Roofing has a reputation problem in Arizona, and it is not entirely undeserved. It is a high ticket purchase, most homeowners buy one perhaps twice in their lives, and the work happens somewhere the customer cannot see it. That combination attracts operators who take advantage of it. This post is written to help you evaluate any roofer, including us. Ask us all of it.
Step One: Verify the ROC License
Arizona licenses contractors through the Registrar of Contractors, and every legitimate roofing company has a license number. Ask for it, then verify it yourself at the ROC rather than accepting a number on a business card or a truck. What you are checking: that the license exists, that it is currently active, that it is in the name of the company you are actually hiring, and that it covers roofing work. A license under a different entity name than the one on your contract is a problem worth understanding before you sign anything. Arizona also requires residential contractors to carry a consumer protection bond or participate in the Residential Contractors Recovery Fund - that exists specifically because of what happens when unlicensed work goes wrong. For the record, Kellum Roofing LLC holds Arizona ROC 352782 and you are welcome to go verify it right now.
Step Two: Insurance, Actually Verified
Ask for a current certificate of insurance, including general liability and workers compensation, and have it sent from the insurer rather than handed to you as a photocopy. Workers compensation is the one people skip past. If an uninsured worker is injured on your roof, the exposure can end up pointed at the homeowner. This is not a hypothetical concern in a trade where people work at height in extreme heat. Any legitimate contractor provides this without friction. Hesitation is the answer.
Step Three: Ask These Six Questions
What specific underlayment or shingle product are you installing, and what is its manufacturer warranty? A quote that says 'new underlayment' with no product named is not a quote you can compare to anything. Is this a lift and reset or a full tile replacement, and why? If they are proposing full replacement, they should be able to explain specifically why a lift and reset would not work on your roof. What happens if you find rotted decking? The correct answer includes a per sheet price - there is no honest way to know the extent before the roof is open. What are your workmanship terms, in writing? Manufacturer warranties cover the material, not a bad installation. Who is actually doing the work - employees or subcontracted crews? Either can be fine, but you should know. What is the payment schedule? A reasonable deposit is normal. A demand for the full amount up front is not.
Red Flags
Doorstep pressure after a storm - legitimate companies work storm damage too, so knocking is not itself disqualifying, but pressure to sign immediately is. No honest estimate expires today. A price dramatically below everyone else - usually the bid is lower because the scope is smaller, and the missing parts are the ones you cannot see: cheaper underlayment, no ice and water shield, no deck allowance, thinner workmanship terms. Vagueness about the license number - there is one correct answer and it takes four seconds. Insisting on installing over your existing shingles - it is faster and cheaper for the contractor, it traps heat against the new roof, and it hides deck damage. We do not do it. Full payment demanded up front, or pressure toward a particular financing product. No physical inspection before quoting - a firm price on a complex roof from satellite imagery is a guess with confidence attached. Talking only about monthly payment rather than total cost - financing is a legitimate tool and we offer it, but the total price and the terms are what you are actually agreeing to.
The Question Behind All the Others
Almost everything above reduces to one thing: does this contractor tell you things that are against their own interest? A roofer who tells you that you need a repair rather than a replacement, or that a lift and reset will do rather than a full tear off, or that they do not work on your roof type at all, is giving up revenue in that moment. That is the behavior worth weighting heavily, because it is the only signal that is expensive to fake. We built this company around that specifically, and Jeremy Kellum will be the first to tell you when your roof does not need what you were told it needed. We work across Glendale, Scottsdale and the Valley, and our inspections are free whether or not you hire us.