically 50 to 60 percent of the bill
- A stated decking allowancePer sheet or per area, so a surprise is not a blank cheque
- Compliance with manufacturer specificationWhich is what keeps the warranty valid
A warning worth taking seriously: be careful of any contractor offering "second-hand" or manufacturer-rejected materials at a discount. Verify materials are factory-new. Rejected stock voids the manufacturer warranty entirely.
Understand the warranty, and who backs it
There are two kinds of roofing warranty and they are not equivalent. A manufacturer-backed warranty is honored by the manufacturer whether or not your contractor still exists. A contractor warranty is only as good as the company behind it — and 96 percent of them are gone within five years.
- GAF CertifiedBasic requirements met
- GAF Master EliteRoughly the top 2% of US contractors — rigorous verification, and required to register the strongest warranties
- Owens Corning PreferredEntry-level certification
- Owens Corning PlatinumHighest level, extensive verification
Always get warranty documentation in writing. Verbal promises have no legal weight, and the warranty tier should be named on the estimate before you sign. How the tiers compare
Look at their actual work
A portfolio on a website proves nothing about who did the work. Ask for addresses.
- Request addresses of homes with your shingle colorThen drive past and look
- Assess the work from the streetStraight courses, clean valleys, tidy flashing
- Speak to previous customersAsk what went wrong, not what went right — every job has something
- Verify they actually did the jobPhotographs are easy to borrow
Practical tip: seeing your chosen shingle color on a real house in real Houston light is worth more than any sample board. Colors look completely different on a roof plane than in your hand.
Get the contract right
Everything agreed verbally should appear in the contract. If it is not written down, it does not exist — and that cuts both ways.
- Full scope of workIncluding tear-off, how many layers, and disposal
- Materials by name and quantityNot category descriptions
- Start and completion datesAnd what happens if weather delays them
- Payment schedule in writingIncluding exactly what is due before work begins
- Warranty terms and tierManufacturer and workmanship, stated separately
- Cancellation rightsTexas gives you three business days to cancel a contract signed at your home
On payment: we ask for nothing upfront — 50% when the crew arrives and starts work, 50% on completion. Be cautious with anyone wanting a large deposit before materials are on site, and never pay in full in advance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do roofing contractors need a licence in Texas?
No. Texas does not license roofing contractors. There is no state register to check and no licence number to verify, which is why the burden of vetting falls on the homeowner. What you can verify is general liability insurance and workers' compensation — ask for the certificate, and call the agent to confirm the policy is active.
What is an Unconditional Waiver of Lien and why do I need one?
It is a notarized document confirming the contractor has been paid and waives any right to place a lien on your property. Request one before final payment. Without it, if your contractor fails to pay their own suppliers or subcontractors, those parties can place a lien on your home even though you paid the contractor in full.
How can I tell if a roofing company's reviews are fake?
Look for a burst of reviews in a short period, consistent and unnatural phrasing across several reviews, and a lack of specific project detail. Genuine reviews describe an actual job. Also check the critical ones — how a company answers a one-star review tells you more than fifty five-star ones.
How many roofing quotes should I get?
At least three, and compare them line by line rather than by total. Two quotes with the same number can be very different roofs. What makes them comparable is the shingle named by brand and line, the underlayment and leak barrier specified, labor and materials broken out, and a stated decking allowance.
What is the difference between a manufacturer warranty and a contractor warranty?
A manufacturer-backed warranty is honored by the manufacturer whether or not your contractor still exists. A contractor warranty is only as good as the company behind it — and Small Business Administration figures suggest 96% of roofing contractors close within five years. Always get the warranty tier named in writing.
How much deposit should a roofer ask for?
Be cautious of any contractor wanting a large deposit before materials are on site, and never pay in full in advance. JC&C asks for nothing upfront — 50% when the crew arrives and starts work, 50% on completion. Always write checks to the company rather than to an individual.
Run this checklist on us
Every step above, applied to JC&C, with sources you can check yourself.
- BBBA+ rated, accredited 2014, no complaints since 2013
- GAF Master EliteVerify on GAF's own directory
- Google reviews4.8 from over 400 — read the critical ones
- Thirteen yearsFamily-owned since 2013, two offices you can visit
Google 
Yelp 
Angie's List 
Home Advisor 
Ready for Your Houston Roofing Project?
Free inspection, photographs of everything we find, an itemized estimate, and nothing to sign on the day. If you are outside our service area, use the checklist above with whoever you do hire.
After your claim is approved · 26 roofing questions · Compare packages · Financing
Since we asked you to ask
Our Answers to Our Own Ten Questions
It would be poor form to hand you a list of questions and dodge them. Take these to the other two contractors as well.
And check us the way we told you to check anyone
Sources we do not control.
Want us to be one of your three?
Free inspection, an itemised written estimate, and the answers above in writing. No obligation, and no pressure to sign anything on the day.
Also useful: how Texas claims work · storm damage repair · roof replacement
JC&C Roofing Company · 1431 Graham Dr #266, Tomball, TX 77375 · 1220 Blalock Rd #345, Houston, TX 77055 · hello@jccroofing.com