How to Choose the Right Roof Coating Contractor

Roof coatings rarely fail because of the product. They fail because of the installation. That makes the contractor the single biggest decision in your project, bigger than the chemistry and bigger than the price.

Verify the basics first

• Licensed where required, with general liability and workers’ compensation insurance you can see certificates for.
• Experience with coatings specifically, not just roofing. Ask how many coating projects they completed last year and on which roof types.
• Local references you can call, ideally roofs coated three or more years ago. A coating looks perfect on day one. Year three tells the truth.

Ask about manufacturer certification

Coating manufacturers only issue their longer system warranties through approved or certified contractors. If a contractor is not approved by the manufacturer whose product they are proposing, you may get a material-only warranty, which covers the product in the bucket and nothing about how it was applied. Our manufacturer profiles list which contractors in the directory hold each certification.

The inspection should include these

• A moisture survey. Infrared, capacitance or core cuts, often a combination. You cannot see wet insulation from the surface.
• An adhesion test. Test patches of the actual coating on your actual roof, pulled after cure, to confirm it will stick.
• A written scope of repairs. Which seams, fasteners, flashings and penetrations will be addressed, and how.

A contractor who quotes a coating without any moisture investigation on a roof with a leak history is guessing with your money.

What a proper proposal spells out

• The manufacturer and the exact system, including primer.
• Thickness per coat and total dry film thickness in mils, which is what the warranty is based on.
• Seam, fastener and detail treatment, and whether seams get reinforcing fabric.
• The warranty term and type: material only, or a full system warranty that covers labor.
• The weather plan: what happens if rain or cold interrupts the job.
• Cleanup, protection of HVAC units and walls, and who handles the roof-top equipment.

Red flags

• The word “paint” anywhere in the conversation.
• A lump-sum price with no thickness, no coats and no named product.
• No moisture survey offered, or a wave-off when you ask for one.
• A price far below the other bids. Thickness is where the savings come from, and thickness is the warranty.
• No manufacturer warranty, or one the contractor cannot show you in writing.
• Pressure to sign today.

Compare bids properly

Get two or three proposals and line them up on the same items: system and manufacturer, total mils, repair scope, warranty type and term, and schedule. A cheaper bid with fewer mils and a material-only warranty is not the same job. Once the bids match on those points, price is a fair comparison.

Using the directory

Every company in the Roof Coating Network directory can be filtered by state, coating type and manufacturer certification. Verified contractors have had their business details confirmed. You can also request free estimates and we will route your project to contractors who work in your area.