Buyer's Guide
How to choose a metal roofing contractor in New England
Eight checks that work on any company, including us. Each New England state handles contractor registration differently, so start there, then compare the roofs.
1. Check the state registration
Massachusetts requires contractors working on existing, owner-occupied homes of one to four units to register as Home Improvement Contractors, and some projects also need a licensed construction supervisor. Connecticut requires home improvement contractors to register with the Department of Consumer Protection. Rhode Island requires registration with the Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board. New Hampshire and Maine have no state roofing license. Each of the three registrations can be looked up online in a minute; search the legal name on the quote. In Massachusetts it matters twice over: hire an unregistered contractor and, according to Mass.gov, you are not eligible for the state's Guaranty Fund or state arbitration.
2. Get the insurance certificates from the insurer
Ask for proof of commercial general liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage, sent directly from the broker or insurer, with the policy dates on it. A photo of a certificate from last year proves nothing about the week your roof comes off.
3. Get the contract in writing, and know your rights
In Massachusetts, M.G.L. c. 142A, section 2 lists what a home improvement contract must contain: the parties' names and street addresses, the contractor's registration number, start and substantial completion dates, a detailed description of the work and materials, the total price, a payment schedule, signatures, notice of your three-day cancellation rights and the warranties, and, directly above the signature line, "Do not sign this contract if there are any blank spaces." The deposit can't exceed one-third of the price or the actual cost of special-order materials, whichever is greater. The contractor should pull the building permit: homeowners who secure their own permits are excluded from the Guaranty Fund provisions. In other states, ask for the same things in writing anyway.
4. Read the warranty as if the exclusions are the document
Ask four things: does the coverage reduce over time? Is there a wind figure written down, tied to installation to the manufacturer's specification? Does it transfer to the next owner, and on what terms? What is excluded? Then ask who issues it. On our roofs the material warranty comes from the manufacturer, Interlock Roofing, and we'll hand you the warranty document before you sign. Ice damming, for example, is a stated exclusion of the material warranty; a roofer who promises a roof will stop ice dams is promising something the warranty doesn't.
5. Ask what the fasteners look like
Exposed gasketed screws through the weather surface are a leak point once the gaskets age, and a New England roof goes through heat, cold, freeze-thaw and the wind-driven rain of nor'easters every year. Concealed-fastener, mechanically interlocked panels keep the fasteners out of the weather and leave no edge for wind to get under. If the answer involves visible screws, ask what the maintenance looks like in year twelve.
6. Ask where the snow will go
A metal roof sheds snow. Before the roof is ordered, ask where snow will slide off, what it will land on (an entry, a deck, a walkway, the neighbor's driveway) and where snow guards go. Ask about attic ventilation and insulation too: ice dams come from heat loss, and a good roofer looks at the attic, not just the roof.
7. In a condo or a historic district, get approval before the contract
Under Massachusetts law (M.G.L. c. 183A), the roof of a condominium is a common area unless the master deed says otherwise, so the condominium trust or association decides on it. If your house is in a local historic district, the historic district commission may need to approve a new roof. Either way, ask the contractor to provide what the board or commission needs, such as the profile, color, specification sheets and warranty, and get the decision in writing before anyone signs.
8. Ask who manufactures the panels, and check it
Many metal roofs are re-branded panels from commodity mills. Ask for the manufacturer by name and for its published test reports and code evaluation. The system we install is made in North America by Interlock Roofing at its plant in Delta, BC: heavy-gauge aluminum, roughly 0.4 to 0.7 lb per square foot depending on profile, four-way interlocking with concealed fasteners, evaluated under ICC-ES ESR-1790 for its shingle, slate, shake and tile profiles, Class A Fire Rated Available as a complete assembly, minimum 3/12 slope on every profile. If your house backs onto woods, ask exactly which assembly a fire rating applies to: under ASTM E108 / UL 790 it belongs to the assembly, not the panel.
Contractor-vetting questions, answered
Do roofers need a license in New England?
It depends on the state. Massachusetts requires Home Improvement Contractor registration for work on existing owner-occupied homes of one to four units, and some projects need a licensed construction supervisor. Connecticut requires home improvement contractors to register with the Department of Consumer Protection. Rhode Island requires registration with the Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board. New Hampshire and Maine have no state roofing license.
What is the Massachusetts Guaranty Fund?
A state fund that can pay eligible homeowners up to $25,000 of actual losses when a registered home improvement contractor doesn't pay an arbitration award or court judgment, according to Mass.gov. If you hire an unregistered contractor, or pull the permit yourself, you are not covered by it.
Can I cancel a roofing contract in Massachusetts?
A Massachusetts home improvement contract must give clear notice of your three-day cancellation rights, under M.G.L. c. 142A, section 2. Read the cancellation terms in the contract before you sign either way.
What questions should I ask a metal roofing company in New England?
Five with the highest signal: Can I look up your state registration and see your insurance certificates? Who issues the warranty, does it transfer, and what does it exclude? Are the fasteners exposed or concealed? Where will the snow go? Who manufactures the panels? Confident answers to all five are rare, and telling.
Does my condo association need to approve a new roof?
Usually. Under M.G.L. c. 183A the roof of a Massachusetts condominium is a common area unless the master deed says otherwise, so the trustees or association decide. Talk to your property manager first; your contractor should give you the specifications the board asks for.
What is the difference between an installer and a certified installer?
Certification means the manufacturer trained the crews and stands behind the installation. Interlock Metal Roofing (New England) Inc. is the certified and exclusive Interlock® roofing contractor for New England.
Should I get multiple metal roofing quotes?
Yes, and compare them like for like. A cheaper quote with exposed fasteners and a prorated warranty is not the same roof at a lower price. Compare the system, warranty terms, registration and insurance, then compare price.
Which parts of New England do you cover?
All six states: Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine and Vermont, from our office in Walpole, MA. The towns with the most Interlock roofs in our job book are Brockton, MA, Lowell, MA, Worcester, MA, Warwick, RI, Plymouth, MA, Quincy, MA, Manchester, NH, Derry, NH, Springfield, MA, Gloucester, MA.
Ready when you are — bring this checklist to the estimate.
