How to Hire a Roofer in Wisconsin
To hire a roofer in Wisconsin, get more than one written estimate from contractors who come out to see your roof, check their state credential and proof of insurance, and sign a written contract before any money changes hands. In the Hudson area, also confirm who pulls the permit, because the rules change from town to town.
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What to Check Before Hiring a Roofer in Hudson
Before hiring a roofer in Hudson, check that the business holds Wisconsin's Dwelling Contractor certification if it will pull a permit, that it can show proof of liability insurance, and that everything it promises is written into a signed contract. Those three checks cover most of what goes wrong when a reroof goes badly.
Wisconsin has no roofing-specific license, so "Are you licensed?" is the wrong question on its own. What the state requires, and how permits work in each town around Hudson, is laid out in does Wisconsin require a roofing license?
Before you sign
Credential, insurance, contract
Ask for all three in writing before any work or payment.
How to Hire a Roofer in Hudson, Step by Step
Hiring a roofer in Hudson goes in this order: find names you trust, get written estimates from roofers who visit, check credentials and insurance, then sign a full written contract and pay against lien waivers. Each step gives you something on paper you can hold the roofer to.
- 1
Ask People You Trust for Names
Friends, neighbors and your insurance agent are a safer source of names than a crew knocking on doors after a storm.
- 2
Get More Than One Written Estimate
Make sure each roofer looks at the roof in person rather than pricing it over the phone, and be wary of one estimate far below the rest.
- 3
Check the Credential
Search the business on the state's credential lookup for a current Dwelling Contractor certification.
- 4
Get Proof of Insurance
Ask for a certificate of liability insurance, and workers' compensation where it applies, before anyone climbs onto your roof.
- 5
Sign a Complete Written Contract
It should name the work, the materials by make and grade, the total price, start and finish dates and the warranty, and you get a signed copy before work starts.
- 6
Pay Against Lien Waivers
Get a lien waiver for every payment, keep every receipt, and have the building inspector check the finished work before your final payment where a permit was pulled.
Red Flags When Hiring a Roofing Contractor in Wisconsin
The clearest red flags when hiring a roofing contractor in Wisconsin are an offer to pay your insurance deductible, an offer to negotiate your claim for you, and a crew that turns up uninvited after a storm. The first two are against Wisconsin law, and the third is the pattern the state warns homeowners about after storms.
- Offers to pay, rebate or discount away any part of your insurance deductible
- Offers to act for you or negotiate with your insurance company on your claim
- No written statement asking whether the job is tied to an insurance claim before you sign
- No cancellation form attached to the contract
- A price given over the phone without anyone looking at the roof
- An estimate far below every other one you got
- Asks for money before the work is finished with no written contract
- Claims to work for a government agency or another organization it is not part of
- A traveling crew asking to come inside your home
Had a storm crew knock on your Hudson door?
Call us for a second look at the roof before you sign anything with them.
How to Tell If a Roofer Is Lying to You
You can tell if a roofer is lying by checking what they say against what Wisconsin law and your own paperwork say, because the most common false claims are about the law itself. A roofer who misstates your rights on day one is unlikely to keep the promises that are not written down.
What You Might Hear
- "We'll take care of your deductible."
- "Let us deal with your insurance company for you."
- "Once you sign, you can't back out."
- "You need a state roofing license, and we have one."
- "No need for a contract, we'll settle up at the end."
What Wisconsin Law Says
- A contractor may not pay or rebate any part of your deductible.
- A contractor may not negotiate your claim, though with your consent they may discuss the damage and send an estimate to your insurer.
- If insurance is paying and the claim is denied in whole or in part, you can cancel until midnight of the third business day after you get the written denial.
- There is no roofing license; the credential is the Dwelling Contractor certification, which you can look up.
- A written contract is required when any payment is due before the work is finished.
When you do cancel under that right, the contractor must return your payments within 10 days, keeping only the reasonable value of any emergency work you agreed to in writing.
What to Ask a Roofer When Getting a Quote in Hudson
When getting a roof quote in Hudson, ask who pulls the permit, what insurance they carry, whether the old roof comes off, exactly which materials go on, when the work starts and finishes, and what the warranty covers. Each answer should end up written into the estimate or contract.
Who Pulls the Permit?
If your town requires one, the contractor who pulls it must hold the Dwelling Contractor certification.
Can I See Your Insurance?
Ask for a certificate of liability insurance, and workers' compensation where it applies.
Tear-Off or Layover?
Wisconsin allows two layers at most, so ask how many your roof has and whether the quote includes tearing them off.
What Happens If the Decking Is Bad?
Ask how rotten sheathing found during tear-off is handled and priced.
Which Materials, Exactly?
The contract should name the shingle and other main products by make and grade.
What Does the Warranty Cover?
Ask what the workmanship warranty covers and for how long, and get it in writing.
What goes into a written quote from us, and how we put one together, is set out under roof estimates in Hudson.
Why Proof of Insurance Protects You If a Roofer Gets Hurt
Proof of insurance protects you because Wisconsin warns homeowners that if their contractor does not carry the bond or insurance the law requires, the homeowner may be liable for injury or damage to others and may be unable to collect damages from the contractor. That warning is part of the statement an owner signs when pulling a building permit.
Wisconsin also requires that when a contractor promises insurance or similar protection, the contract states its terms and the contractor shows proof before your final payment. Asking for the certificate before work starts is simpler, and for questions about your own liability, talk to your insurance agent or a lawyer.
Before anyone climbs up
Ask for the certificate
A current certificate of liability insurance from the business doing the work.
Want to see our proof of insurance before we quote?
Ask Hudson Roofing Pros for it when you call or send the form.
How We Work When You Hire Hudson Roofing Pros
When you hire Hudson Roofing Pros, the same team handles your roof from the first inspection to the final cleanup, with no revolving door of salespeople and subcontractors. We are a local, family-owned company serving Hudson and western Wisconsin since 2016, and our owner, Garrett Olson, personally oversees every project.
Erin Olson, our office manager, handles scheduling, estimates and invoices, so you have one person to call with questions. There is no pressure and no runaround, and if your roof may not need replacing yet, it helps to know how long a roof lasts in western Wisconsin before you start collecting quotes for a roof replacement.
Hiring a Roofer in Wisconsin FAQs
What Should You Check Before Hiring a Roofer?
Before hiring a roofer, check their Dwelling Contractor certification on the state lookup, get proof of liability insurance, and get a written contract listing the work, materials, price, dates and warranty.
Can a Roofer Sue Me If He Falls Off My Roof?
Wisconsin does not give a simple answer to that, but it does warn homeowners that if their contractor lacks the bond or insurance the law requires, the homeowner may be liable for injury or damage to others and may be unable to collect damages from the contractor. Ask for proof of insurance before work starts, and ask a lawyer about your own situation.
What Are Red Flags When Hiring a Contractor?
The main red flags when hiring a contractor are offers to cover your deductible, offers to negotiate your insurance claim, prices given without seeing the roof, an estimate far below the others, and no written contract.
Can a Roofer Pay My Insurance Deductible in Wisconsin?
No, a roofer cannot pay or rebate any part of your insurance deductible in Wisconsin, and that includes discounts, gifts, credits or referral fees offered in its place.
How Many Roofing Estimates Should I Get?
Get more than one written estimate, each from a roofer who has looked at your roof in person, and be wary of any price far below the others.
Get a roof replacement estimate
Call Hudson Roofing Pros or send the form, and we will look at your roof and give you a written estimate you can compare with any other.
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