How to check a roofing contractor in Nevada before you sign

This is the guide we would most like you to read, and it is the one that costs us nothing to publish because we are not the contractor. Best Vegas Roofer connects you with independent roofing contractors, and every check below is one you should run on anyone you are considering, including someone we connect you with.

All of it is free and most of it takes about five minutes.

Roofing is a licensed trade in Nevada

• Roofing in Nevada falls under contractor licence classification C-15, Roofing and Siding, issued by the Nevada State Contractors Board. (Nevada State Contractors Board, License Classifications)
• Within that classification, C-15a covers roofing specifically: the installation, application, alteration and repair of watertight and weatherproof roof materials including asphalt, tar, felt, shakes, shingles, aluminium, tile and slate. C-15b covers siding. (Nevada State Contractors Board, License Classifications)

Check the licence, free, before anything else

• The Nevada State Contractors Board publishes a free public licence search, so you can confirm a contractor is licensed, check the classification they hold and see their licence status before any work starts. (Nevada State Contractors Board, Contractor License Search)

Then check the discipline register, which almost nobody does

• The board also publishes a separate free discipline search, which lists formal disciplinary action taken against licensed contractors. Most homeowners never learn it exists. (Nevada State Contractors Board, Discipline Search)

Why the licence matters beyond compliance

• Nevada operates a Residential Recovery Fund, created by the state legislature in 1999, which can compensate homeowners harmed by a licensed contractor failing to properly perform qualified work. It applies to licensed contractors, which is one more reason to check the licence first. (Nevada State Contractors Board, Residential Recovery Fund)

What to verify, in order

A practical sequence. None of it is confrontational and all of it is normal:

• The licence number, checked on the state board search rather than read off a van or a business card
• That the classification they hold actually covers roofing, which is C-15 or C-15a
• That the licence is active and in good standing, not expired or suspended
• That the name on the licence matches the name on the contract you are being given
• The discipline search, separately, for any formal action
• Proof of liability insurance and workers compensation, as current certificates rather than an assurance
• The monetary limit on their licence, which is a real constraint on the size of job they may take

What belongs in the written contract

Get it in writing before work starts, every time, regardless of how straightforward it seems:

• The full scope, itemised: tear-off, underlayment by product, covering by manufacturer and product line, flashing, ventilation
• The rate for replacing damaged decking if any is found
• Total price, payment schedule and what triggers each payment
• Start date and expected duration
• Who pulls the permit, where one is required
• The workmanship warranty term, and the separate manufacturer material warranty
• Cleanup, debris removal and magnetic nail sweep
• How change orders are handled and authorised

Warning signs worth walking away from

None of these individually proves bad faith. All of them justify slowing down:

• Pressure to sign immediately, or an offer that expires today
• A large payment demanded up front before materials are delivered or work begins
• A request for cash, or for payment to a personal account
• No written contract, or a scope so vague it could mean anything
• A promise to get your insurance claim approved, or to waive your deductible
• Reluctance to give you a licence number, or a number that does not check out
• No local address or verifiable local presence
• A quote far below every other one with no explanation of what is different
• Door-to-door solicitation immediately after a storm

On deductibles specifically

A contractor offering to waive, absorb or "take care of" your insurance deductible is describing something you should ask your own insurer about before agreeing to it.

Best Vegas Roofer does not file, adjust or negotiate insurance claims and makes no promise about claim outcomes. If that sort of promise is the reason you are choosing a contractor, it is worth a call to your insurer first.