How to Prequalify a Commercial Roofing Subcontractor: A GC's Checklist
Published March 2026 · Ocean Group Construction
Roofing is the trade that can kill a project schedule, a warranty, and a client relationship all at once. A bad roofing sub doesn't just cause leaks — they cause callbacks six months after closeout, insurance claims, and finger-pointing over who owns what. If you're a GC who's been burned before, you know exactly what this looks like.
Here's the 10-point prequalification process we'd want any GC to run on us — and that you should run on every roofing sub you consider.
Why Roofing Subs Are Different
Roofing carries unique risk for GCs. It's one of the few trades where installation quality is completely invisible from the ground. A bad electrical rough-in gets caught during inspection. A bad roof can look perfect on the day of substantial completion and fail at the first heavy rain — or the first wind event — three months later.
Roofing also has a licensing structure in Florida that's specific to the trade. Understanding it protects you. For a full breakdown of how we approach GC partnerships, see our GC services page — but the checklist below applies to any sub you're evaluating.
The 10-Point Prequalification Checklist
Prequalification Checklist — Commercial Roofing Subcontractor
1. Florida Roofing License — Verify Active Status
Florida has two relevant licenses for commercial roofing work: CCC (Certified Roofing Contractor) and, for contractors also doing general construction scope, CGC (Certified General Contractor). The CCC license is the roofing-specific credential. Verify the license number at the Florida DBPR website — not just by taking their word for it. Check that the license is active, not in a Grace period, not suspended. Also verify it's in the name of the entity you're contracting with, not a different company or individual.
2. General Liability Insurance — $2M+ Per Occurrence
Minimum acceptable for commercial work: $2M per occurrence / $4M aggregate. Many larger project owners require $5M+. Get a Certificate of Insurance naming your company as additional insured — not a promise to provide one, the actual certificate before mobilization. Verify the carrier is admitted in Florida and the policy is current. Inland marine for equipment should also be confirmed.
3. Workers' Compensation — No Exceptions
Florida law allows roofing contractors with no employees to exempt themselves from workers' comp. This is how low-bid operators game the system. If a crew member gets hurt on your job and the sub has no workers' comp, your GL policy may be on the hook. Require a valid workers' comp certificate for any sub with field employees. This is non-negotiable.
4. Umbrella / Excess Liability — $1M Minimum
A separate umbrella policy above the primary GL and auto. On projects over $500K in value, require $2M+ umbrella. Verify it follows form — meaning it applies to the same coverages as the underlying policy.
5. EMR Rating — Request the Mod Sheet
The Experience Modification Rate (EMR) is the OSHA-adjacent metric that measures a contractor's safety record relative to their industry. 1.0 is average. Below 0.85 indicates a strong safety program. Above 1.2 is a red flag — it means their workers are getting hurt at an above-average rate, which means your job is statistically more likely to have an incident. Request the current mod worksheet directly from their insurance broker — don't accept a verbal number.
6. Manufacturer Certifications
Manufacturer-certified installers have gone through product training and are eligible to issue manufacturer warranties. Ask specifically: which manufacturers are you certified with? Carlisle, GAF, Firestone, Johns Manville, Soprema — the major names. Certifications lapse if a contractor doesn't maintain their standing. Ask for current certificates. If they can't produce NDL warranty eligibility for a warranted system, factor that into your evaluation.
7. Project References — Verify Them
Ask for 3–5 commercial references from the last 2 years on projects similar in scope to yours. Don't just collect names — call them. Ask: Did the crew show up on schedule? Were there callbacks? How did they handle issues? Would you use them again? A roofing sub who hesitates to provide references or provides references that aren't reachable is telling you something.
8. Financial Stability — Can They Float the Job?
Roofing material costs are substantial. A sub that's financially thin will be asking for large upfront draws, delaying mobilization while they wait for cash, or cutting corners on material quantities. On larger projects ($200K+), request a bank letter of credit or a Dun & Bradstreet report. At minimum, check how long they've been in business — a 2-year-old company with no credit history is a risk on a $400K job.
9. Crew Capability — Own Crews vs. Subs-of-Subs
This is the question many GCs don't ask: do you self-perform, or are you brokering the work to another sub? A roofing sub who subs the labor out to a third party creates a chain of accountability where you have no direct line to the actual workers on your roof. When something goes wrong at 11pm on a Tuesday, who answers? Require that field labor is directly employed or has a direct subcontract relationship with the entity holding your contract.
10. Equipment and Response Time
Verify they own — not rent, own — the key equipment for your project. Hot-air welding machines (Leister, Miller Weld-Master) for TPO/PVC work. Rhino Bond induction welding systems for mechanically fastened applications. Rooftop equipment elevators for multi-story work. A contractor who has to rent basic welding equipment for every job doesn't do this work regularly enough to price it right or execute it reliably. Also ask: what's your typical mobilization window, and how do you handle emergency service calls?
Red Flags That Should End the Conversation
Questions about your roof?
Call us. Real contractor, real answers, no sales script.
📞 Call 786-696-4829See #3 above. This isn't a negotiating point. No coverage = no contract.
If a bid comes in 30–40% below the field, someone is getting cut. It's either the material spec (lighter membrane, less insulation), the labor (fewer welds, skipped flashings), or both. Ask for a full material specification with product names and quantities. A legitimate low bid can explain itself.
You can check Florida DBPR in 90 seconds. If someone is presenting with an expired license, they know it. That's not a paperwork error — that's a character issue.
Every legitimate roofing company has customers who'll vouch for them. If a sub can't produce verifiable references from completed commercial projects, they're either new (high risk) or experienced-but-burned (high risk).
On a warranted system, the sub must be manufacturer-certified. If they can't name their certifications or can't produce current certificates, the warranty you're promising your client doesn't exist.
What We Can Provide at Ocean Group Construction
We hold CCC1332364 and CGC1504639 — both active and verifiable at Florida DBPR. We carry $2M GL, workers' comp, and umbrella coverage. Our EMR is below 1.0. We're manufacturer-certified with multiple membrane suppliers and can issue NDL warranties on eligible projects.
For GCs who want to understand exactly how we work and what we require to perform at the highest level, see our breakdown of what top GCs expect from roofing subs and our contractor selection guide. After you prequalify a sub, make sure you understand the warranty documentation they'll deliver — our commercial roof warranty guide covers the difference between manufacturer NDL warranties, contractor labor warranties, and system warranties. And if the project is in Miami-Dade or Broward HVHZ, our Miami-Dade HVHZ roofing compliance guide covers the NOA requirements your sub must satisfy.
We self-perform. Our crews are ours. When you call us at 11pm, we answer.