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Questions to ask before you hire a roofer in Dallas

A spring hailstorm that leaves dented vents and bruised shingles, a tarp after high winds, or a worn-out roof on a 1950s house in a conservation district — Dallas roofing jobs start from the same fact as anywhere in Texas: the state doesn’t license roofers. Inside Dallas city limits, though, the City adds its own layer: roofing contractors must register with the City, home repair contractors need a City license, a re-roof needs a permit with a final inspection that won’t pass without proof the old roof went to a Dallas landfill or transfer station, and door-to-door solicitors need a police-issued permit. Use these questions to compare Dallas roofers on registration, permit practice, and a written scope, not just on who knocked first after the storm.

Questions to ask

1. Are you registered with the City of Dallas as a roofing contractor, and do you hold a City of Dallas home repair license?

Why it matters: Texas has no state license for roofers (RCAT: Selecting a roofing contractor), but the City of Dallas lists “roof contractor” among the contractors that must hold a City registration, and an unregistered contractor in that category can’t get the permits the job requires. Registrants must keep an established place of business at a permanent location, and residential contractors who remodel single-family or duplex homes need a current City home repair license to register (Dallas City Code ch. 52 (PDF), §§1101–1103). Separately, Dallas’s home repair ordinance defines home repair to include roofs and bars anyone without a home repair license from doing, agreeing to do, or advertising home repair for pay, with narrow exemptions such as a contractor’s employees (Dallas City Code §§50-131–50-135). The City is explicit that registration “makes no statement of the technical competency” of a registrant, so treat it as a floor, not a quality rating. Ask for the registration number, look the company up with DallasNow’s “Search for a Licensee” tool (DallasNow), and call the Code Compliance Consumer Protection Unit, which regulates home repair licenses, if you can’t confirm the license (City of Dallas: Consumer Protection).

2. Where is your Dallas-area office, who can I call for references, and can I see current liability and workers’ compensation certificates?

Why it matters: With no state roofing license, the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) says to verify the roofer’s name, address, phone number, and references, and to be wary of a company that isn’t established or only has out-of-state references (TDI: Repairing my roof after a storm (PDF)). It suggests using local companies when possible, checking the Better Business Bureau, and asking for the certificate of insurance and calling the insurers listed to confirm coverage (TDI: Signs of a contracting scam). Roofers in Texas can legally work without insurance, and the Roofing Contractors Association of Texas (RCAT) warns that if an uninsured roofer damages your property or a worker is hurt, you can end up responsible. RCAT also runs a voluntary, industry-managed “license” program; it’s a useful signal, but it isn’t a government license (RCAT: Selecting a roofing contractor). The City of Dallas also suggests researching any company before you hire it and lists local contractor associations as a starting point (City of Dallas: Single-family storm FAQs).

3. Will you pull the City of Dallas roofing permit before the new roof goes on, and when is the final inspection?

Why it matters: The Dallas code says new roof coverings must not be applied without first getting a permit, and a final inspection and approval are required when the re-roof is complete. The only reroofing exempt from a permit is work that doesn’t exceed the equivalent of two roofing squares (a roofing square is 100 square feet) (Dallas City Code ch. 52 (PDF), §§301.2.1, 301.4.6.3). After a storm, the City says no permit is needed for temporary measures such as tarps, a roofing permit covers damage to shingles and decking, and damage to roof joists or rafters requires a building permit instead (City of Dallas: Storm damage repair info). In DallasNow, a general contractor has to create the roofing permit application (DallasNow terminology guide (PDF)), and the code puts the duty on the owner, agent, or lessee to make sure permits are obtained by properly qualified people before work starts (Dallas City Code ch. 52 (PDF), §301.1.3). Irving, Garland, Mesquite, Richardson, Plano, and other nearby cities have their own building departments, so check which city your address is in. Get the permit number before the tear-off starts.

4. Where will the old roof be hauled, and will you give me the landfill or transfer-station receipt?

Why it matters: This is a Dallas-specific rule many homeowners never hear about. A City of Dallas reroofing permit application must list the sites that will be used to dispose of the reroofing debris, and no final inspection or approval can be given until proof that the debris was disposed of at a City of Dallas landfill or transfer station is submitted to the building official (Dallas City Code ch. 52 (PDF), §301.4.6.3). A roofer who dumps shingles elsewhere can leave you with a permit that never gets finaled. Ask where the dumpster is going, put disposal in the contract, and ask for a copy of the disposal receipt along with the final inspection result. The City’s storm FAQ also says dumpsters aren’t allowed to be parked in the City of Dallas right-of-way (City of Dallas: Single-family storm FAQs), so ask where it will sit.

5. Is my house in a historic district, conservation district, or planned development district, and will you handle that approval?

Why it matters: The City says exterior work on property in a City-designated historic district requires an approved certificate of appropriateness before work begins, and conservation districts have their own work review form; these districts, along with planned development districts, can carry requirements beyond the normal permit exemptions (City of Dallas: Building Inspection FAQs). The code also says a permit exemption doesn’t authorize work that needs a conservation-district work authorization or historic-district certificate of appropriateness (Dallas City Code ch. 52 (PDF), §301.3). If you’re changing the roof material or color in one of these districts, ask the roofer whether they’ve worked through that review before and build the approval time into the schedule. You can check your zoning on the City’s online zoning map, as the FAQ explains.

6. Are you tearing off to the deck or putting a new layer over the old roof, and how many layers are up there now?

Why it matters: Dallas adopted the 2021 International Residential Code with Dallas amendments, effective May 12, 2023 (City of Dallas: Current construction codes). Under that code, a roof replacement means removing the existing layers down to the deck. A new layer over the old one is allowed only if the result is no more than two roof coverings in total, and never over a roof that is water-soaked or too deteriorated to serve as a base, or over slate, clay, cement, or asbestos-cement tile (Dallas Residential Code 2021, Chapter 9, R908, via UpCodes). An overlay costs less up front but hides the deck, so ask the roofer to say in writing how many layers they found, whether they got on the roof, and why they recommend one approach. Two bids that differ here aren’t quoting the same job.

7. If the decking is damaged, how will you price it, and which shingles, underlayment, and flashing are you using for North Texas hail and wind?

Why it matters: TDI recommends inspecting the decking once the old roof is off, replacing damaged decking, and making sure the deck is securely nailed to the framing; if you can see nails along the sides of the rafters or trusses in the attic, the deck may not be fastened well. TDI notes that Texas roofs face high winds and hail, and suggests products tested to ASTM D 3161 with a wind rating of 110 mph or higher, UL 2218 Class 4 impact-resistant products, heavier underlayment, self-adhering strips over deck joints as a secondary water barrier, and properly installed flashing and vents, where many leaks start (TDI: Questions to ask your contractor before roofing). TDI also says to ask your insurance agent whether certain roof products qualify for a discount (TDI: Repairing my roof after a storm (PDF)). Get a per-sheet price for deck replacement, photos of damaged decking before it’s replaced, and the shingle brand, product line, and ratings in writing.

8. Will you give me a written contract with start and end dates, the Texas disclosure statement, and your subcontractor and supplier list before work starts?

Why it matters: Dallas’s home repair ordinance requires a contractor, on any job above a low dollar threshold, to give you a written contract before work begins with the contractor’s name and address, approximate beginning and ending dates, a description of the work and materials, and the price plus other charges such as taxes, permit fees, and materials, and to give you a written memorandum of any changes before the job is finished (Dallas City Code §50-142). Texas law adds that the contractor on a residential job must give you a “Know Your Rights and Responsibilities” disclosure statement before you sign and a list of subcontractors and suppliers before work starts, and, if the house is your homestead, a contractor’s lien requires a written contract signed before the work begins, by both spouses if you’re married, and filed with the county clerk (Texas Property Code ch. 53, §§53.254–53.256). Ask for tear-off, disposal, deck pricing, cleanup, and both the manufacturer and workmanship warranties in the contract; TDI notes that most manufacturer warranties are prorated (TDI: Questions to ask your contractor before roofing).

9. How do you want to be paid, and will I get a final bills-paid affidavit and lien releases?

Why it matters: TDI says to pay by check or credit card rather than cash, to be wary of a roofer who wants money before materials are on site, and not to make the final payment until all the work is finished (TDI: Signs of a contracting scam; TDI: Repairing my roof after a storm (PDF)). Texas law also tells the owner to hold back 10 percent of the contract price until 30 days after the work is complete, requires the contractor to give you a final bills-paid affidavit as a condition of final payment, and makes lien waivers unenforceable unless they’re on the statutory forms; an unconditional waiver can only be required once the payment has actually been received (Texas Property Code ch. 53, §§53.101, 53.259, 53.281–53.284). In Dallas, tie the final payment to the passed final inspection, which itself depends on the debris-disposal proof.

10. This is a hail or wind insurance claim — will your contract include the deductible notice, and will you stay out of negotiating my claim?

Why it matters: Texas requires a contract that’s expected to be paid from a property insurance claim, above a small dollar threshold, to include a boldface notice that you must pay your deductible. A seller who pays, waives, absorbs, or rebates your deductible, or helps you avoid it, without your insurer’s consent commits a Class B misdemeanor (Texas Bus. & Com. Code §27.02), and your insurer can ask for proof that you paid it before releasing withheld depreciation (Texas Insurance Code ch. 707; TDI: Can a contractor waive my deductible?). A roofer also can’t act as your public adjuster, or advertise that they will, on a property they’re working on or may work on, though they can give estimates and discuss them with your insurer or its adjuster (TDI: Roofing and insurance, know the law; TDI Bulletin B-0006-21). TDI adds that you’re entitled to have your home repaired by the contractor you choose (TDI: Signs of a contracting scam).

11. You knocked on my door after the storm — can I see your Dallas solicitor’s permit, and does your contract include my right to cancel?

Why it matters: Inside Dallas city limits, anyone soliciting door to door, other than charitable and nonprofit groups, must get a solicitor’s permit from the Dallas Police Department, and the permit identification card must be worn where you can see it (Dallas Police: Solicitor’s permit). Home solicitation is allowed only from 9 a.m. to sunset Monday through Saturday, not on Sundays or listed holidays, and a solicitor must leave if you post a “No Solicitors” sign or ask them to go (Dallas City Code §§42-13–42-14). TDI tells homeowners to avoid door-to-door solicitors for storm repairs (TDI: Repairing my roof after a storm (PDF)). When a sale is solicited and signed at your home, Texas generally lets you cancel until midnight of the third business day after you sign, and the seller must give you a copy of the contract with a completed cancellation form (Texas Bus. & Com. Code ch. 601). After a declared disaster, a remediation contractor without a physical business address in your county or a neighboring county for at least a year can’t require payment before work begins and must include a boldface Chapter 58 notice in the contract (Texas Bus. & Com. Code ch. 58). Report suspected scams to the Texas Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division.

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