Choosing (and Working With) a Contractor

How do I choose a roofing contractor?

Slow down and vet — the roof will still be there next week, and the contractors worth hiring don't pressure you to decide today. A practical checklist:

1. Verify they're real and local. A physical address you can drive to, a phone number that gets answered, years in business under the same name, and local references — recent jobs in your area you can actually see or call about.
2. Verify insurance. Ask for current certificates of general liability insurance and workers' compensation, sent directly from their insurance agent. If an uninsured worker is hurt on your property, the risk can land on you.
3. Check the paper trail. Search the company name with the Illinois Attorney General's consumer complaint records, the Better Business Bureau, and online reviews. One bad review means little; a pattern means a lot.
4. Look for insurance-claim experience. A contractor who works storm claims regularly can read the adjuster's estimate, meet the adjuster on site, point out missed damage, and document supplements properly. (In Illinois they cannot negotiate the claim itself for you — only a licensed public adjuster or attorney can — but scope documentation is squarely their job.)
5. Compare on more than price. On an insurance job the price is largely set by the approved scope, so compare materials, warranty terms, crew (their own or subcontracted), and communication instead.
6. Get everything in writing before work starts — see what belongs in the contract.

Illinois's Home Repair and Remodeling Act (815 ILCS 513) requires written contracts for most repair work over $1,000 and prohibits a range of shady practices, including any promise to cover your deductible. A contractor who works comfortably within that law is showing you who they are.

Should I trust a storm chaser?

"Storm chaser" means an out-of-area outfit that follows hail and wind events from town to town, blankets damaged neighborhoods with door-knockers, signs as many contracts as possible, and moves on. Not every out-of-town canvasser does bad work — some are legitimate companies that travel — but the business model rewards volume and speed, and when a warranty problem surfaces in three years, the company that knocked may be three states away or dissolved entirely.

Red flags that should end the conversation:

• Same-day pressure to sign — "this price is only good today," or a clipboard pushed at you on the doorstep.
• Offering to cover, waive, or "eat" your deductible. This is illegal for contractors in Illinois and it's the single most reliable scam indicator — see the deductible question below.
• No verifiable local address, references, or insurance certificates. A magnetic truck sign and a cell number are not a business.
• An "inspection authorization" that is actually a binding contract. Read every word before signing anything, even something described as "just paperwork so we can get on the roof."
• Demanding a large cash deposit before any material is ordered or work is scheduled.

If a canvasser found damage, fine — take the information, don't sign, and then vet them exactly like anyone else: address, insurance certificates, references, Attorney General and BBB check. A legitimate company passes that screen without complaint.

Should I sign a contingency agreement?

A contingency agreement says: if the insurance company approves the claim, this contractor does the work for the insurance-approved scope and price. If the claim is denied, the deal is off. It's a common and legitimate arrangement in storm work — the contractor invests time inspecting, photographing, and meeting the adjuster, and in exchange gets the job if it's approved. You get a documented damage file and typically no out-of-pocket cost beyond your deductible.

Whether to sign one comes down to two things: whether you'd actually want this contractor to do the work (it's a commitment, not a favor), and what the fine print says. Before signing, check:

• Cancellation terms. How do you get out, and what does it cost? Some agreements impose steep cancellation fees — often a percentage of the claim — if you back out after approval. Know that number before you sign.
• Exactly what's contingent. The contract should clearly die if the claim is denied, with no payment owed (except the fair value of emergency work you authorized in writing, like tarping).
• Scope of authority. The agreement can authorize the contractor to inspect, document, and discuss their scope and pricing with the carrier. It cannot legally make them your claim negotiator — in Illinois, only licensed public adjusters and attorneys may negotiate a claim on your behalf. Language claiming otherwise is a red flag in itself.
• Price terms. "Insurance-approved scope and price plus approved supplements" is normal. A blank price line is not — you shouldn't be signing an open-ended financial commitment.

What should be included in the contract?

Illinois's Home Repair and Remodeling Act (815 ILCS 513) requires a written contract for most home repair work over $1,000 — and on an insurance job, the contract is what keeps the approved money and the actual work aligned. Before work starts, yours should spell out:

• The full scope of work, matching the insurance estimate line for line, plus any approved supplements — tear-off, underlayment, flashing, ventilation, detach-and-reset items, debris removal. "Replace roof" is not a scope.
• Materials by brand, product line, and color — the exact shingle or siding you agreed to, not "or equivalent."
• The total price, and how supplements will be handled (typically added at the insurance-approved amount).
• Start and completion windows. Weather makes exact dates unrealistic, but a stated range with a communication commitment is fair.
• The payment schedule — what's due when, tied to milestones like material delivery and completion. See deposits and how the insurance money flows.
• Certificates of insurance — general liability and workers' compensation, attached or verifiable directly from the agent.
• Lien waiver terms. A lien waiver is a signed statement that the contractor (and their suppliers and subcontractors) have been paid and give up any claim against your property. Final payment should be exchanged for a final lien waiver; your mortgage lender may require one before releasing funds.
• Warranty terms in writing — the workmanship warranty's length and coverage, and the manufacturer warranty being registered. See below.
• Cancellation rights, including the Illinois 5-business-day right to cancel an insurance-contingent contract after a denial, and any other cancellation windows and fees.

If a contractor resists putting any of this in writing, that reluctance is your answer.

Should I pay a deposit?

A reasonable deposit is normal; a large upfront payment is not. Many established contractors ask for a deposit when materials are ordered — it commits both sides and covers the special-order risk on things like custom-color siding. Others, especially on insurance jobs, ask for nothing until material delivery, because the insurance structure already gives them confidence they'll be paid.

Sensible guardrails:

• Keep it proportionate. A deposit that approaches half the job — or any demand for thousands in cash before anything is ordered or scheduled — is a storm-chaser pattern, not an industry norm.
• Never pay cash. Check or card creates a record; cash disappears.
• Tie every payment to a milestone in the written contract: deposit at signing or material order, a payment at material delivery or start, final payment at completion and final lien waiver. Final payment should always wait until the work is done and inspected.
• Match the insurance flow. Your claim pays in stages — the first check is the actual cash value, and the recoverable depreciation comes only after the work is completed and invoiced. A payment schedule that expects everything before completion ignores how the money actually arrives, and a claims-experienced contractor knows better.

If a contractor pushes hard for a big deposit "to lock in your spot," slow down and re-run the vetting checklist — legitimate demand doesn't require your money as a hostage.

When should I pay my deductible?

Your deductible is the share of the loss you agreed to carry when you bought the policy — the insurer subtracts it from your first check, so it's paid to your contractor, not the carrier, as part of the job's total price. When it's due is simply a matter of your contract's payment terms: commonly at material delivery or at completion, sometimes at signing. Any of those timings is legitimate as long as it's written in the payment schedule.

What is not negotiable is that you pay it. The math only works one way: if the insurer approves $20,000 and your deductible is $2,000, the insurer pays $18,000 and you pay $2,000. A contractor "waiving" the deductible while collecting the full insurance price is billing the insurance company for money that was never spent — which is insurance fraud, with you attached to it.

Practical notes: pay it traceably (check or card, never cash), get it reflected on the invoice, and keep the receipt — your insurer or mortgage lender may ask for proof it was paid. If money is genuinely tight, the honest routes are asking the contractor about a payment plan or financing for your portion, both of which are legal because you're still actually paying it.

What if the contractor disappeared after I signed?

It happens — especially after big storms, when overextended or fly-by-night outfits sign more work than they can do. If calls go unanswered and no crew ever shows, work the steps in order and keep records of everything:

1. Send a written demand. A letter or email (certified mail creates the best record) stating the contract date, what was promised, what hasn't happened, and a firm deadline — 10 to 14 days is common — to perform or refund. Sometimes this alone wakes a disorganized company up; either way, it documents your good faith.
2. Cancel per the contract. If the deadline passes, send written notice that you're terminating for non-performance under the contract's terms. Keep a copy. (If your claim was denied and the contract was insurance-contingent, remember the separate Illinois 5-business-day cancellation right after a denial.)
3. Report to the Illinois Attorney General. The consumer fraud bureau takes complaints online at illinoisattorneygeneral.gov. Complaints build the record that stops repeat offenders, and the office sometimes mediates.
4. Report to your local building department. If permits were pulled (or should have been), the city or county building department wants to know about an abandoned job — and their records may help you or the next victim.
5. Chase your money if you paid a deposit. Small claims court in Illinois handles disputes up to $10,000 without a lawyer, and filing is inexpensive. For larger amounts, consult an attorney. If you paid by credit card, also ask the card issuer about a dispute — there are time limits, so do this promptly.

Also tell your insurer what happened, especially if any claim funds were paid toward the job, and mind your claim's own clock — deadlines keep running while you deal with the contractor. Then re-run the vetting checklist on the replacement, with extra weight on local history.

Should I get a workmanship warranty?

Yes — insist on one, in writing. A workmanship warranty is the contractor's own promise to fix problems caused by how the work was done: a leak at flashing they installed, shingles that blow off because they were nailed wrong, siding that buckles because it was fastened too tight. This is completely separate from the manufacturer's warranty, which covers only the product itself — and manufacturers routinely deny product claims by pointing at installation, which is exactly the gap the workmanship warranty fills.

What to look for:

• Length. Common terms run from 2 to 10 years; longer is better, but only as credible as the company behind it. A 25-year warranty from a company that's existed for 18 months is a marketing line. A 5-year warranty from a 30-year local firm is worth more.
• What it covers, in writing: labor and materials to correct workmanship defects, ideally including resulting interior damage from a workmanship leak. Verbal promises don't survive a change of ownership or a bad memory.
• Transferability. Some warranties transfer to a home buyer — a real plus if you might sell.
• The exclusions. Storm damage, foot traffic, and other trades' work are fair exclusions; language so broad it excludes everything is a warranty in name only.

A workmanship warranty is only as good as the company's answer to a service call in year four — which is one more reason the local, established contractor matters more than the lowest bid. It's also your first stop if a future claim is ever denied for "improper installation."

What about the manufacturer warranty?

The manufacturer warranty comes from the company that made your shingles or siding, and it covers manufacturing defects in the product — shingles that crack, blister, or shed granules prematurely; siding that fades or warps beyond spec. It does not cover installation mistakes (that's the workmanship warranty) and it does not cover storm damage (that's your insurance).

Things worth understanding before you rely on one:

• "Lifetime" is defined in the fine print. Most shingle warranties give full replacement value only for an initial period (often the first 10 years or so), then prorate — the payout shrinks as the product ages. "Lifetime" describes duration, not full coverage forever.
• Proper installation is a condition. Manufacturers can deny defect claims if the product wasn't installed to their specifications — down to nail placement and ventilation. This is a real reason to hire a contractor certified by your shingle or siding manufacturer.
• Upgraded warranties exist. Most major manufacturers offer enhanced warranty tiers (longer non-prorated periods, sometimes workmanship coverage backed by the manufacturer) when a certified contractor installs a full system of their components. If your contractor is certified, ask what tier your job qualifies for and what it costs — often modest, sometimes included.
• Register it and keep the paperwork. Some warranties require registration soon after installation. Get the registration confirmation, the warranty document, and your final invoice into the same folder as your claim records. Transferability to a home buyer usually requires notice within a set window, too.

Between the two warranties: product fails, call the manufacturer; workmanship fails, call the contractor; storm hits, call your insurer. Knowing which door to knock on saves months.