A roof is the most expensive thing most Philadelphia homeowners will ever hire out, and it is also the job where a bad contractor causes the most damage. Water that gets past a poorly done roof does not stay on the roof. It works its way into joists, plaster, insulation, and eventually the room you are sitting in.
Philadelphia adds a few wrinkles a generic roofing guide will not cover. Most of the city's rowhomes have flat or low-slope roofs, not the pitched shingle roofs that dominate suburban housing, and those are an entirely different system requiring different materials and different skills. Add shared party walls, tight alley access, and city permit rules, and picking the right crew matters more here than it does in most places.
Here is what to check before you sign anything.
1. Confirm they are registered with the state
Pennsylvania does not license roofers the way it licenses electricians, but it does require registration. Under the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, any contractor performing more than $5,000 of home improvement work per year in Pennsylvania must register with the Office of Attorney General, and roofing is explicitly covered by the law.
Registered contractors are assigned a number beginning with "PA" that must be clearly displayed on contracts, estimates, and advertising. If you cannot find it, ask for it, then verify it through the Attorney General's contractor search. A roofer who is not registered is either very new or operating outside the law, and neither is what you want on your house.
2. Ask for proof of insurance, not just a claim of it
Roofing is one of the most dangerous trades in the country, and the work happens directly above your home. You want two things confirmed in writing: general liability coverage, which pays if the crew damages your property or a neighbor's, and workers' compensation, which covers the crew if someone is injured on the job.
This matters more on a rowhome than a detached house. A crew working on your roof is standing inches from your neighbor's, and debris, punctures, and damaged flashing next door are real risks. Ask for a certificate of insurance sent directly from the insurer, not a photocopy the contractor hands you.
3. Find out who is pulling the permit
Philadelphia's Department of Licenses and Inspections requires a permit for roof replacement work. For most straightforward re-roofing jobs, contractors can use the city's EZ Permit process, which skips the plan review as long as the job stays within certain limits. Jobs that replace more than 10 percent of the roof sheathing, increase the roof's structural load significantly, or involve a property designated historic by the Philadelphia Historical Commission do not qualify and require a full permit.
Ask directly: are you pulling the permit, and is the cost included in the quote? A contractor who suggests skipping the permit to save money is telling you something important about how they operate. Unpermitted roof work can also cause problems later when you sell.
4. Ask specifically about flat and low-slope roof experience
This is the Philadelphia-specific question that separates the right contractor from the wrong one. Most rowhomes have flat or very low-slope roofs, which shed water differently than pitched roofs and use entirely different systems: modified bitumen, TPO, EPDM rubber, or in older homes, layered built-up roofing.
A contractor who mostly does asphalt shingle work in the suburbs may not be the right fit for a Fishtown or South Philly rowhome. Ask what system they recommend for your specific roof, why, and how many of that type they install in a typical year. A good roofer will have a clear opinion and be able to explain the tradeoffs in plain language.
5. Get the scope in writing, including what happens under the surface
Roofing quotes vary widely because they often describe different amounts of work. Before comparing numbers, make sure each quote spells out:
- Whether the old roof is being torn off completely or a new layer is being installed over the existing one
- Whether damaged decking or sheathing will be replaced, and how that is priced if more damage is found once the old roof comes off
- What is happening with flashing, drains, scuppers, and the parapet walls, which is where rowhome roofs leak most often
- Whether gutters and downspouts are included, since roof and drainage problems usually travel together
- Who is disposing of the old material and whether that cost is in the quote
The "what if we find rot underneath" question is the one homeowners most often skip and most often regret. Get the per-sheet price for replacement decking in writing before work starts.
6. Know what the contract legally has to include
Pennsylvania law requires a written, signed contract for any home improvement job over $500. That contract must include the contractor's registration number and a notice of your right to rescind the agreement within three business days of signing, without penalty. Pennsylvania courts have held that this cancellation does not have to be in writing, as long as the contractor receives clear, actual notice within the window.
If a roofer hands you a one-line estimate on a business card and asks for a deposit, that is not a compliant contract, and it leaves you with almost nothing to point to if the job goes sideways.
7. Compare warranties carefully, and read what they actually cover
There are two separate warranties on most roofs, and they are not interchangeable:
- The manufacturer's warranty covers the materials themselves. It is often long, sometimes decades, but it typically only covers defects in the product, and it can be voided if the material was installed incorrectly.
- The workmanship warranty covers the contractor's installation. This one is usually much shorter, often one to ten years, and it is only as good as the company standing behind it.
Ask how long the workmanship warranty runs, what specifically it covers, and how long the company has been operating in the Philadelphia area. A 25-year warranty from a business that has existed for eighteen months is not worth much.
8. Be cautious with storm-chasers and insurance claim pressure
After a major storm, out-of-town crews turn up in Philadelphia neighborhoods going door to door, offering free inspections and promising to handle your insurance claim. Some are legitimate. Many are not.
Warning signs worth taking seriously: pressure to sign immediately, an offer to cover or waive your deductible (which is insurance fraud in Pennsylvania), a large cash deposit demanded upfront, no local address, or a contract that assigns your insurance benefits over to the contractor. If someone knocks on your door after a storm, take their information and check them out on your own time. There is no legitimate roofing emergency that requires a signature in the next ten minutes.
9. Read reviews for what happened after the job
Star ratings tell you less than the actual text. For roofing specifically, look for reviews that mention what happened when something went wrong: did the company come back for a leak, and how quickly? Roofs reveal their problems on the next heavy rain, not on installation day, so how a contractor handles callbacks is the most useful signal in any review.
Also look for mentions of cleanup. Roof tear-offs generate an enormous amount of debris and a lot of nails, and a crew that leaves those in your yard or the sidewalk out front tells you how careful they were on the parts you cannot see.
10. Never pay in full upfront
A deposit is standard practice. Full payment before work begins is not. A reasonable structure is a deposit at signing, possibly a progress payment on a large job, and the balance due when the work is finished and you have inspected it. Pay by check or card rather than cash so you have a record, and hold the final payment until you have confirmed the job is complete and the site is clean.
A few Philadelphia area roofing contractors to check out
If you are ready to start collecting quotes, here are a few local options worth a look:
- Reiter Roofing, Philadelphia
- McGrath Roofing, Philadelphia
- RHI Construction Inc., Philadelphia
- GEM Roofing and Siding, Philadelphia
- Roofline Roofing, Philadelphia
Or browse the full list of roofing contractors serving the Philadelphia area to compare more options and read reviews.
Since roof and drainage problems usually show up together, it is also worth looking at gutter services in the Philadelphia area while you are getting quotes. And if the water has already made it inside, our guide on signs it is time to repaint your Philadelphia rowhome covers what interior staining and peeling usually mean.