How to Pick a Roofing Contractor in Fort Worth: 7 Checks for 2026
A lot of roofing trouble in Fort Worth starts at the signing table. An owner takes the lowest number, skips the insurance certificate, and finds out who’s on the roof when the crew pulls up. This guide gives you seven checks to run on any roofing contractor in Fort Worth before you sign, whether the roof is on your house or your building. At the end, we run our own company, Texcore Construction, through the same seven checks, including the jobs we’re the wrong fit for.
Comparing several companies side by side? Use our guide to comparing Fort Worth roofing companies and its scoring worksheet. This one covers the contractor you’re about to hire.
The Seven Checks at a Glance
- Insurance you verify with the agent yourself
- Who does the work: employees or subcontractors
- A local address and jobs you can drive past
- A written, itemized scope
- A labor warranty in writing
- Manufacturer certification for the system you’re buying
- Straight answers about insurance claims
1. Insurance You Verify Yourself
Texas doesn’t license roofing contractors, so no state card tells you who’s legitimate. Insurance carries most of that weight. Ask for a certificate of insurance showing general liability and workers’ compensation, then call the agent listed on it and confirm the policy is active today.
If a worker gets hurt on your property and the contractor has no workers’ comp, you could end up sorting it out with your own carrier. For a commercial building, ask to be named as an additional insured. Many property managers need that certificate on file before a crew can go up.
2. Who Is on Your Roof
Ask it straight: will your own employees do this job, or will you hire it out? Plenty of roofing companies sell the job and hand it to a subcontracted crew. That’s legal, but it splits responsibility. When a flashing detail leaks two years later, you want one company that owns the result.
Follow-up questions that get past the sales answer:
- Who runs the crew on site, and how long have they worked for you?
- Will the same crew come back for warranty work?
- Do you sub out any part of the job, like sheet metal or gutters?
3. A Local Address and a Record You Can Check
Hail brings out-of-town crews into Tarrant County every spring. Some do good work. Some are gone before your first warranty call. Look for a physical office in the area, a Google Business Profile with reviews from local customers, and recent jobs you can drive past.
BBB accreditation and membership in the North Texas Roofing Contractors Association take a few minutes to confirm online. Ask for two or three references from jobs finished in the last year.
4. A Written, Itemized Scope
A one-line quote with a lump-sum price gives you nothing to compare and nothing to hold the contractor to. A usable proposal breaks the job into parts:
| Line Item | What It Should Say |
|---|---|
| Materials | Manufacturer, product line, thickness or grade, and color |
| Tear-off | How many layers come off, and how rotted decking gets priced |
| Flashing and metal | Whether walls, curbs, pipes, and edge metal get new flashing or reuse the old |
| Permits | Who pulls them |
| Cleanup | Daily cleanup, nail sweep, and dumpster placement |
| Schedule | Start window, expected duration, and the plan for weather delays |
| Payment | Deposit amount and when the balance is due |
Get three proposals written this way. When one comes in far below the other two, find the line item it leaves out.
5. A Labor Warranty in Writing
The manufacturer warrants the materials. The contractor warrants the installation, and flashing, penetrations, and seams are where roofs tend to leak. Get the labor warranty in writing and check three things: how many years it runs, what voids it, and whether it transfers if you sell the property. One-year labor coverage is common. Longer terms exist, so ask.
On a commercial roof, ask whether the job qualifies for a manufacturer NDL (No Dollar Limit) warranty. Most manufacturers inspect the finished roof before they issue one, which puts a second set of eyes on the installation.
6. Manufacturer Certification for Your System
Manufacturers certify contractors to install their systems, and some warranties only come through certified installers. Ask which manufacturers the contractor holds certifications with, then check that the system in your proposal comes from one of them. A certification with one brand does nothing for you if the bid specs a membrane from a brand the contractor has no standing with.
7. Straight Answers About Insurance Claims
After a storm, some contractors promise to handle your claim, work your insurance for you, or cover your deductible. In Texas, treat each of those as a red flag. State law bars a roofing contractor from acting as a public adjuster or negotiating your claim, and it bars a contractor from waiving, paying, or rebating your deductible.
A contractor can inspect the roof, document the damage with photos, give you a written report and estimate, and meet your adjuster on site as the contractor. You file the claim, and you and your insurer settle the scope. If you want someone to represent you in the claim, you’d hire a public adjuster separately. Our page on storm damage and insurance claims walks through the steps.
Red Flags That End the Conversation
- A door-knocker the day after a hailstorm with a contract ready to sign
- A large cash deposit before any materials arrive
- No written proposal, or a proposal with one line on it
- Pressure to sign today to lock in a price
- An offer to cover or waive your deductible
- No certificate of insurance, or one they won’t let you verify
- Talk of handling or negotiating your insurance claim
How Texcore Answers the Same Seven Checks
Here’s our company run through the list above. Hold us to it.
- Insurance: Our crews are insured. Ask for our certificate of insurance and verify it with the agent.
- Who’s on the roof: In-house crews, no subcontractors. Our core crew has worked with owner Scott Creech for more than ten years.
- Local record: Our office is at 4500 Mercantile Dr in Fort Worth, where the company started in 2020. We’re BBB Accredited and a member of the North Texas Roofing Contractors Association. Read our Google reviews.
- Written scope: A free roof inspection for homes and a free commercial roof audit for buildings, each followed by a photo-documented, itemized proposal.
- Labor warranty: Five years on every roofing job, and it transfers. Manufacturer and NDL warranties are available on qualifying commercial systems. See our warranty details.
- Certification: CertainTeed, GAF, GenFlex, Holcim, Owens Corning, and Versico.
- Insurance claims: We document the damage, give you the report and estimate, and attend the adjuster’s inspection as your contractor. Texcore isn’t a public adjuster, so we don’t file or negotiate claims.
Where we’re the wrong fit: if the lowest price is the only thing that matters, we probably won’t win the job, because we don’t cut labor cost by hiring subcontractors. We also can’t manage or negotiate your insurance claim. Texas law doesn’t allow it, and we won’t pretend otherwise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Texas require a state license for roofing contractors?
No. Texas has no state license for roofing contractors. Check insurance, local references, and manufacturer certifications instead.
How many roofing quotes should I get in Fort Worth?
Get three written, itemized proposals. Three is enough to spot a missing line item or a price that doesn’t fit.
Can a roofing contractor pay my insurance deductible?
No. Texas law bars a roofing contractor from waiving, paying, or rebating a property owner’s deductible. Treat the offer as a reason to walk away.
Can my roofer negotiate my insurance claim?
No. In Texas, a roofing contractor can’t act as a public adjuster. A contractor can document the damage, give you a report and estimate, and meet your adjuster on site. You file and settle the claim with your insurer.
How long does a roof replacement take in Fort Worth?
Most residential replacements take one to two days. Commercial roofs take longer, depending on the size of the roof, the system, and the weather.
Want to run these checks on us? Contact Texcore to book a free commercial roof audit or a free residential roof inspection.
