How to Vet a Twin Cities Roofer for a Luxury Home: 12 Questions to Ask

An Edina homeowner forwarded me three roofing quotes last fall. All three were from contractors with five-star Google ratings. All three were similar in price — within $8,000 of each other on a $94,000 project. All three sounded confident on the phone. One of them was about to install the wrong underlayment for a 4,200 sq ft synthetic slate reroof. Another was quoting tear-off labor that would not actually cover the existing four layers of asphalt. The third had never installed the specific DaVinci product they were quoting. None of these problems would show up in the homeowner research before signing. They show up six weeks into the project, when it is too late to switch contractors without losing your deposit. This guide is the vetting checklist I would run on every contractor bidding on a $50K+ Twin Cities reroof. I am Noah Bergland, co-owner of Owl Roofing in Shoreview, and these are the 12 questions that separate qualified luxury installers from contractors who just have good marketing.

TL;DR — the luxury reroof vetting checklist

The 12 questions to ask every luxury contractor

1. Are you licensed by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry? Verify yourself at dli.mn.gov. The license must be active. The bond must be current. Open complaints or disciplinary actions are red flags. 2. Is your business BBB Accredited? Owl Roofing is BBB Accredited, based at 1000 County Road E West, Shoreview. The complaint history is public on bbb.org — read it for any contractor before signing. 3. Are you a manufacturer-certified installer for the specific product I am buying? GAF, James Hardie, LP SmartSide, DaVinci, Brava, and CertainTeed all maintain installer certification programs. A contractor who is not certified for the specific product cannot register the manufacturer extended warranty — and a $100K reroof without an extended warranty is leaving money on the table. 4. How many installs of this exact product have you completed in the last 24 months? The honest answer matters. “Five DaVinci installs” beats “we install all premium roofing” by a wide margin. 5. Can I see three references on similar projects? Phone numbers, addresses, project values, and dates. The references should be on the same product class as your project. Drive by the addresses if you can. 6. What is your written workmanship warranty? Owl Roofing offers a 10-year workmanship warranty in writing. Industry standard ranges from 2 years to lifetime. Less than 5 years on a luxury project is a yellow flag. 7. Will you tear off all existing layers before installing? Layer-overs are inappropriate on luxury reroofs and reduce manufacturer warranty coverage. 8. What is your ice and water shield specification? Code minimum is 24 inches past the interior wall line per IRC R905.1.2. Premium scopes go full coverage on the lower 6 feet of every slope plus all valleys. 9. How will you handle decking replacement? If your roof is 25+ years old, expect 5–15% deck replacement. The contractor should quote a per-square-foot rate as a line item, not bury it. 10. What is the ventilation specification? Ridge venting sized to the 1:300 NFA rule with vapor barrier. Soffit ventilation matched for balanced flow. “We will use whatever is there now” is a red flag. 11. Who will be on the crew, and will the owner walk the job? Subcontracted crews are not disqualifying — but you should know who is actually installing your $100K roof. Owl Roofing crews are direct employees, and Noah personally walks every roof. 12. What does your contract include and exclude? Look for itemized scope: tear-off, deck inspection, decking replacement (with rate per square), ice and water shield (with coverage area), synthetic underlayment (specifying product), starter, drip edge, ridge vent, step flashing, counter-flashing, pipe boots, chimney flashing, skylight curb work, snow rails, final cleanup with magnetic sweep. Anything not in writing is not in the project.

Red flags that should end the conversation

The door-to-door storm chaser. Minnesota Statute § 325E.66 prohibits roofing contractors from negotiating insurance claims on a homeowner behalf. Anyone offering to handle the entire claim or waive your deductible is offering something illegal. Decline. The sign today discount. Legitimate Twin Cities contractors with full schedules do not pressure homeowners to sign on the first visit. Cash-only or pay-in-full-up-front demands. Reasonable progress schedules look like 10–20% deposit, 40–50% at material delivery, balance at completion. No physical address, no truck branding, no manufacturer certification. Three signals of a contractor who will not be reachable in 18 months when something needs warranty service.

“He communicated clearly, showed attention to detail, and delivered high-quality work. We would happily recommend Owl Roofing to anyone looking for reliable, quality work.” — Brian E., Verified BBB review

The Minnesota statutes you should know

Minnesota Statute § 325E.66 — roofing contractors cannot negotiate insurance claims on a homeowner behalf. This is the law that makes the “we will handle your insurance” pitch illegal in Minnesota. Minnesota Statute § 326B.805 — residential building contractors must hold a state license. The DLI license database is searchable. Minnesota Statute § 72A.201 — insurance carriers have 10 business days to acknowledge a claim and 30 days to make a coverage decision after receiving documentation. Minnesota Statute § 65A.10 — homeowners insurance must cover code-required upgrades when a roof is damaged by a covered peril and rebuilding to current code is required. Minnesota Statute § 65A.26 — a one-year suit limitation on insurance disputes. If your carrier denies coverage, you have 12 months to file suit.

What a good contractor walks the roof checking for

A 30-minute roof inspection should produce a multi-page itemized scope, not a one-page quote. Here is what we check on every Twin Cities luxury roof inspection:

• Existing material type, layer count, and visible age indicators
• Deck condition through visible gaps, soft spots, sag patterns
• Flashing condition at chimneys, skylights, walls, vents
• Ventilation balance — ridge vs soffit ratio
• Ice damming history visible at eave edges
• Gutter condition and integration with drip edge
• Roof geometry — pitch, valleys, dormers, complexity factor
• Tree and snow exposure factors specific to the property
• Architectural style and material compatibility
• HOA requirements if applicable

The vetting timeline that actually works

For a $50K+ reroof, plan 4–6 weeks of vetting before signing. The high-pressure timeline is what burns homeowners. Week 1: Online research. Check DLI license, BBB profile, Google reviews, and manufacturer installer directories for 5–8 contractors. Weeks 2–3: Schedule 3 in-person inspections from the qualified shortlist. Ask the 12 questions above. Week 4: Reference checks on 3 same-product installs. Drive by addresses if possible. Week 5–6: Final contract review and signing. Confirm written workmanship warranty, manufacturer extended warranty registration plan, and progress payment schedule.

What Owl Roofing Customers Actually Say

Real, verified Google reviews from real customers Owl Roofing maintains a 5.0 Google rating with 30+ five-star reviews.

Noah is the real deal. After our insurance denied our roof claim and the first roofer walked away, Noah showed up the next day and said he thought he could get us a new roof. He delivered. He got us a roof covered by insurance after it had already been declined. We came up with a nickname for him: “The Roof Whisperer.”

— Tyler Moberg, verified Google review

I am an Independent Insurance Agency owner and have worked with Noah on several roof projects. The homeowners have been extremely satisfied with the quality of work and craftsmanship Noah and his crews have provided. From filing the claim to replacing the roof and cleaning up the job site, Noah and his crew are the best!

— Fred Zappa, Independent Insurance Agency Owner

We used Owl Roofing for a repair on our roof in Brooklyn Park, and I was blown away by how good they were. Every member of the team communicated well about the process. Their price transparency was super helpful. They got the work done very fast, and the team was professional and very kind.

— Matt Brown, Brooklyn Park (verified Google review)

Noah and his team are outstanding! His clear communication, professionalism, and workmanship are top-notch. I recommend Owl Roofing to all my clients, friends, and family.

— Christine Westlund, verified Google review

It didn’t feel like dealing with a big company — it felt like working with people who actually care about the homes and community in the North Oaks and Shoreview area. Great people, great communication, and really solid work.

— Cody Warren, verified Google review

Frequently asked questions

How do I verify a Twin Cities roofing contractor license?

Look up the contractor at dli.mn.gov. Verify the license is active, the bond is current, and there are no open disciplinary actions.

What is the difference between a manufacturer-certified installer and a regular roofer?

Manufacturer-certified installers have completed training programs from companies like GAF, James Hardie, LP SmartSide, DaVinci, and Brava. The certification is required for the manufacturer to honor extended warranties.

Should I get multiple bids for a luxury reroof?

Yes. Three bids minimum, all from contractors who are certified for the same product.

What is a fair workmanship warranty for a Twin Cities luxury reroof?

Industry standard ranges from 2 years to lifetime. Owl Roofing offers 10 years in writing. Less than 5 years on a luxury project is a yellow flag.

Why is it illegal for a contractor to negotiate my insurance claim in Minnesota?

Minnesota Statute § 325E.66 prohibits roofing contractors from acting as public adjusters on a homeowner behalf. The law also prohibits offering to waive deductibles.

How long should the vetting process take before I sign?

Plan 4–6 weeks for a $50K+ reroof: research, in-person inspections, reference checks, contract review.

Where to start

To request a free luxury reroof estimate from Owl Roofing, fill out a short form. We are based in Shoreview, BBB Accredited, family-owned, and we install premium reroofs across North Oaks, Wayzata, Edina, Minnetonka, and the broader Twin Cities luxury market. For more, see $100K+ Twin Cities reroof guide and synthetic slate roofing cost. To see all the brands we install, visit brands and materials.