What GCs Should Look for in a Roofing Subcontractor

Most GCs evaluate roofing subs the same way: lowest number wins. That works until the sub misses the schedule, fails an inspection, or disappears after the deposit clears. Then the GC eats the delay, eats the re-work cost, and loses the client's trust.

After working as a roofing subcontractor for GCs across Florida since 2002 — including Marand Builders, JWR, Collage Companies, and others — here's what separates the subs worth hiring from the ones that cost you money.

1. Licensing — The Non-Negotiable

Florida requires two relevant licenses for commercial roofing:

• CCC (Certified Roofing Contractor) — required to perform roofing work
• CGC (Certified General Contractor) — required if the scope includes anything beyond roofing (waterproofing, structural framing, etc.)

Verify both on the Florida DBPR website (myfloridalicense.com). Takes 30 seconds. If a sub can't provide license numbers upfront, that's your answer.

2. Insurance — The Details Matter

Every sub has insurance. Not every sub has enough insurance. Here's what to verify:

• General Liability: $2M minimum for commercial projects. $1M is standard for residential — it's not enough for a $500K commercial roof.
• Workers' Comp: Verify it's active and covers the crew size they're bringing. A sub with 15 guys on your roof and a workers' comp policy covering 5 is your liability.
• Umbrella/Excess: $5M+ for large commercial or institutional projects.
• Products & Completed Operations: This covers defects discovered after the project is done. Many cheap policies exclude this. Ask specifically.

3. Manufacturer Certifications — The Proof

Any roofer can install TPO. Not every roofer can install it with a manufacturer warranty. The difference matters:

• Duro-Last Rhino Bond — induction-welded TPO, no mechanical fasteners. Requires certified installers.
• Sika Sarnafil — premium single-ply membrane. Certified applicator program.
• Tremco — coatings and waterproofing. Requires approved contractor status.
• Soprema — modified bitumen and liquid waterproofing. Certified installer network.

When a sub holds manufacturer certifications, it means the manufacturer has trained their crews, inspected their work, and is willing to stand behind the warranty. That's not something you get by watching a YouTube video.

4. Crew Capability — The Real Question

The most important question a GC can ask a roofing sub: "Are these your guys or are you subbing it out?"

Many roofing "companies" are actually brokers. They sell the job, then sub it to whoever answers the phone. You end up with unknown crews on your site, no quality control, and a sub who can't answer basic questions about the installation.

• Ask: "How many W-2 employees do you have?" vs. "How many crews can you put on site?"
• Ask: "Who is your foreman on this project and how long has he been with you?"
• Ask: "Can I see daily logs from a recent project similar to this one?"

5. Communication — The Predictor

How a sub communicates during the bid process tells you exactly how they'll communicate during construction.

• Response time: If they take 4 days to return an email during bidding (when they're trying to win the work), imagine how responsive they'll be once they have your money.
• Scope clarity: Does their bid clearly state what's included and excluded? Or is it a one-page number with no detail?
• Questions: A good sub asks questions about the scope. "What's the deck type? What's the drain count? Who coordinates with MEP?" These questions mean they're actually reading the plans.
• Daily reporting: Ask if they use a project management system with daily logs, photos, and progress updates. If the answer is "we'll send you updates," that means you'll be chasing them.

6. References — But Ask the Right Questions

Every sub gives you their three best references. That's useless. Here's how to get real information:

• Ask the reference: "Did they hit the schedule?" — not "were you happy?" Schedule is where subs fail most often.
• Ask: "Was the final invoice within 5% of the original bid?" — catches subs who bid low and change-order their way to profit.
• Ask: "Would you use them on your next project?" — the only question that really matters.
• Ask: "Did they clean up every day?" — tells you about their professionalism and site safety culture.

7. The Bid Itself — Read Between the Lines

A good roofing bid should include:

1. Scope of work — specific systems, materials, manufacturers
2. Exclusions — clearly stated. Metal work? Gutters? Dumpsters? If it's not listed, it's going to be a change order.
3. Timeline — start date, duration, milestones
4. Warranty — workmanship warranty (sub) + manufacturer warranty (system)
5. Payment terms — tied to milestones, not arbitrary percentages
6. Insurance and license numbers — on the bid itself

If a bid is one page with a number and no detail, that's not a bid — it's a guess. And you'll pay the difference in change orders.

The Bottom Line

The cheapest roofing sub is almost never the cheapest roofing sub. The one who shows up on time, installs to spec, documents everything, and doesn't hit you with change orders — that's the one who saves you money.

We've been that sub for GCs across Florida since 2002. Over 10,000 projects. Rhino Bond certified, Sika, Tremco, Soprema. Both CCC and CGC licenses. We show up, we build, we document, and we're gone on schedule.