What Should Be in a Roofing Contract in California?

The roofer has measured the house, shown you shingle samples and quoted a price you can live with. Now there is a contract on the table and a pen in your hand. This is the moment that decides how much protection you really have.

California law treats a roof replacement or repair as a home improvement, and it spells out what a home improvement contract in California has to include. This guide walks through what should be in a roofing contract in California, what to look for in a roofing contract beyond the legal minimum, and the red flags that mean you should not sign yet.

Does a roofing contract have to be in writing in California?

Yes, for any home improvement job over $500. Business and Professions Code §7159 says the contract must be in writing, easy to read, and given to you as a copy at the time you sign it. A handshake deal or a one line text message is not enough, and a contractor who avoids putting things in writing is telling you something.

Source: California Business and Professions Code §7159; CSLB home improvement contract guidance

What must a home improvement contract in California include?

Section 7159 lists many required items. The ones that matter most on a roofing contract in California are:

• The contractor's name, business address and license number, matching CSLB's records.
• A notice about CSLB telling you that contractors are required by law to be licensed and regulated by the Contractors State License Board.
• The contract price and, if there is a down payment, the amount.
• A description of the work and the materials, including brand, product line and color.
• Approximate start and completion dates and what counts as substantial commencement.
• A schedule of progress payments tied to work completed.
• A three day right to cancel notice, with the cancellation form. Seniors 65 and older get five business days.
• A mechanics lien warning explaining that unpaid subcontractors and suppliers can record a lien on your home.
• Disclosures about insurance, stating whether the contractor carries commercial general liability insurance and workers' compensation.
• A statement that change orders must be in writing and signed.

How much can the down payment be?

For a home improvement contract, the down payment cannot be more than $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less. On a $20,000 roof, the most a roofer can legally ask up front is $1,000. Our guide on how much a roofer can ask for a deposit in California explains the rule and the narrow exceptions.

What should the payment schedule look like?

After the down payment, payments should follow the work. California law says progress payments cannot get ahead of the value of the work performed and materials delivered. A fair roofing schedule might look like this:

1. Down payment at signing, within the legal cap.
2. A payment when materials are delivered to your home.
3. A payment when tear off and dry in are complete.
4. The final payment after the final inspection passes and the job is cleaned up.

Keep a final payment large enough to matter, and ask for unconditional lien releases from the roofer and major suppliers when you pay. Our guide to the mechanics lien release in California shows which forms to collect.

What to look for in a roofing contract beyond the law?

The legal minimum protects you on paper. A good roofing contract also spells out the details where most disputes start:

• Tear off or overlay. Whether all old layers come off down to the deck.
• Deck repair pricing. A price per sheet of plywood or per foot of board, so a rotten deck does not become a blank check.
• Underlayment, flashing and ventilation. The product, whether flashing is replaced or reused, and the ventilation plan.
• Permit and inspection. Who pulls the permit and that final payment waits for the final inspection. See our guide on whether you need a permit to replace a roof.
• Cleanup and protection. Magnetic nail sweeps, dumpster placement and protection for landscaping.
• Warranty. The manufacturer warranty by name and the length of the roofer's workmanship warranty, in writing.

How should change orders work?

A change order is any change to the work or price after you sign, such as extra plywood or an upgraded shingle. Under §7159, change orders must be in writing and signed by both of you before the extra work starts. Each one should state the work, the added or reduced price, and the effect on the schedule. A roofer who says "we'll sort out extras at the end" is setting up a surprise bill.

How does the right to cancel work?

For most home improvement contracts, you have three business days after signing to cancel by written notice, using the form attached to the contract. If you are 65 or older, you have five business days. The contractor should not start work or take more than the allowed down payment in a way that defeats this right. If a salesperson pushes you to sign the same day "before the price goes up," slow down. That pressure is a classic sign of a storm chaser roofer.

What are the red flags in a roofing contract?

• No license number, or a number that does not match the company name.
• A deposit above $1,000 or 10%.
• Vague scope such as "replace roof" with no materials listed.
• No start or completion dates.
• Missing three day cancellation notice or mechanics lien warning.
• Full payment due before the final inspection.
• A workmanship warranty that is verbal only.

How do you check the roofer behind the contract?

Before you sign, confirm the roofer has an active California contractor license with the C-39 roofing classification from CSLB, and that they are licensed and insured. A ConFacts report checks the license, bond, workers' comp, CSLB history and reviews in one place and gives you a 0 to 100 Trust Score. We never take money from contractors.

Frequently asked questions

Can I cancel a roofing contract after signing in California?

Usually yes, within three business days by written notice, or five business days if you are 65 or older.

Is an estimate the same as a contract?

No. Once you sign an estimate that includes the price and scope, it may become the contract, so make sure it has every required term before you sign.

Should my roofing contract name the shingle brand?

Yes. Name the manufacturer, product line and color so you get what you paid for.

Does the contract need to mention insurance?

Yes. California requires disclosures about general liability insurance and workers' compensation.

What if the roofer will not put the warranty in writing?

Treat a verbal warranty as no warranty and keep shopping.