How to Choose a Roofing Contractor in Northwest Indiana — 10 Questions to Ask

Choosing the wrong roofing contractor is one of the most expensive home improvement mistakes you can make. A bad installation can cost you $5,000-$15,000 in premature repairs, voided warranties, and water damage.

Here are the 10 questions every Northwest Indiana and northern Illinois homeowner should ask before signing any roofing contract.

1. Are you GAF Master Elite certified?

This is the single most important question. GAF Master Elite contractors (fewer than 3% of all U.S. roofers) can offer the Golden Pledge warranty — 25-30 years of workmanship coverage backed by GAF directly. Contractors who are not Master Elite cannot offer this.

Ask them to confirm their exact certification level and verify it at gaf.com/en-us/roofing-contractors/verify.

Professional inspection ensures no damage goes undetected

2. Are you licensed in Indiana AND Illinois?

If you’re in Illinois, verify the contractor holds an Illinois roofing license through the IDFPR (idfpr.illinois.gov). Indiana and Illinois do not have reciprocal licensing — an Indiana license does not authorize work in Illinois. An unlicensed contractor in Illinois cannot legally pull permits.

3. Can I see your certificate of insurance?

Ask for a certificate of insurance showing both general liability AND workers’ compensation with current dates. General liability protects your property. Workers’ comp protects you if a worker is injured on your property. Don’t accept verbal assurances — ask for the actual certificate.

4. How long have you operated in this specific area?

A contractor with 5+ years of Google reviews spanning multiple years in your market has a track record you can verify. Contractors with clusters of reviews only around storm events are a different story.

5. Do you handle insurance claims directly?

Ask: “Will you be present during the adjuster’s inspection? Will you prepare a supplemental claim if the adjuster’s estimate is lower than yours?” A contractor who says no to both is leaving money on the table for you.

6. What specific warranty can you offer on this project?

Get the exact warranty level in writing. “Lifetime warranty” means different things from different manufacturers. Ask specifically: Is this a material warranty only, or does it include workmanship? Who backs the workmanship warranty — you or the manufacturer? How long does workmanship coverage last?

Quality materials and expert installation make the difference

7. Will you pull all required permits?

Every roofing project in Lake County and Porter County requires permits. The same is true for incorporated Illinois municipalities. Any contractor who suggests skipping permits is creating liability for you.

8. Who supervises the installation on my specific project?

Ask who will be physically on your roof supervising the work. Get a name. Ask how many years they’ve been installing roofs. Quality control varies enormously between contractors.

9. Can I see references from projects completed in the last 12 months?

Ask for 3 recent references in your area. Call them. Ask specifically about communication, cleanup, and whether there were any post-installation issues.

10. What is your process if I have a problem after installation?

Find out exactly who to call, what the response time commitment is, and what the process is for warranty claims. A contractor who’s vague about this is a red flag.

Alamo Roofing serves Lake County, Porter County & northern Illinois

Red Flags to Watch For

• Door-to-door solicitation right after a storm — legitimate local contractors don’t do this
• Unusually low bid — often reflects lower-quality materials, skipped steps, or no permit
• Pressure to sign immediately — quality contractors don’t create artificial urgency
• No physical local address — out-of-state storm chasers operate this way
• Payment demanded upfront — standard practice is a deposit at signing, balance at completion

Why Alamo Roofing Answers All 10

• GAF Master Elite since 2021 — verifiable at gaf.com
• Licensed in Indiana and Illinois (unlimited IL license)
• Certificate of insurance available on request
• Based in Portage, Indiana since 2017 — 8 years of verifiable local history
• Full insurance claim assistance at no charge
• GAF Golden Pledge warranty on qualifying projects
• All permits pulled — we handle everything
• Free estimates and drone inspections