What happens if your roofer accidentally damages your property during the job? Will they take responsibility, or just brush it off as “normal construction risk”?
Roofing is messy work, and sometimes things don’t go according to plan. But that doesn’t mean you should be left footing the bill or chasing down your contractor for answers.
We hear these questions all the time from Seattle homeowners, especially those who’ve had bad experiences in the past. Sometimes accidents happen, and we at RoofSmart believe that you should know what to expect so you don’t get taken advantage of.
In this article, we’ll walk you through what a responsible roofing contractor does before, during, and after a mistake occurs and how to spot a roofer who’s going to do right by you when things get tough.
How does my roofer protect my property from damage?
Your roofer should take precautionary measures before the roof work begins to protect your property from damage. For example, they might lay down plywood or tarps on your patio to protect it from scratches.
They can also create boxes or other structures to protect your plants, statues, heat pumps, or other important items around your yard. So if there's something that's really important to you, then make sure to let your roofer know.
But if you put too much protection on something, it can actually crush it. Also, paying your roofer to spend a lot of time building and setting up all of this extra stuff can take a while. Usually, it takes a lot less effort to just pick things up afterwards. So there's a balance to be had.
Construction projects are messy. They're dangerous for the worker, for the homeowner, and for the property because there's heavy equipment, power tools, and stuff flying all over the place.
It's the responsibility of your roofing company to be careful stewards of your property and your safety.
Does my roofing contract protect me from accidental damage?
In every construction contract that I've ever seen, there's a clause about consequential damages. This protects the roofing company from being held liable for damages outside of its control.
All roofing companies have some version of that clause, but they can use it in different ways
For example, if somebody has rotten siding and you hire them to do the roof, some of that siding needs to be pulled in order to put the flashing in. Well, if it's in good shape (aka not rotten), then they can pull it and put it back.
But if it's rotten, it's not going to make it. And so, by pulling it off, it's going to be ruined as consequential damage that you would be charged for.
That’s out of the control of the roofer because they aren’t responsible for the leak that caused the rotting wood, and they have to remove it to make sure your roof is safe and secure.
However, if the roofer was walking through the attic and accidentally breaks through your ceiling, then that’s a different story.
They could argue consequential damage, or they could offer to just fix the damage on them. This is somewhat of a gray area, which is why it’s important to choose a contractor that you can trust and read the contract carefully before signing it.
Quality contractors will handle the situation professionally and ethically. If the roofer is at fault for damage, then they will fix it at no extra cost to you or even offer you a fair market price to have someone else fix it.
Always make sure that you carefully read the contract before signing it. It will explain what the roofing company is liable for and what it won’t cover. Be certain that you understand this section before you agree to it, and don’t be afraid to ask for clarification!
Will my roofer contact me about accidental damage before they fix it?
A reliable roofing company will be as transparent as possible about accidental roof damage and how they plan to fix it, but sometimes the way it’s communicated changes. It depends on the situation.
If there’s major damage that requires your input, then your roofer will need your approval before fixing it. However, if there’s unexpected damage that you were warned about beforehand (like finding rotting wood), then your roofer might continue working and add the damage to your change order.
Sometimes you might be home when it happens, which makes it pretty easy to tell you. If you're not home, the protocol at RoofSmart is that the foreman notices the problem (either because somebody told him or because he saw it himself) and reports it to the office so that we know.
You’ll either get a call from the foreman or someone at the office, depending on what it is. We might also share pictures of the damage that we took on the job if you’re not there to see it.
These are all ways that your roofer might communicate with you. A reliable roofer will always inform you of the damage, especially if it’s something unexpected that you’ll have to pay for (like the rotten siding).
For example, we had an incident one time where the dumpster wasn't properly braced, and it slid down into our customer’s garage door.
Of course, we informed them of the damage and did not charge them to fix it. Incidents like this, where your property is damaged, are why roofers are required to have liability insurance.
We communicated with the customer to get their approval for the fix. Accidents happen, but it’s important that your roofer can be honest with you and help you figure out a reasonable, ethical solution.
What should you ask a roofer before hiring them?
As you’ve seen, mistakes on roofing jobs can happen—but how your roofer responds to those mistakes makes all the difference. A trustworthy contractor will own up to issues, communicate clearly, and make things right without excuses or finger-pointing.
So how can you make sure you're hiring a roofer who will take your home seriously from day one?
It all starts with the right questions. Before you sign any contracts, make sure you’re asking the kind of questions that reveal whether a roofer will act responsibly, stay transparent, and truly respect your property.
Read our article “How to Disqualify a Roofer” to learn which questions you can ask your roofer that show you if they really care about your roofing project or not.
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