Does It Matter How Long My Roofer Has Been in Business?

Are you worried the roofing company you just hired won’t be around in five years to honor your warranty? Does it feel nearly impossible to tell which Seattle roofers are trustworthy and truly experienced?

You're not paranoid, and your concerns are valid. In Washington State, anyone can become a roofer without proving they know what they’re doing. Combine that with high operating costs and tight competition in Seattle, and it’s no wonder most roofing companies fail within five years.

RoofSmart has repaired and replaced thousands of roofs in the 15 years that we’ve been in business. We’ve seen many companies start up and go out of business, leaving their customers completely out of luck if they need warranty coverage. 

In this article, we’ll explain why a roofer’s time in business absolutely matters. You’ll learn how to research a company’s real track record, what risks come with hiring newer roofers, and why longevity is one of the clearest signs that a roofing contractor is truly qualified to work on your home.

How long does the average roofing company stay in business in Seattle?

Most new roofing companies don’t make it very far. In fact, they typically go out of business after just five years. This is a nationwide issue, but it also applies to Seattle.

In Washington State, all you need to become a roofing contractor is a business license and a big enough insurance policy. There are no tests required to prove that you are knowledgeable about roofing. 

In other words, anyone who wants to can become a roofing contractor, whether or not they have enough experience to actually do a good job.  

There are thousands of roofing companies in the Seattle area, but how many of them will make it past the five-year mark? In reality, not that many. 

A lot of small companies don’t even have a physical office space. They’re just running out of someone’s truck or home. This makes it even easier for them to disappear because if you can’t get a hold of them, there’s not even an office you can visit. 

Having a physical office indicates that their business is stable and they are doing good enough of a job to maintain a regular income and pay their bills. 

How do I know how long a Seattle roofing company has been in business? 

A quick and easy way to know how long a roofing company has been in business is to ask them. If they’ve been around for a long time, they probably even mentioned it on their website. 

But another way to check is by using the WA State Department of Labor and Industries’ Verify tool, which tells you when the company started and if they’re still in business or not. 

As an added bonus, you can also see if your roofing company went out of business and then came back with a slightly different name. 

Why do so many roofing companies fail? 

The biggest reason that roofing companies fail is because of financial issues. This is true across the country, but especially in the Seattle area. If you live in Seattle or one of the surrounding cities, you already know that everything is expensive here. 

Starting a business is tough, and if your roofing jobs start going wrong because you don’t have enough experience, that sure isn’t going to help. 

These are some examples of financial difficulties that roofers face: 

• Not knowing how to price jobs: When you’re just starting out, you don’t necessarily have the experience to know how much you should be charging for your work. It’s natural to want to offer low prices to attract business, but if your prices are too low, then you won’t make enough money. 
• Service calls don’t make money: Eventually, you’ll get calls to do maintenance and repairs. These calls don’t really make any money and can be a huge financial drain for a small roofing company that’s just starting out. And if you don't even know what to charge in the first place, you certainly don't have any money left to go fix something for free.
• High taxes and operation costs: It’s expensive to operate your business legally. There are all kinds of taxes set in place by the government that you have to pay on every job. This takes away from your profit. 

Low costs are appealing to customers (for obvious reasons), but oftentimes, cheap work costs you money in the long run. New roofers who don’t know what they’re doing might cut corners to save money, but end up lowering the quality of your roof in the process. 

To be clear, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t ever choose small or new roofing companies. There are some good ones out there, but you need to be vigilant about doing your research. 

What happens if my roofing company goes out of business?

If you choose to work with a newer roofing company that hasn’t been around for very long, they might hit financial troubles and go out of business. 

If this happens, you’re pretty much out of luck. Any sort of warranty coverage or agreement you had with them is no longer valid because they won’t be around to honor it. 

So if you need maintenance on your home or need help with an emergency roof leak, then you’ll have to search around for a new company. You’ll be on the hook for expensive repairs. 

What are the benefits of choosing a Seattle roofer with 10+ years of experience?

If a roofer has been around for 10 or more years, it’s pretty likely that they’re a reliable company. This shows you that they are competent at managing money and have a good reputation in the local community (in this case, the Seattle area). 

• More experience: Even if they started with no experience, after 10 years, they’ve had a lot of opportunities to make mistakes and learn from them. By the time they get to your roof, they most likely know what they’re doing. 

• They can uphold your warranty: If your roof has workmanship issues that cause a leak or other damage after several years, you’ll want a company that you can trust to be there when you need to call in your warranty coverage. 
• Familiarity with local codes and regulations: After 10 years, your roofer should be familiar with building codes, permit requirements, and other regulations in your local area. Permit requirements can be super confusing in the Seattle area since every city has its own rules, so it’s useful to have a roofer who can help you navigate them. 

What Are the Most Common Ways Inexperienced Roofers Cut Corners?

Now that you understand why choosing a roofing company with real experience and staying power is critical, it’s easy to see how newer or less established contractors can leave you vulnerable. 

Without the financial stability or track record to back their work, your home (and your warranty) could be at risk the moment something goes wrong. But time in business isn’t the only red flag to watch out for.

Your next step is to read our article “How Bad Roofers Cut Corners to Save Money (And Cost You Thousands)” to learn the behind-the-scenes shortcuts shady contractors take to lower their prices, and how those decisions can quietly cost you thousands in future repairs. Don't get burned by a cheap roof that won’t last.