Choose a roofer who holds the City of Sioux Falls roofing license, carries insurance, has a local address and puts everything in writing. That matters most after hail, when crews from out of state arrive within days.
How do I choose a roofer?
Choose a roofer by checking facts, not by the sales talk. Confirm the city license and insurance. Ask for recent local addresses you can drive past. Read the written quote for detail. Notice how the company handles questions. A roofer who inspects the roof and shows photos is telling you more than one who quotes from the driveway.
What questions should I ask a roofer?
- Do you hold the Sioux Falls Residential Roofing and Repair Contractor license?
- Can I see your certificate of liability insurance and workers' compensation?
- Do you have a South Dakota contractor's excise tax license?
- Who will be on my roof: your own crew or a subcontractor?
- Will you tear off to the deck and replace the flashing?
- Where does the ice barrier go?
- Who gets the permit?
- What are the warranties, in writing, from you and from the shingle maker?
- What is the payment schedule?
How do I check a roofer's license and insurance?
Check the license with City of Sioux Falls Building Services, which keeps a list of currently licensed contractors and answers questions by phone. Check the excise tax license with the South Dakota Department of Revenue. For insurance, ask for a certificate sent to you by the roofer's insurance agent, not a photocopy. South Dakota has no state roofing license to look up. The Sioux Falls Roofing Company is licensed and insured.
How much deposit is normal?
There is no set rule. We did not find a South Dakota statute that caps a roofing deposit. The Attorney General's consumer office advises people to avoid large advance payments and to settle after the work is complete. A modest deposit to order materials is common. A demand for most of the price before any shingles arrive is a warning. A 50% deposit is on the high side for a shingle roof. If a roofer asks for half, ask what it pays for, and offer to pay for the materials when they are delivered to your address.
What should the contract say?
The contract should state the full scope and the price. It should list the materials by maker and line, tear-off, decking prices, underlayment and ice barrier, flashing, the permit, start window, clean-up, payment schedule and warranties. Any change should be a written change order. On a storm job that insurance will pay for, South Dakota law requires the roofer to give you a written notice of your right to cancel (SDCL 37-24-51).
What are the red flags of a roofing scam?
These are the red flags, and most appear after a storm.
- An offer to pay, waive or rebate your deductible. That is against South Dakota law (SDCL 37-24-50).
- No city license, no local address, out-of-state plates.
- Pressure to sign today.
- A form to sign before a free inspection.
- A request for full payment or cash up front.
- A price with no written scope.
- Damage that appears only after the salesperson has been on your roof.
What is the difference between a material warranty and a workmanship warranty?
A material warranty comes from the shingle maker and covers defects in the product. A workmanship warranty comes from the roofer and covers how the roof was installed. Most roof problems are installation problems, so the workmanship warranty and the company behind it matter more. Get both in writing and read what they exclude. Hail is normally an insurance matter, not a warranty one.
What is a lien waiver and should I ask for one?
A lien waiver is a signed statement that the roofer and its suppliers have been paid and give up the right to file a lien on your house. Yes, ask for one with the final payment. South Dakota has a mechanic's lien law, and an unpaid supplier may be able to claim against the property even if you paid the roofer. This is general information, not legal advice.
My roofer will not come back to fix a problem. What can I do?
If the roofer will not come back, put the problem in writing with photos and dates, and keep copies. If that fails, you can file a complaint with the South Dakota Attorney General's Division of Consumer Protection through its website, consumer.sd.gov. For a job inside the city, tell City of Sioux Falls Building Services as well, since it licenses residential roofers, who must post a compliance bond. Small claims court is another route, and a lawyer can advise you on your case.
How many quotes should I get?
Three written quotes for the same scope are enough for most roofs. More than that rarely adds information. Make sure each one lists the same tear-off, underlayment and shingle line, or you are not comparing like with like.
Should I pay in full up front or in cash?
No. Do not pay in full up front, and do not pay cash without a receipt. Pay by check or card so there is a record. Hold the final payment until the roof is finished, the yard is clean and you have the warranties and lien waiver.
Can a roofer start without a signed contract?
A roofer should not start without a signed contract, and you should not let one. Without a written scope and price, there is nothing to settle a dispute about what was agreed. An emergency tarp is the one exception, and even that should come with a written price. A contract also starts the cancellation periods that South Dakota law gives you on door-to-door and insurance-paid storm jobs.
How do I know if a roofer is exaggerating storm damage?
A roofer may be exaggerating if the damage cannot be shown to you plainly. Ask for close photos of each damaged spot with something for scale, and a wide photo that shows where it is on the roof. Real hail damage also shows on gutters, vents and other soft metal. Be suspicious of fresh scuffs or creases that appeared only after someone was on the roof. Get a second inspection from a roofer who is not selling you an insurance job.
I paid a deposit and the roofer disappeared. What can I do?
Act quickly and in writing. Send a dated letter or email that demands a start date or a refund, and keep proof it was sent. If you paid by card, ask the card issuer about a dispute. File a complaint with the South Dakota Attorney General's Division of Consumer Protection at consumer.sd.gov. For a job in the city, tell Building Services, because licensed residential roofers must post a compliance bond. If the roofer took the money with no intent to do the work, it may be a police matter. Small claims court and an attorney are the other routes.
The contractor took the insurance check and did not finish. What now?
Tell your insurer at once that the contractor has the insurance check and the work is not finished. Ask it to hold any further payment, including recoverable depreciation, until the roof is done. Give the contractor a written deadline. Then use the same routes as for a lost deposit: the Attorney General's Division of Consumer Protection, City of Sioux Falls Building Services and an attorney. In future, pay in stages that follow the work. This is general information, not legal advice.
There are nails in the yard and a dented gutter. Can I hold back the final payment?
You can hold back the final payment until the job is finished as the contract describes, and clean-up and repair of damage the crew caused are part of finishing. Put the list in writing with photos and give the roofer a fair chance to fix it. Holding back an amount in line with the problem is easier to defend than refusing to pay at all. Your contract and South Dakota lien law both matter here, so ask an attorney if it becomes a dispute.
What good is a warranty if the roofer goes out of business?
A workmanship warranty is only as good as the company behind it, so it ends in practice if the roofer goes out of business. The shingle maker's material warranty continues, because it comes from the manufacturer. That is one reason to choose a roofer with a local address and a history here, not a crew that arrived with the storm. Keep the contract, the shingle wrapper label and the maker's warranty registration.
Am I liable if a roofer is hurt on my property?
You could be drawn into a claim if the roofer has no coverage for its workers. The South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation states that no law in South Dakota requires an employer to carry workers' compensation insurance, and that an injured worker may sue an uninsured employer. So do not assume a roofer has it. Ask for a certificate of workers' comp and liability insurance sent by the roofer's agent, and ask your own agent what your homeowners policy covers. This is general information, not legal advice.
A free roof inspection with photos and a written quote is the only way to get a real price for your roof. Call (605) 273-7260 or send the form on this page.