Avoid Hiring the Wrong Roofing Contractor: 5 Hidden Contractor Problems That Could Cost You.

October 02, 2025 6 Min Read

Let’s be real here – there are a whole bunch of shady practices that we, as expert roofers, see that indicate the homeowner or business owner got ripped off.

You may well have had your roof repaired or replaced and not realise anything until some time later when it leaks or fails. We see the wrong materials used, we see metal cobbled together, and very shoddy flashing (which you probably could see if you looked).

There are also a bunch of things that happen that you will know about, and we hear about these when we meet our clients.

Quite often, we hear about them after someone picked a cheap quote and then had massive buyer’s remorse!

In one case, a client called us to complete a job that the contractor had been arrested before finishing. We’re not sure we can help you avoid that fate (!) , but this article aims to help you avoid these obvious pitfalls and spot the red flags before you sign anything.

Understanding roof coverings
Key differences between metal roofs and shingles
How to decide between metal and shingle roofing

1. Permit Panic: Why Are You Doing the Paperwork?

You hire a roofer to make life easier, not to spend hours googling local building codes and
requirements to ensure the project is completed legally and with all necessary permits.
However, many contractors overlook their responsibility. Some even leave it to you without
warning.

The Results? Delays, fines, or sometimes failed inspections. We’ve seen jobs closed down by the city inspector, which is a nightmare. A reputable roofer should have all the proper licensing, be bonded, and have adequate insurance to pull any applicable permits and walk you through what’s needed, not leave you scrambling.

Lyle’s Pro Tip: Ask this before hiring: “Will you be handling the permitting for this project, or is that on me?”

2. ‘We’ll Let You know’ Isn’t a Start Date.

Ever been told “We’ll fit you in soon”? …then haven’t heard anything for weeks?

Let’s be clear: Weather is a huge problem in roofing, and even the best contractors have to move their schedules to adapt to the changing weather. Shifting timings is not a red flag – we have to do it sometimes, given the weather here in the Michiana area, Indiana.

But as with any good contractor, we’ll keep our client fully informed. A professional roofing contractor should be able to stay in touch with the homeowner, providing updates periodically as the project progresses toward a set completion date.

Lack of communication is one of the biggest failings in the roofing industry and is a sign that a business may not be well-run, and that is a red flag. A good process looks like this:

• When you sign the contract, you get an estimated start date.
• At the first of the month, the contractor gets in touch again with a tighter timing.
• As the job draws closer, you get an update at the start of each week so you will know precisely when they will arrive

Lyles’ Pro Tip: ‘If they can’t give you an estimate of when they’ll show up, what makes you think they’ll finish on time?’

3. Ghosted by Your Roofer?

Unanswered calls. Ignored texts. Vague Responses.

A roofing contractor should not leave the project – there can be exceptions around materials which are not available. Poor communication is one of the top complaints homeowners have after hiring a roofer. If you’re chasing updates and left in the dark, the trust is already broken. Great contractors respond promptly, give proactive updates, and have one point of contact you can always reach.

Lyle’s Pro Tip: Even the great contractors can drop the ball occasionally, but if a contractor is consistently slow to respond before a job starts, this will likely be the theme, and possibly worse, after the project’s completion if any warranty issues arise.

4. Wait, You Don’t Reinstall My Satellite Dish?

It’s a small thing…until it’s not. Satellite dishes always need to come off to reroof and
should be reinstalled in the same spot and realigned. At Better Way Roofing, as with any good contractor, we’ll do our best to realign the dish. However, if any issues arise, we’ll reimburse the alignment fee charged by the satellite provider.

Some contractors overlook this and can leave you scrambling to call and schedule your
service provider while being without service for a few days.

Lyle’s Pro Tip: Ask up front: ‘Do you handle the satellite dish removal and reinstall, or will I have a surprise expense here?’

5. Surprise! A Dumpster is Blocking Your Garage

Contractors must remove a significant amount of material when replacing a roof, and therefore, a dumpster is often required. If they don’t communicate this to you and you’re not part of the planning process, this can become a significant problem. We’ve heard about them blocking up driveways – even sometimes with the homeowner’s car still inside the garage.

A much neater solution is if they use something like the Equipter 4000. This not only means far less roofing material ending up in your landscaping ( these rise up to much closer to the roof to catch the debris), but they also save damage to lawns due to being able to be raised over the grass. Once we discovered these incredible pieces of equipment, we’ve never looked back. Not only does it make our work more efficient, but it also makes our clients happier.

Lyle’s Pro Tip: Ask up front: ‘How do you deal with debris – do you use a dumpster, and if so, how long will it need to be on site?’

Avoid Roofing Nightmares – Call Better Way Roofing Today

If you’re in our area, you have a great way to avoid all of the problems mentioned above and get a proper roofing job done at the right price. Just call us today, and we’ll be happy to estimate your job and share a lot more details about our project process.