Roofing Contractors in Scottsdale: Questions to Ask First
The best roofers in Scottsdale answer all of these without getting defensive. The ones to avoid get vague at question one or three. Ask them in order; the license question first, because the rest do not matter if the answer is no.
License and insurance
1. What is your Arizona ROC license number?
Arizona requires roofing contractors to be licensed by the Registrar of Contractors (ROC). Ask for the ROC number and look it up at azroc.gov — it shows the license status, classification and complaint history. Check that the company name on the license matches the one on the quote, and if you are unsure whether the classification fits your job, check with the ROC or an attorney. If a licensed contractor's work goes wrong, the ROC takes complaints and explains its Recovery Fund on its site. We only use roofers licensed by the Arizona Registrar of Contractors — ask for their ROC number.
Someone who says they work "under" a friend's license, or that a license is not needed for your job, should be checked with the ROC before anything else is discussed.
2. Can I see your insurance certificate?
General liability and workers' compensation, on a certificate issued by the insurer, naming you as certificate holder for the job. If a roofer without coverage is hurt on your roof, ask your own agent where that leaves you. Ask for the certificate before the job, not after.
The roof itself
3. Will you lift tile before you quote?
On a tile roof, any quote that did not involve lifting tile and looking at the underlayment is a guess. Ask them to show you the photo of the felt. If they say the whole roof needs replacing and cannot show you why, get another opinion. The inspection page covers what a real look involves.
4. Repair, relay or replace — and why?
A good contractor will tell you which one and show you the evidence, and will usually price two options. On most Scottsdale tile roofs the right answer is a relay — new underlayment under your own tile — not a new roof. A contractor who only offers full replacement on a tile roof with sound tile is either inexperienced or working on commission. Repair vs. replacement has the thresholds.
The specification
5. What underlayment, by name, and how many layers?
"Felt" is not an answer. The answer is a product — a two-layer SBS-modified system, or a specific tile-rated synthetic — with a manufacturer rating in years. Single-layer 30-pound felt is what failed on your roof to begin with; a quote that puts it back is repeating the mistake at 2026 prices.
6. Are valleys, flashings and pipe jacks new or reused?
Reusing old valley metal under new underlayment is the most common corner cut on relays here. It saves a few hundred dollars and it is invisible from the ground. Get it in writing.
7. How is tile breakage handled?
Per-tile pricing or a stated allowance. Either is fine. No mention of breakage means a change order later.
8. Who pulls the permit?
Check with the City of Scottsdale (or the Town of Paradise Valley, Town of Fountain Hills or Maricopa County, depending on the address) whether your job needs a permit and an inspection; most roofers pull it as part of the job. Ask whether the contractor pulls it in their name. If they suggest skipping it to save money, see question one.
Approvals, logistics and paper
9. What about the HOA?
Most of Scottsdale north of Shea and all of the master-planned communities have architectural rules on roof color and material. A relay changes nothing visible and needs no approval. A new roof or a foam recoat in a different color needs a submittal. Ask who prepares it and how long the HOA takes.
10. Where will the tile be staged, and how is the house dried in overnight?
On a relay, tile is stacked on the roof or on pallets. The deck should never be left exposed overnight; a good crew only opens what it can cover before it stops. In monsoon season this matters.
11. What is the workmanship warranty, in writing?
Separate from the manufacturer's material warranty. What is covered, for how long, and what voids it. Also ask who registers the material warranty — it should be registered in your name.
12. When can you start, and what is the payment schedule?
A large deposit before materials arrive is a red flag; ask how payments are staged, and check the ROC site for the current rules. Final payment on completion, after you have walked the roof with them or seen the photos, is the standard.
Storm chasers, specifically
After a big monsoon event, out-of-state trucks work Grayhawk, Scottsdale Ranch and Fountain Hills door to door. Some are legitimate. The warning signs:
- No Arizona ROC number, or one that does not match the name on the truck
- "Your whole roof is totaled" before a tile has been lifted
- An assignment of benefits or contingency agreement to sign on the spot
- An offer to waive, cover or rebate your deductible — be wary of it, because it can put your claim at risk; ask your insurer or an attorney
- Pressure to sign today because "the adjusters are booking up"
The storm damage page covers how a claim should actually go.
Red flags in the written quote
- A single total with no line items
- "Felt" or "underlayment" with no product named
- No mention of valleys, flashings or pipe jacks
- A tile breakage line that says "as needed" with no rate
- No deck rate, or a deck line that just says "if required"
- No permit line, and no explanation why
- A start date that depends on paying a large deposit first
- A license number that does not match the company name on the page
None of these alone means the contractor is dishonest. Each one is a question to answer in writing before you sign.
After you sign
Keep a copy of the signed contract, the insurance certificate and the license lookup. Ask for the start date and how many days the job should take. During the work, take your own photos each evening of the open sections and the cover that went on them. When the job is done, ask for the permit sign-off if one was pulled, the material warranty registration and the workmanship terms in writing. Pay the final amount once you have seen the finished roof, either from a ladder or through the roofer's photos.
Common questions
How many roofers should I talk to?
Two or three for a relay or a replacement. For a small repair, one written estimate with felt photos is usually enough, unless the price seems out of line with the ranges on this site.
What if a roofer won't answer some of these questions?
That is an answer in itself. A roofer who can't name the underlayment or give an ROC number before the job is unlikely to get clearer after you have paid a deposit.
Can I ask a roofer for references?
Yes. Ask for two or three recent jobs of the same type nearby, and drive past if you can. A relay looks like nothing from the street, so ask to see the felt photos from those jobs too.
Is the cheapest quote ever the right one?
Sometimes, when it names the same underlayment, flashings, breakage terms and deck rate as the others. If it is cheaper because it leaves those out, it is a different job at a lower price.
The short version
License number verified at azroc.gov, insurance certificate in hand, felt photo shown, underlayment named, flashings new, breakage stated, permit pulled, HOA handled, warranty written. Any of the roofing contractors in Scottsdale worth hiring will get through that list in ten minutes. The about page explains how requests from this guide go to an independent local contractor.
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