Work through each step before signing any contract. Check every box you complete. Record your findings in the fields provided.
Step 1 of 6Find the Legal Business Name & Confirm It Exists~20 min
Search the trade name on OpenCorporates to find the registered legal entityopencorporates.com
Search the legal entity name on your state's Secretary of State business searchSearch: "[your state] secretary of state business search"
Confirm the entity status is Active / In Good Standing (not Dissolved, Delinquent, or Revoked)
Note the formation date — compare it to how long they claim to have been in business
Note the registered address — confirm it is a physical location, not a UPS Store or virtual mailbox
Note principal/officer names — confirm they match who came to your door
Search if these same principals dissolved a different roofing LLC within the last 2 years
Record Your Findings
Yes — see notes No
Step 2 of 6Verify the License~20 min
Look up your state's contractor licensing board: search "[your state] contractor license lookup" — the official state site will be the first result.
Search the contractor by business name or license number on the state licensing board
Confirm license status is Active and In Good Standing
Confirm the license classification actually covers roofing (not just general handyman)
Check issue date vs. their claimed years in business
Check for any disciplinary actions, fines, or conditions visible on the license record
If they claim manufacturer certifications (GAF, Owens Corning, CertainTeed), verify them in the manufacturer's own contractor directory — not on their websitegaf.com | owenscorning.com | certainteed.com — each has a "find a contractor" search
Record Your Findings
Yes — see notes No
Step 3 of 6Search Complaints, Court Records & OSHA~45 min
Search the business name on BBB — read complaint texts, not just the letter gradebbb.org
Search your state Attorney General's consumer complaint databaseSearch: "[your state] attorney general consumer complaint search"
Search state or county civil court records — look for the contractor as a defendant in homeowner suitsSearch: "[your state] court case search" or "[county] clerk of courts"
Note whether any court cases involve deposits not returned, unfinished work, or fraud allegations
Check for active outstanding judgments against the contractor
Search OSHA enforcement database for inspection history — look for willful or repeat citationsosha.gov/pls/imis/establishment.html
Search Google: "[contractor name] scam" and "[contractor name] complaint" — note any consumer warning threads
Record Your Findings
Yes — see notes No
Step 4 of 6Evaluate Reviews for Authenticity~20 min
Check Google Maps reviews — note rating, count, and date range of reviews
Check Yelp — including the "Not Currently Recommended" filtered sectionyelp.com → scroll to bottom of reviews page
Check BBB reviews and Angi reviews
Look at reviewer profiles — do they have other reviews, or are they single-review accounts?
Look for review bursts — 10+ reviews in one month on a business averaging 1–2/month otherwise
Look for repeated phrasing across reviews that suggests the same person or a template
Read the contractor's responses to negative reviews — professional/specific or defensive/generic?
Record Your Findings
Yes — see notes No
Step 5 of 6Verify Insurance & Bonding~15 min
Check state licensing board for general liability insurance on file (some states publish this)
Check state licensing board for workers compensation on file
Check state licensing board for bonding status and amount
If manufacturer certification is claimed, verify it is current in the manufacturer's directory
Request a Certificate of Insurance (COI) from the contractor's insurer — with your name listed as additional insuredDo this before signing. A legitimate contractor does this routinely at no cost.
Confirm COI shows: General liability ≥ $1M per occurrence, Workers compensation, Your name as additional insured
Record Your Findings
Yes — see notes No
Step 6 of 6Check Website & Online Credibility~10 min
Look up website domain creation date — confirm it matches their claimed years in businesslookup.icann.org or who.is
Reverse-image-search 2–3 portfolio photos to check if they are stock images used by other companiesimages.google.com — drag and drop image
Confirm phone, address, and owner name match across website, Google, and state records
Check if the website has changed substantially in the last year (name, ownership, service area)web.archive.org
Search Google: "[contractor name] reviews" — note any consumer-forum threads or warnings
Record Your Findings
Yes — see notes No
⛔ Hard Stops — Check Any That Apply. If Even One Is Checked, Walk Away.
License suspended, revoked, or does not exist in a state that requires one
Three or more unresolved court judgments from homeowners in the last 5 years
Pattern of complaints: contractor took a deposit and did not complete the work
Evidence principals dissolved a prior LLC with unresolved complaints and re-formed under a new name
Willful or repeat OSHA citations involving fatalities or serious injuries in the last 24 months
Contractor refuses to provide a Certificate of Insurance with you as additional insured
Felony conviction of a principal owner for fraud, theft, or repeat unlicensed contracting
Overall Verdict
All ClearClean across all steps. Proceed — get the COI and sign a detailed written contract.
Minor Concerns1–2 small issues. Ask the contractor to explain directly — their response tells you a lot.
Multiple ConcernsGet a second bid. Run the same process on that contractor before deciding.
Hard Stop FoundDo not hire this contractor. See hard stops above.