Getting a new roof is not a small decision. In Portland, where the wet climate means your roof is working harder than it would almost anywhere else in the country, who installs it matters as much as what they install. The difference between a roof that performs well for 30 years and one that starts causing problems in three often comes down to what happened before anyone picked up a nail gun.
Most homeowners know they should ask questions before signing. The harder part is knowing which questions actually matter and what a good answer sounds like. That is what this post covers.
Are You Licensed to Work in Oregon?
This is where every conversation with a contractor should start. In Oregon, roofing contractors are required to hold a valid license through the Construction Contractors Board. The CCB license is not just paperwork. It means the contractor has met the state’s requirements, carries the required insurance, and is accountable to a regulatory body if something goes wrong.
You can verify any contractor’s current license status directly through the Oregon CCB license lookup. If a contractor gives you any hesitation about providing their CCB number, that tells you something important.
Peak Performance Roofing’s Oregon CCB number is 231484. We also hold a Washington state license: PEAKPPR788NS, which covers our work in SW Washington.
Do You Carry General Liability and Workers’ Compensation Insurance?
Licensing and insurance are related but separate. A licensed contractor may not have adequate insurance coverage, so it is worth asking about both specifically.
General liability insurance protects you if the contractor damages your property during the project. Workers’ compensation insurance covers their crew if someone is injured on your roof. Without workers’ comp, an injured worker could potentially make a claim against your homeowner’s insurance instead of the contractor’s.
Ask for a certificate of insurance and check that both coverages are active. A contractor who cannot produce this quickly is not a contractor you want on your roof.
Do You Use Your Own Crew or Subcontractors?
This question catches a lot of homeowners off guard, but it matters more than most people realize.
Many roofing companies in Portland are primarily sales operations. They sign the contract, then hand the work off to subcontractors whose quality and accountability are harder to verify. The crew that shows up on your roof may have no direct relationship with the company you hired.
There is nothing inherently wrong with subcontracting, but you should know going in. Ask specifically: are the people installing my roof employees of your company, or are they subcontractors?
At Peak Performance Roofing, all of our roofing crews are W2 employees. We do not use subcontractors. The team that shows up is our team, which means consistent standards, consistent accountability, and a direct line back to us if anything needs to be addressed after the job is done.
What Materials Are You Proposing and Why?
A contractor who hands you a quote without explaining what they are installing or why they chose it is not a contractor who is thinking about your home specifically. They are filling in a template.
The materials question opens up a useful conversation. Ask what shingle line or metal system they are proposing, which manufacturer it comes from, and why that product makes sense for your roof and your climate. In Portland’s wet climate, things like algae resistance, wind rating, and the quality of the underlayment beneath the shingles all matter. A contractor who can speak to those specifics knows what they are doing. One who cannot is probably installing whatever is cheapest or most available.
We are preferred contractors with Owens Corning and Malarkey Roofing Products, both of which manufacture products specifically suited to the Pacific Northwest climate. We explain what we are recommending and why before anything is signed.
For more on what separates quality materials from builder-grade options, see our post on how to spot low-quality roofing materials and our overview of top roofing manufacturers.
What Does the Quote Actually Include?
Roofing quotes can look similar on the surface and be very different underneath. Before you sign anything, make sure you understand exactly what is and is not included.
Specific things worth confirming: Does the quote include full tear-off of the existing roofing system, or is it an overlay? Does it include replacement of damaged decking if any is found during tear-off, or is that an additional charge? What underlayment is being installed, and does it include ice and water shield in the valleys and at the eaves? Are all flashing replacements included, or only certain ones?
A quote that leaves these items vague gives the contractor room to add charges later or cut corners on components you assumed were included. A detailed, itemized quote is a sign that the contractor has thought through your specific project rather than just plugging in a standard number.
What Warranties Come With the Job?
There are two separate warranties on any roof replacement: the manufacturer’s warranty on the materials and the contractor’s workmanship warranty on the installation. Both matter, and you should understand what each covers.
Manufacturer warranties vary significantly by product and contractor certification level. Because we are preferred contractors with Owens Corning, we can offer a 50-year manufacturer warranty on select architectural roofs, which is non-prorated and transferable one time to a new homeowner at no extra charge. That is a warranty level that only certified contractors at a certain tier can provide. A contractor using the same brand but at a lower certification level may only be able to offer a shorter or prorated version of the same warranty.
Our workmanship warranty is 10 years, which covers the installation itself separate from the materials.
Ask any contractor you are speaking with: what manufacturer warranty can you offer on this specific product, and what does your workmanship warranty cover and for how long?
How Long Have You Been Operating in the Portland Area?
This question is less about years in business and more about local presence and accountability. A contractor who has been working in Portland for a decade has a reputation to maintain in this specific market. They have local reviews, local references, and local relationships with suppliers. If something goes wrong after the job is done, they are still here.
Storm chasers are a real issue in the roofing industry. After significant weather events, out-of-area contractors move into markets, sign as many contracts as they can, and leave before any warranty issues surface. In Portland, where we do not get the kind of hail events that drive that pattern in the midwest and south, this is less common, but the underlying principle still applies: hire someone with a stake in this community.
Peak Performance Roofing was founded by brothers Aaron and Carson Puppo and is based in Wilsonville, OR. We have built this company on referrals from homeowners in Portland and the surrounding communities. Our reviews are public on our reviews page and you can read what past customers have said before you call us.
What Does the Process Look Like From Here?
Before you sign, you should have a clear picture of what happens next. When will the work be scheduled? How long will it take? What should you expect on installation day in terms of when the crew arrives, how your property will be protected, and how cleanup is handled?
A contractor who can walk you through that process clearly has done it enough times to have a consistent approach. One who is vague about logistics is one you will be chasing for answers during the project.
Most residential roof replacements we do in Portland are completed in one to two days. For more on what installation day looks like from start to finish, see our post on how long a Portland roof replacement takes and our roof replacement questions answered page.
One More Thing: Trust Your Read on the Conversation
A good contractor answers these questions directly without getting defensive. They welcome them because they know their answers are solid. If a contractor seems annoyed by your questions, rushes you toward a signature, or gives you vague answers on things like insurance and subcontracting, pay attention to that. The way a contractor handles the conversation before the job starts tells you a lot about how they will handle it during and after.
You are not just buying a new roof. You are entering a relationship with a company that will be on your property for one to two days and whose work will be over your head for the next two to three decades. It is worth taking the time to get it right.
About Peak Performance Roofing
We are a family-owned roofing company based in Wilsonville, OR, serving Portland and the surrounding metro area. We have been recognized as a top 1% roofing contractor in Oregon, and our team has an average of 14 years of experience. We install composition, metal, and tile roofing systems for residential and commercial properties throughout the region.
We serve Portland, Beaverton, Hillsboro, Lake Oswego, Tigard, Tualatin, Sherwood, Wilsonville, and Oregon City.
Find answers to common questions on our FAQ page.
Schedule Your Free Roofing Quote
If you are ready to start the conversation, we are happy to walk through your project, answer every one of the questions above, and put together a detailed quote with no pressure and no obligation.
Schedule your free roofing quote today or call us at 971-979-7325.
Peak Performance Roofing serves Portland, OR and the surrounding metro area. CCB: 231484 | WA: PEAKPPR788NS
