Checking a roofer in Knoxville and East Tennessee

In Knox County, one of nine Tennessee counties that adopted the state Home Improvement license, a residential roofing job from $3,000 to $24,999 requires that license, and a job of $25,000 or more requires a state contractor license. In Blount, Sevier, Anderson and Loudon counties, the state contractor license threshold of $25,000 applies.

Which license does the job need?

Short answer: In Tennessee, a contractor license from the Board for Licensing Contractors is required for projects of $25,000 or more, including labor and materials. In Knox County (one of nine counties that adopted the law), residential remodeling and repair jobs, roofing included, from $3,000 to $24,999 also require a state Home Improvement license, which requires a $10,000 bond and proof of liability and workers' compensation insurance. Blount, Anderson, Sevier and Loudon counties have not adopted the Home Improvement law, so for smaller jobs there, ask for proof of insurance and check the local permit office. You can check any state license at verify.tn.gov.

Check the license yourself at verify.tn.gov. The name, the license type and the dollar limit should fit your job. If the roofer says they work under another company's license, look that company up too.

What Tennessee's roofing law requires

Short answer: written disclosures and a cancellation notice before you sign a contract for storm roofing work paid by insurance.

Tennessee's residential roofing services law (Tenn. Code Ann. § 62-6-601 and following) says that before you sign, a roofer must give you in writing its mailing address, phone number, any contractor, home improvement, or public adjuster license numbers, a detailed description of the damage and repairs the contract covers, and a notice that you may cancel until midnight of the third business day after your insurer tells you in writing that all or part of the claim is not covered. If you cancel, payments other than for emergency repairs already done must be returned within 10 business days. If a roofer will not give you these in writing, do not sign.

The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule also generally gives you three business days to cancel many sales made at your home by a door-to-door seller, with some exceptions.

Insurance certificates

Short answer: ask the roofer's insurance agent to send general liability and workers' compensation certificates, and call the agent to confirm them.

Steep roofs mean serious fall risks. If a crew member is hurt or the crew damages your home, you want the roofer's insurance to respond, not yours.

A local address

After big East Tennessee hailstorms, out-of-state crews arrive and leave when the work dries up. Ask for a physical address you can visit and how long the company has worked here.

What the contract should include

• The Tennessee roofing law disclosures and cancellation notice.
• An itemized estimate and a description of the damage.
• Materials: shingle line, or metal panel type, gauge and fastener system; underlayment; ice and water barrier where required; drip edge.
• Steep or hard-to-reach roofs: safety equipment and access costs.
• Decking: price per sheet if rot is found.
• Payments: tied to completed work, with the last payment after inspection.
• Cleanup: nail sweep and protection of landscaping.

Permits

Ask the roofer to pull the permit with the city or county building office that covers your address and to schedule any required inspection. See the county and town pages.

Warranties

• Workmanship: from the roofer, for installation. Get it in writing.
• Manufacturer: for materials. Metal roofing warranties often cover finish and perforation separately; ask for the documents.

Deductibles

Short answer: A contractor who offers to cover or waive your deductible may be overstating the loss to your insurer, which can create insurance-fraud problems for you. Treat it as a warning sign and ask your insurer.

A real discount appears in the contract price, and that is the price your insurer should see.

Dealing with your insurer

Short answer: Only you, or a licensed public adjuster you hire, should negotiate the claim itself; ask any contractor who offers to do it whether they hold a public adjuster license.

A roofer can inspect, estimate, document and attend the adjuster's visit. Tennessee public adjusters must be licensed under the Tennessee Public Adjuster Licensing Act. For personal (non-commercial) claims, a public adjuster hired before the insurer makes a settlement offer may charge no more than 15% of the settlement; one hired after an offer may charge no more than 25% of the increase over the insurer's last offer (Tenn. Code Ann. § 56-6-913). No fee, retainer or deposit may be taken before the claim settles. You can rescind the contract in writing within three business days of signing (§ 56-6-914), and if the insurer pays or commits to pay the policy limit within 72 hours of the loss report, the adjuster cannot take a percentage commission.

Contingency agreements and AOBs

A contingency agreement can lock you into a roofer if your claim is approved. An assignment of benefits transfers some of your policy rights. Read before signing, and see assignment of benefits.

Warning signs

• Shows up right after the storm and pushes you to sign today.
• Offers to cover your deductible.
• Will not provide license numbers or Tennessee roofing law disclosures.
• Wants a big deposit or cash.
• No local address.
• No itemized estimate.
• Gets on the roof without your permission.

More: storm chasers and scams. Report suspected fraud to the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (615-741-2241).

Tennessee does not have a specific statute on roofers and deductibles like South Carolina's, but a roofer who offers to cover your deductible by inflating the claim is asking you to take part in insurance fraud. Walk away.

Find a roofer

Our directory of roofing contractors serving Knoxville and East Tennessee shows each company's own published address and phone. A listing is not an endorsement; ask every roofer these questions.

How to pay

Avoid paying the whole price before work starts. A deposit and final payment on completion is common. Agree in writing how insurance checks, which may include your mortgage company, will be handled.

During the job

• Ask how they'll protect landscaping, decks and the AC unit.
• Ask about a magnetic nail sweep at the end.
• Get the crew lead's contact.
• Ask for photos of any replaced decking for your insurer.

Close out

Get the final invoice, permit sign-off and warranty papers, and send the invoice to the insurer to release held-back depreciation.