Roofers in NJ, NY & PA

Roofers install, repair, and replace shingle, metal, flat, and low-slope roofing, along with the flashing, underlayment, and ventilation details that actually keep water out. Most also handle gutters, drip edge, and skylight flashing. What they typically don't do: structural framing repairs beyond replacing damaged decking, chimney rebuilds, or solar installation — those call for a general contractor, mason, or solar installer working alongside the roofer.

The license and registration reality

• New Jersey: Roofing is a home-improvement trade, so the company must be registered as a home improvement contractor with the Division of Consumer Affairs and display its NJHIC number on contracts and advertising. Verify the number through the DCA's license lookup before signing anything.
• New York: There is no statewide roofing license. In New York City, roofers need a home improvement contractor license from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP). Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, and Putnam counties run their own consumer-affairs licensing. Elsewhere in the state, requirements are local — check with your town, and lean harder on insurance verification.
• Pennsylvania: Home improvement contractors must register with the Attorney General's office under the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (HICPA) and put their PA registration number on contracts and ads.

Questions to ask before hiring

• Will you tear off the existing roof or lay over it, and how many layers are up there now?
• Who actually does the work — your own crew or subcontractors?
• Can I see a certificate of liability insurance and workers' compensation naming me as certificate holder?
• Who pulls the permit, and is the permit fee in the price?
• What is your workmanship warranty, separate from the manufacturer's material warranty?

Red flags

• Door-to-door "storm chasers" who appear right after severe weather and pressure you to sign an insurance-claim deal on the spot.
• Large cash deposits, no physical business address, or a refusal to provide insurance certificates.
• A bid dramatically below every other estimate — it usually means skipped tear-off, thin crews, or no insurance.
• No registration or license number printed on the contract or truck in states and cities that require one.

What the paperwork should include

Get a written estimate that lists the manufacturer and product line of shingles or membrane, tear-off scope, decking replacement allowance and per-sheet cost, underlayment and ice-and-water shield coverage, flashing and ventilation work, start and completion dates, payment schedule, permit responsibility, debris removal and a magnetic nail sweep, and both warranties in writing. In New Jersey, home improvement contracts above a statutory threshold must be in writing — but insist on a full written contract in every state regardless.

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Sources:

• https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov
• https://www.nyc.gov/dcwp
• https://www.attorneygeneral.gov

Drafted with AI assistance; reviewed by the TriVetted editorial team. Registration or licensure is not an endorsement of a business's competency.

Roofing quotes vary widely for the same house, and the differences are usually explainable. Here is what actually moves the number.

• Scope and materials. A layover costs less than a full tear-off; a tear-off with rotted decking costs more than either. Material choice — basic shingles versus architectural shingles, metal, or flat-roof membrane — changes both material and labor cost, as do upgrades like ice-and-water shield coverage and ridge ventilation.
• Roof complexity and access. Pitch, height, valleys, dormers, chimneys, and skylights all add labor. A steep or cut-up roof takes longer and requires more safety equipment than a simple gable. Tight lots where a dumpster or delivery truck can't get close add handling time.
• Permits and inspections. Municipal permit costs and inspection scheduling vary by town and are sometimes line-itemed, sometimes buried in the price.
• Season and urgency. Emergency tarping after a storm and work squeezed into peak season carry premiums; scheduled work in shoulder seasons is often more flexible on price.
• Crew, warranty, and insurance. Established companies carrying full liability and workers' compensation coverage, manufacturer certifications, and real workmanship warranties have higher overhead than an uninsured pickup-truck crew — that difference is part of what you are buying.

To compare quotes honestly, make every bidder price the same scope: same tear-off plan, same shingle line, same underlayment, same decking allowance, all as written line items. A cheaper total that omits ice-and-water shield or decking replacement is not the same job at a better price — it's a different job.

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Sources:

• https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov
• https://www.attorneygeneral.gov

Drafted with AI assistance; reviewed by the TriVetted editorial team. Registration or licensure is not an endorsement of a business's competency.