A flat roof on a South End brownstone or a Quincy two-family takes more punishment than almost any other part of the building. Snow sits on it for weeks, meltwater refreezes at the drains, and July sun cooks every seam. The person you hire to repair or replace that roof matters as much as the membrane itself. After two decades of correcting other companies' work across Greater Boston, we have noticed that bad outcomes almost always announce themselves before the contract is signed.
1. No HIC registration or Construction Supervisor License
Massachusetts uses two separate credentials, and a roofer working on your home should hold both. The Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration is what connects you to the state's Guaranty Fund if a job goes wrong. The Construction Supervisor License (CSL) is what lets the contractor pull the building permit for a re-roof. When a company offers to skip the permit, or suggests you pull it yourself "to save time," be careful: a homeowner who pulls the permit takes on the liability and gives up Guaranty Fund protection. Ask for both numbers and verify them on the state's lookup pages before any deposit changes hands. At Sannacore the CSL is held by our founder, Denis Tchernov, and our HIC registration is current.
2. No certificate of insurance
A roofer who cannot produce a current certificate of general liability and workers' compensation coverage is asking you to carry the risk. If a worker is injured on your roof and the company carries no coverage, the claim can end up with the property owner. Ask that the insurance agent email the certificate directly to you with your property listed as the certificate holder. A legitimate office can arrange that in minutes.
3. Cash only, or a large deposit up front
State home improvement law caps the deposit on a residential contract at one-third of the price, unless the job requires special-order materials. A demand for half the money before a single roll of membrane arrives usually means a cash-flow problem or no intention of finishing. "Cash only" is the related warning: no paper trail, no enforceable warranty and no way to dispute a charge. Pay by check or card against a written schedule tied to milestones such as tear-off, insulation and final inspection.
4. Storm chasers and door-knockers
After a nor'easter or a heavy ice-dam winter, out-of-state crews appear on Boston streets offering "free inspections" and pointing at damage that may or may not exist. By spring they are gone, and so is your warranty. A local company with an address you can visit will still be around when the roof needs service in five years. Our offices are on Brookline Avenue in Boston and River Street in Wellesley, and we have worked the same neighborhoods for more than 20 years.
5. No written scope of work
"We'll take care of the leak" is not a proposal. A proper scope for a flat roof names the membrane brand and thickness, explains how seams are joined (hot-air welded for PVC and TPO, adhesive for EPDM), states what happens to the existing layers, insulation and cover board, and details the flashing at chimneys, parapets, drains and scuppers. Our proposals carry a price-lock guarantee: the figure on the proposal is the figure on the final invoice unless you change the scope yourself.
6. No manufacturer certification
Membrane manufacturers only stand behind their long warranties when a trained, approved installer does the work. An uncertified crew can lay the same material and leave you with no material warranty at all. Ask which programs the company belongs to and confirm it with the manufacturer if in doubt. We install IB Roof Systems PVC as a certified contractor, which means the manufacturer covers the membrane for life on residential roofs and for 30 years on commercial ones, and we also hold GAF certification. On top of the material coverage we add our own 10-year workmanship warranty.
7. No local references or visible work
Anyone can show stock photos on a tablet. Ask for addresses of roofs finished nearby in the past few years and, where the owner agrees, a phone number. Read reviews that mention specific towns and specific problems rather than generic praise. Our completed projects include real jobs in Cambridge, Wayland and around Boston, and our customer testimonials describe the specific leaks and roofs we have fixed.
8. Pressure to sign today
"This price only holds until I leave the driveway" is a sales tactic, not a roofing fact. Material costs do not move by the hour. A contractor who is confident in the proposal will give you time to compare it, and a free estimate should mean exactly that: no obligation and no hard sell.
What to ask instead
Once the checks above are covered, add two questions that many owners forget:
- Who will actually be on the roof: the company's own crew or a subcontractor you have never met.
- How they plan for snow load, drainage and ice dams on your particular roof.
To see how we answer these same questions, read about Sannacore and Denis Tchernov, browse our flat roof repair and inspection services, or call (617) 299-0291 to talk through your roof at no charge.
Denis Tchernov
Denis Tchernov is the founder of Sannacore and the company’s licensed Massachusetts construction supervisor. For more than 20 years he has repaired and replaced PVC, TPO and EPDM roofs across the state, and the company is also certified to work in Rhode Island. Read more about Sannacore.