What Can I Do If Roofers Do a Bad Job?

Roofing

By:

December 26, 2025

8 Min Read

This is something most roofing companies aren't willing to talk about, but lets address it. You've hired a roofing company to protect your biggest investment and install a roof or do a simple repair and now you're staring at work that could've been done by someone blindfolded. Shingles are already lifting, maybe you've got leaks after the first rain. Whatever the problem is, you're frustrated and wondering what comes next.

If roofers did a bad job installing or repairing your roof, first document everything immediately with photos and notes. If they have a warranty then contact them directly about the warranty coverage but just make sure you read the fine print on it's coverage before you sign because some roofing companies will only cover up to a certain amount or give a discount on labor for a fix.

If you're still within coverage they'll inspect the work and fix any installation errors at no charge. If that doesn't work though; you can file a complaint with your state's licensing board or the Better Business Bureau, making a complaint here is sometimes the best course of action if the roofing company won't respond but in reality, most issues get resolved when you just talk to the roofing company directly.

First Step: Document the Problem

Here's the thing most roofing companies like ourselves, don't want to get into a big deal over a mistake that happened and we're willing to make that fix or compensation without needing to go to court or BBB.

So before you pick up the phone or fire off that angry email, grab your camera and take clear photos of every issue you've spotted. An uneven shingle, missing flashing, water stains in the attic. Write down when you've first noticed each problem and any weather events that have happened right after the installation.

This documentation just protects you later because if you end up filing a formal complaint or dealing with insurance, you'll need proof of when problems started, what it looked like, etc. Keep a simple folder, either physical or digital, where everything lives in one place.

In terms of getting a professional inspection of someone else's work. You're looking at anywhere from free to in most cases $350 - $400 if you want a more professional inspection with documentation & no pitch.

Second: Call Your Roofing Company

Most problems tend to stop right here. Like i mentioned earlier, most roofing companies don't want to go to court over an issue they can fix so when installation errors happen, they tend to correct the mistake (Hey, we're human too.) That's really what a workmanship warranty covers: mistakes made during the roof replacement process.

Just contact the company as soon as you see the issue. Don't wait six months and hope it fixes itself (because it won't). Make sure you call, email, or use whatever contact method you've got from your original contract and make sure that when you reach out that you're specific about what's wrong.

When you say things like, "The roof looks funny" or "I don't think it's supposed to look like this" doesn't help us much. On the other hand when you say things like, "Three shingles on the west side are lifted and there's a water stain forming in the upstairs bedroom" can tell a roofing company exactly what's going on, where, & what is probably causing it.

Most roofing companies can schedule an inspection within 1 to 2 days of getting a call like that where they can come out, fully assess what went wrong, and get repairs on the calendar. No arguing, no runaround. If we made the mistake, we own it.

Understanding What Warranties Actually Cover

Workmanship warranties can vary wildly. Some contractors offer 1 year, others offer 10 or more (Like Us!).

Now in some cases it may not be our workmanship nor how we installed the shingles, it could truly just be a material problem which is where you have to understand what the roofing company installed because material warranties are very different. Those are the ones that come from manufacturers and cover defective shingles, not installation mistakes. You get both types of coverage after a roof replacement and both warranties will protect you from different things.

Read your paperwork carefully. Look for:

Length of workmanship warranty
What specific issues are covered
Any exclusions (normal wear and tear normally doesn't count)
Required maintenance to keep warranty valid
Transfer terms if you sell the house

If your warranty already expired, you'll likely paying out of pocket for repairs. Usually if your roof has lasted that long to the point of it needing a repair (5-10 yrs) the damage is normally not a installation error but simply an environment that harsh. Truthfully though, that reality stings. Just ensure you sign with a roofing company that has at least a 2-3 year workmanship warranty since after the first winter you see the most problems.

When Direct Contact Doesn't Work

Of course none of this helps if your roofing company ghosts you or worse shows up, say's everything is fine, and won't make any repairs. This is when you escalate, IF you have already gotten a second opinion and they say you're right in your suspicion.

Now hold on, before you jump to the option that's going to be the hardest for both of you, just try one more direct approach. Send a formal written complaint stating the problems clearly, reference your warranty, and set a reasonable deadline for response. 10 business days sounds reasonable.

Sometimes contractors ignore phone calls but if you send them a formal letter that really shows you mean business, they'll find a way to work things out for you. If this still gets you nowhere, it'll now be time to get some outside help.

File With Your State's Licensing Board

Every state requires roofing contractors to hold proper licenses. When licensed contractors fail to honor their warranties, especially if you have the paper to back it up, the licensing board can step in. This isn't guaranteed to solve your problem but it adds some serious pressure especially when the ones who hold their ability to even run their business are aware of their unfair business practices.

Search for your state's contractor licensing board online. You'll find complaint forms that are usually pretty straightforward to fill out. Just include:

Your documentation (those photos you took)
Copy of your contract
Warranty details
Timeline of communication attempts
Clear description of what's wrong

The board investigates complaints and can sanction contractors who violate standards. Sometime they'll require the contractor to fix the problem and other times they'll facilitate mediation. Results vary by state but filing creates an official record of the issue and not to mention if you're not the only one to get ripped off by this roofing company, this will just be adding more evidence to the eventual revoking of their license.

Surety bonds come into play here too. Licensed contractors carry bonds that protect consumers when work isn't completed properly and if the board rules in your favor and the contractor still won't fix things, the bond company might cover repair costs up to the bond limit. (This varies by each state)

The Better Business Bureau Route

The BBB can act as a mediator between you and the roofing company. They don't have legal authority but they do have influence. Bad BBB ratings hurt business and not to mention most homeowners, like yourself, judge based on past complaints so many contractors will settle disputes quickly to avoid any negative marks.

File your complaint through the BBB website, you'll get assigned a case number, and the roofing company receives notice and has about two weeks to respond. The BBB can facilitate that back and forth communication until you reach a resolution or hit a dead end.

Just to be clear, this process works best when the contractor actually cares about their reputation and not so much with the fly-by-night operations that planned to disappear anyway. Still, it's worth the hour it takes to file, especially since it costs nothing.

Legal Action as Last Resort

Nobody wants to end up in court over a roof and lawyers are expensive. Small claims court has dollar limits that vary by state and regular civil court takes forever and costs even more.

Before you hire an attorney, just get a second opinion from another roofing company on if the work is really shoddy, if it is, make sure you have them provide a written estimate for repairs because this document becomes crucial evidence for the extend of the damage or poor workmanship if you do end up suing.

Also before you begin suing, calculate whether legal action makes financial sense. If a repair costs $3,000 and you'll just spend $5,000 on legal fees, you're better off just fixing it yourself. On the other hand if you're looking at $20,000 in damages from a roof that's now leaking and causing interior damage, legal action might be your only option.

Consult a construction attorney who handles contractor disputes and most offer free or low-cost initial consultations. They'll review your documentation and give you realistic odds of success.

Get a Second Opinion Early

When you're stuck in dispute territory bring in an independent inspector or another roofing company for assessment. Yes, This costs money upfront ($300 to $400 for an inspection), but this gives you leverage.

An impartial inspection report clearly documents problems and often includes any repair estimates. This report also helps whether you're negotiating with the original contractor, filing board complaints, or considering legal action. It just removes the "he said, she said" element and replaces it with expert analysis.

Make sure whoever you hire has no connection to the original contractor. Some areas have small roofing communities where everyone knows everyone but you want someone who'll give you straight answers regardless of professional relationships.

Prevention: Choosing the Right Roofing Company

So if you're in a situation like this where you've got a roof with errors in it that you know with certainty is an error, you can't turn back the time, but reading this can help you avoid this mess in the future. Next time you need roof work make sure you dig deep during the hiring process. Check licenses with the states contractor licensing verification tools. Read their reviews on all of the platforms the roofing company is on, not just the ones the company cherry picked for you to see website. Ask for references from jobs completed in the last year and make sure you actually contact them as well.

Get detailed written contracts where everything is spelled out: materials, installation methods, timeline, warranty terms, payment schedule. Vague contracts just lead to disputes later while clear contracts protect both sides.

Price matters BUT the lowest price often signals problems and you might get back into this situation again. When someone uses quality materials and a good crew it tends to be more expensive because they're both hard to come by. Having good high quality materials costs more than someone working out of their truck with minimal insurance and sub contractors. When you hire a roofing company, you're not just buying shingles, you're buying the expertise and accountability of that roofing company because even the best roofing material installed poorly is still garbage.

Moving Forward From Here

Nobody plans on dealing with bad roofing work because it's expensive, frustrating, and time-consuming to fix. Now that you've read this, you've got the tools available to go from shoddy work to escalating (only when necessary) to fix any problems.

Start with your roofing company. Give them a chance to make it right because most of us will, everyone makes mistakes. If that fails move up the chain: licensing board, BBB, and finally legal action. Each step gets longer and gets more complicated, but each step also increases the pressure on contractors who won't honor their work.

Also think about timelines and costs at each stage. Sometimes paying to fix the problem yourself saves you months of headaches, paperwork, & contacts even when it feels unfair. Other times when you've got major damage on a big project, fighting for proper resolution makes complete sense.

The key is documentation to make sure it all leans in your favor. Photos, dates, written communication, inspection reports. These materials support your case regardless of which route you take. Without them you're just sharing stories and with them, you've got concrete evidence that roofing company cannot deny.