How to Vet a Roofing Company in Herndon

Step 1: Look up the Virginia contractor license

Virginia licenses contractors through the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR). Its License Lookup at dpor.virginia.gov/LicenseLookup is free and doesn't require an account. Search by the business name or license number.

• Confirm the license status is current, not expired, suspended or revoked.
• Check that the name on the license matches the company on the estimate and contract.
• Look at the license class. Virginia issues contractor licenses in Class A, B and C, which differ in the size of jobs a contractor may take on.
• Look at the specialties listed on the license.

Ask every roofer for their DPOR number and check it yourself. Roofing Roughnecks is a division of Kenney Construction, VA DPOR #2705187519, and we encourage you to look us up.

Step 2: Ask about the Town of Herndon

If your home is inside the Town of Herndon, the Town has its own permit office and its own contractor business-license requirement for work above an annual threshold, and it requires outstanding property taxes and fees to be paid before a permit application. A roofer who works in town regularly will know this. If your home is outside town limits in unincorporated Fairfax County, the County's rules apply instead. Ask each roofer: which office handles permits for my address, and who will be responsible for any permit?

Step 3: Insist on an in-person look

Satellite measurements are useful for a ballpark, and Roofing Roughnecks offers an instant estimate tool built on them. But a firm price should follow an on-site inspection that considers shingle condition, flashing, penetrations, ventilation and signs of deck damage. Be wary of a binding number based only on photos or a drive-by.

Step 4: Compare written scopes line by line

• Is the tear-off down to the deck? How many layers are being removed?
• How is decking damage found after tear-off handled and priced?
• Which flashing is replaced, and which is reused?
• Which underlayment, drip edge and ventilation components are included?
• Which shingle manufacturer, product line and color?
• Who handles permits, and HOA or historic district approval?
• What cleanup and property protection is included?

If one estimate is much lower than the others, look for what it leaves out. The cheapest proposal is often the one with the vaguest scope.

Step 5: Ask who will actually do the work

Some companies sell the job and pass it to a subcontractor. Ask directly: who will be on my roof, and who do I call if there's a problem during or after the job? With Roofing Roughnecks, the same licensed company handles the work from estimate through completion.

Step 6: Be careful after storms

After a big storm, out-of-area crews sometimes go door to door. Some do good work; some are gone before the first warranty question. Don't sign under pressure, don't hand over your insurance claim to someone you just met, and check the DPOR license before anything else. A roofer based in Herndon is easy to find later.

Step 7: Check the company's footprint

• Real project photos, labeled with where they were actually taken.
• A business you can call during posted hours.
• Manufacturer credentials you can verify. Roofing Roughnecks holds CertainTeed Master Craftsman credentials.
• Public profiles that match the licensed business name.

Questions to ask every Herndon roofer

1. What's your Virginia DPOR license number?
2. Are you licensed, insured and bonded?
3. Will your crew or a subcontractor do the work?
4. Is my address in the Town of Herndon or Fairfax County, and who handles the permit?
5. What does your scope include for flashing, ventilation and decking?
6. Which shingle line do you recommend, and why?
7. Who do I call if something comes up after the job?

Red flags

• A license number that doesn't match the company name, or no license number at all.
• Pressure to sign the same day, or a price that's only good if you commit now.
• A scope that names the shingle color but not the product line, flashing or decking.
• Requests to sign over your insurance claim before anyone has documented the damage.
• No local phone number or posted business hours.

None of these alone means a company is bad, but each one is worth a follow-up question. A good contractor will be glad to answer.