Imagine your town suffers some kind of natural disaster, a wind storm perhaps. It blows a few shingles off your roof and one of your neighbors notices. He’s got some roofing experience and offers to hop up onto your roof and take care of it, for a very low price.

Or, maybe a sharp looking young man comes to your door, representing a larger company. He offers to fix the shingles for the same very low price. You agree and he works hard, even in the California heat. Your roof is repaired in no time and he politely takes your money and leaves.

The problem? Both of these men were unlicensed.

The usual story about unlicensed roofers is that they are scam artists out to get you. Indeed, some of them are. Others though, are thoughtful neighbors who don’t understand the roofing profession or naive young men who are being taken advantage of by someone higher up.

Whether you’re letting a true scam artist or a genuinely nice person up on your roof, their lack of a license will cost you, not them. Here’s why you should turn down work from unlicensed roofers.

1. Lack of Skills

If someone doesn’t have a license, they may have never learned the skills to truly repair your roof. Poor workmanship will create larger problems than a few knocked off shingles. It can even hide leaks, which means you’ll need much more expensive repairs in the future.

2. Voided Manufacturer Warranties

Most roofing manufacturers offer warranties that cover the occasional shingle that was broken on the production line. Yet, all of these warranties require that your roofer follow proper application procedure. If you used an unlicensed roofer, the manufacturer won’t cover the costs of any replacements you may need.

3. Legal Trouble

In some states, if an authority finds out that you allowed an unlicensed roofer on your roof, you could face fines. Also, you may not be allowed to sue the roofer for any damages they caused.

4. No Insurance

Almost all unlicensed roofers don’t have insurance, because insurance companies usually require proof of a license. If your roofer falls on your property you may be responsible for his injuries.

5. Subcontractors or Suppliers

Unlicensed roofers may fail to pay the shingle supplier or the subcontractor they hired to repair your roof. If they do, you could be responsible for paying those costs. If you can’t pay them, you may have a lien put on your home to cover the cost. Do you know if your roofer’s boss will actually pay him?

There’s many reasons to avoid unlicensed roofers, and any reputable roofer will be happy to present their license immediately. Remember to be skeptical of very low quotes, especially just after storms have rolled through town. If you need a roofer you can trust, contact us at Kelly Roofing. Not only are we licensed, we’re rated A+ with the BBB and rated five stars by our customers.