Roofing Contractors in Des Moines: Questions to Ask First
Roofing contractors in Des Moines multiply after every hail storm and thin out by Thanksgiving. The ones worth hiring answer the same dozen questions the same way every time. Ask all of them, in this order, and the conversation will tell you what you need to know before the quote does.
About the company
1. Are you registered with the Iowa Division of Labor? Iowa doesn't license roofers. It requires contractors to register with the state and to show proof of workers' compensation and unemployment insurance as part of that. It's the minimum, and a roofer who hasn't done it isn't planning to be here long. You can search the registry on the Division of Labor site.
2. Can you send a certificate of insurance before the crew arrives? General liability and workers' comp, on a certificate that comes from the insurer, not a photocopy. If a worker falls off your roof and the roofer has no workers' comp, your homeowners policy is next in line.
3. Where is your office? An address you can drive to, with a 515 number. After the derecho, crews from six states worked the metro. Some did fine work. Most were gone when the first callback came.
4. Who will actually be on my roof? A company crew, or a subcontractor? Subs aren't bad, but you want to know whose insurance covers them and who supervises.
About the roof
5. Did you go in the attic? If the estimate came from the driveway or a satellite measurement, they haven't seen the decking, the ventilation, or whether there's frost on the nails. On a 1930s house in Beaverdale, the attic is where half the problems are.
6. Is it a tear-off? On a house with one layer, a roof-over is usually allowed by code but hides rotten decking and can void the shingle warranty. On two layers, expect a tear-off; check with your city's building department. Get it in writing either way.
7. Where does the ice-and-water membrane go? The right answer for Des Moines: from the eave edge to at least 24 inches inside the exterior wall line, the usual code line here (your city's building department can confirm), plus every valley and around every penetration. "Along the eave" is not enough on a low-pitched roof with a two-foot overhang. This is the line the cheap quotes skip.
8. What shingle, and how many nails? A named product line with a wind rating — Class H (ASTM D7158) or Class F (ASTM D3161) — and six nails per shingle. Four is the manufacturer's minimum in calm places. Central Iowa isn't a calm place. If hail is why you're calling, ask about Class 4 impact-rated shingles and the insurance discount.
9. What's the decking allowance? A per-sheet price, $90–$150, with photos of any sheet replaced. "Decking as needed" with no price is a blank check.
10. What about ventilation? Ridge vent, soffit intake, baffles. Roof ventilation in Des Moines attics is the difference between an ice dam and no ice dam, and it's cheapest to fix while the roof is off.
About the money
11. Is the permit included, and who pulls it? The City of Des Moines generally requires a permit for a replacement (confirm with the city's Permit and Development Center); the suburbs have their own building departments. The roofer pulls it, not you. If they ask you to pull an owner's permit, walk away — it usually means they can't.
12. What's the warranty, in writing? Two separate things: the manufacturer's warranty on the shingles, and the roofer's warranty on the workmanship. Ask for years on each and who to call.
The questions that answer themselves
Some things you don't ask; you watch for them.
- A price that's only good today. Real quotes are good for 30 days.
- An offer to "handle" your deductible. Iowa has rules on roofers paying or rebating a deductible; check with the Iowa Insurance Division. The offer usually tells you the invoice is going to be inflated.
- A contingency agreement on the doorstep. You're signing over your claim to someone you met four minutes ago.
- A quote $3,000 below the others. Something is missing. Usually the membrane or the tear-off. Compare line by line using the cost page.
- Pressure. A roof that has waited 22 years can wait a week for a second opinion.
Write the answers down
Ask the same twelve questions of every contractor, and write the answers in a simple table: one column per company, one row per question. After two or three visits the differences are obvious. One company names the shingle line and the other says "architectural." One quotes a per-sheet decking price and the other says "as needed." One sent the insurance certificate the next morning and the other is still "getting it to you." That table is a better guide than any online rating.
Red flags in the written quote
Even after a good conversation, the paper can tell a different story. Look for:
- No business address, or one that turns out to be a mailbox.
- "Roof-over," or no mention of tear-off, on a house with an existing layer.
- Membrane "at eaves" with no distance given.
- No nail count, or "per manufacturer," which usually means four.
- "Reuse existing flashing" at the chimney or walls.
- A large deposit, or full payment due before work starts.
- No warranty terms, or a workmanship warranty that only exists verbally.
- A clause tying the contract to your insurance payout without saying what happens if the claim is denied.
None of those proves the contractor is dishonest. Each one is a question to ask before you sign.
After you hire
Get the start date in writing, ask who your contact is on the day, and ask for photos of the decking once the old roof is off. Walk the yard together at the end, and hold the final payment until any permit inspection your city requires has passed.
What a good answer looks like
A one-page written scope: tear-off, decking allowance, membrane locations, underlayment type, shingle line and rating, nail count, flashing (new, not reused), ventilation, permit, cleanup, warranty, price, and a date. Photos from the roof and the attic attached. If you got that, you've found one of the best roofers in Des Moines you're likely to meet, and it doesn't much matter whose name is on the truck.
The about page explains how calls through this site reach an independent local contractor partner. Ask that contractor all twelve questions anyway.
Common questions
How far ahead should I book?
For a replacement that isn't leaking, a few weeks is typical, and four to eight weeks after a big storm. Repairs usually come sooner. Getting quotes in late winter or early spring gives you the most choice.
Should I pay a deposit?
A modest deposit toward materials is common. Be wary of anyone who wants half or more up front, or cash only. Tie the remaining payments to the work actually being done.
Is it fine if the contractor uses subcontractors?
Yes, as long as you know who will be on the roof, the contractor supervises the work, and insurance covers the subcontractor's crew. Ask for the subcontractor's insurance certificate as well.
What if a contractor won't put something in writing?
Treat it as the answer. Anything that matters on a roof — the scope, the price, the warranty, the payment schedule, what happens with a claim — belongs on paper. A contractor who is happy to promise it out loud but not to write it down is telling you how a dispute would go.
Should I use the roofer my insurance company suggests?
You can, but you don't have to. Check that contractor the same way as any other: state registration, insurance certificates, an attic visit and an itemized written scope. Ask your insurer whether choosing your own contractor changes anything about the claim.
Need roof work in Des Moines?
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