Get more than one bid, in writing
Washington's Department of Labor & Industries tells homeowners to gather at least three written bids and compare them line by line before choosing anyone, a habit worth keeping no matter which state you're in.[1]
A verbal price isn't a contract. Ask for the estimate in writing before you compare it against another company's number, since a bid that looks lower can hide a narrower scope of work.
Identification and license number
The contract should show the company's legal name, address, and license or registration number. Washington law requires a contractor to include their registration number on bids, estimates, and contracts; treat that as a baseline in any state, not just Washington.[2]
Scope, materials, and an itemized price
Florida law requires a roofing repair agreement to include an itemized estimate of the cost of repairs before work begins, under the same statute that limits predatory post-storm sales tactics.[3]
Beyond that baseline, spell out the material brand and product line, color, quantity in squares, and whether the job is a recover or a full tear-off. If the deck needs repair, get the per-sheet or per-square-foot rate in writing ahead of time rather than after the tear-off starts.
Payment schedule and your cancellation rights
California draws a hard line on upfront money: 10% of the price or $1,000, whichever number is lower, unless a broader surety instrument sits on file with the board covering performance and payment both. Signing doesn't lock you in immediately either; state law hands you three days to walk away.[4]
In Florida, a contract signed within 180 days of a declared state of emergency covering your property must give you 10 days to cancel, or until the work's official start date, whichever comes first, and that cancellation language has to appear in bold type just above the signature line.[3]
In Washington, a contractor must give you a written disclosure statement before starting a job of $1,000 or more on a home of four units or fewer. It names the registration and bond and warns that unpaid suppliers or subcontractors can place a lien on your property.[5]
Warranty terms in writing
Get the manufacturer's material warranty and the contractor's own workmanship warranty spelled out separately, including their lengths and what voids each one. A verbal promise about either one is worth writing down before you sign, and any change to the scope afterward belongs in a signed change order, not a text message.
Ask, too, what happens to the workmanship warranty if the company closes or changes hands. A manufacturer's material warranty typically survives that; a small contractor's own workmanship promise may not, which is worth weighing against how long the company has already been in business.