Buyer's Guide · North Carolina

How to choose metal roofing contractors in NC

Check the license when the job is $40,000 or more, get insurance certificates from the insurer, avoid anyone who pressures you after a storm, get everything in writing, keep deposits small and ask the manufacturer to confirm dealer status. Nine checks that work on any company, including us.

1. Does the contractor need a North Carolina license for my roof?

Yes, if the job costs $40,000 or more. Under G.S. 87-1, anyone who undertakes to build or improve a building for $40,000 or more is a general contractor and must be licensed by the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors (NCLBGC). Below that amount no NCLBGC license is required, so the insurance, contract and reference checks below carry more weight. Either way, search the board's public licensee lookup at nclbgc.org for the exact legal name on your quote, and make sure the name on the license, the contract and the insurance certificate match.

2. What insurance should a roofer carry?

Commercial general liability and workers' compensation. The NC Industrial Commission says employers with three or more employees must carry workers' compensation, and its Insurance Coverage Search lets you check a business. Ask for certificates sent directly from the insurer or broker, with current policy dates. A photo of last year's certificate proves nothing about the week your roof comes off.

3. How do I spot a storm chaser after a hurricane or hailstorm?

Be wary of anyone who knocks on your door to point out damage you didn't know about, presses you to sign that day, wants full payment or cash up front, or offers to handle your insurance claim. The NC Attorney General's office warns about unexpected visitors offering quick fixes and says not to pay for work before it is completed. The NC Department of Insurance says to call your agent or insurer before you sign a repair contract, work only with licensed and insured contractors, get more than one estimate and never sign a contract with blanks.

4. What should the contract say, and can I cancel it?

Get every term in writing: the legal name and address of the company, the roofing system by name, what comes off, how deck repairs are priced, the payment schedule, who handles any permit, and the warranties. If you sign at home with a salesperson who came to you, North Carolina's off-premises sales law (G.S. 14-401.13) gives you until midnight of the third business day to cancel a purchase of $25 or more, and the seller must give you written notice of that right. Credit sales made at home carry a similar right under G.S. 25A-39, which has a narrow exception if you request urgent work in a separate writing. Cancel in writing, and keep a copy.

5. How much deposit is reasonable, and what are lien rights?

Keep payments tied to work done. The NC Attorney General's office advises not paying for work before it is completed, using a credit card for any down payment for materials so you can dispute the charge, and holding the final payment until the work is done to your satisfaction. Under North Carolina's lien law (Chapter 44A), subcontractors and suppliers who aren't paid can claim a lien on money you still owe your contractor once they give you written notice (G.S. 44A-18), so ask for lien waivers or receipts from the contractor and major suppliers as you pay. Owners of an existing single-family home they live in are not required to name a lien agent (G.S. 44A-11.1).

6. Who handles the permit?

Ask before you sign. Under G.S. 160D-1110(c), work on a single-family home costing $40,000 or less and done to the State Building Code often needs no building permit, but structural work and several other categories do, and larger jobs do. Your county or city inspections department has the final word, and the contract should say who is responsible.

7. How do I compare warranties?

Read the exclusions as if they were the document. Does coverage reduce over time? Is there a wind figure written down, tied to installation to the manufacturer's specification? Does it transfer to the next owner, and on what terms? Who issues it? On an Interlock roof the material warranty comes from the manufacturer, Interlock Roofing, and the Metal Roof NC 5-Year Labor Warranty covers workmanship; the full terms of both come in writing before you sign.

8. How do I verify a dealer is authorized by the manufacturer?

Ask the manufacturer, not the dealer. A company that says it is an authorized dealer for a roofing brand should be confirmed by that brand. For Interlock, contact Interlock Roofing through interlockroofing.com and ask whether the company on your quote is an authorized Interlock dealer. Then ask the dealer for the manufacturer's product documents, code evaluation and warranty, and check that the warranty names the manufacturer as warrantor.

9. In an HOA, get approval before the contract

Many subdivisions in the Triangle and around Charlotte have an architectural review committee that approves roof material and color. Ask your contractor for the product sheets, color samples and warranty the committee needs, and get the decision in writing before anyone signs.

Contractor-vetting questions, answered

Do roofers need a license in North Carolina?

For jobs of $40,000 or more, yes: G.S. 87-1 makes anyone who undertakes a building project of $40,000 or more a general contractor who must be licensed by the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors. Below that amount no NCLBGC license is required, so check insurance, references and the written contract carefully.

How do I check a contractor's license in North Carolina?

Use the licensee search on the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors website, nclbgc.org, and search the exact legal name on your quote. Match the name and address to the contract and the insurance certificate.

Can I cancel a roofing contract in North Carolina?

If you signed at home with a seller who came to you, G.S. 14-401.13 lets you cancel a purchase of $25 or more until midnight of the third business day, and the seller must give you a written cancellation notice. Credit sales at home have a similar right under G.S. 25A-39. Cancel in writing.

How much should I pay a roofer up front?

As little as the job reasonably needs. The NC Attorney General's office says not to pay for work before it is completed, to use a credit card for any materials deposit so you can dispute it, and to hold the final payment until the work is done. Never pay in full or in cash up front.

What are the warning signs of a storm-chasing roofer?

Door-knocking after a storm, pressure to sign the same day, demands for full or cash payment up front, offers to deal with your insurer for you, a contract with blanks, and no local address, license or insurance certificate you can check.

Should I get multiple metal roofing quotes?

Yes, and compare them like for like. The NC Department of Insurance advises getting more than one estimate after a storm. A cheaper quote with exposed fasteners and a pro-rated warranty is not the same roof at a lower price.

How do I know a company is an authorized Interlock dealer?

Ask Interlock Roofing directly, through interlockroofing.com. Metal Roof NC is an authorized Interlock aluminum roofing dealer; Interlock Roofing manufactures the system and Metal Roof NC sells and installs it.

Which parts of North Carolina does Metal Roof NC cover?

The Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Apex and Wake Forest), the Charlotte area, the Triad and Piedmont (Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point and Burlington), and the coast (Wilmington, New Bern, Morehead City, Jacksonville and Beaufort), from our office in Raleigh.

Sources

General information, not legal advice. Statutes as published on ncleg.gov, read October 17, 2026.

Bring this checklist when you request an estimate.

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