Start with how Texas regulates roofers
Texas does not have a statewide roofing license. Cities can require permits and contractor registration, and rules vary from place to place, but there is no state exam or license that tells you a roofer is qualified. That puts the checking on you.
What to check before you hire
- Local and established. A real local address and years of work on the Coastal Bend. You want someone who will be here when you need warranty service.
- Insurance. Ask for certificates of insurance and confirm them with the insurer.
- Manufacturer certification. Many manufacturer warranties are only available through certified installers. Ask which systems they are certified for.
- Windstorm experience. On the Texas coast, ask how they build to the windstorm code and handle the inspection and certificate. See our windstorm certification guide.
- Supervision. Who is on the roof running your job every day?
- Commercial experience. Low-slope commercial roofing is a different trade from shingles. Ask for commercial jobs similar to yours.
- Permits. Ask whether they pull the permits your city requires.
- A written contract that spells out the roof system, scope, tear-off or roof-over, insulation, flashings, warranty, schedule and payment terms.
Texas rules every owner should know
According to the Texas Department of Insurance:
- It is illegal for a contractor to offer to waive, rebate or absorb your insurance deductible.
- Contracts of $1,000 or more that involve an insurance settlement must include a notice that you are responsible for paying the deductible.
- A roofer or contractor cannot act as a public insurance adjuster on a claim for work they are doing, and cannot advertise that they will.
This is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Talk to your attorney or insurance agent about your situation.
Storm-chaser red flags
- Knocking on doors right after a storm with no local office.
- Offering to cover your deductible or promising a free roof.
- Offering to handle or negotiate your insurance claim for you.
- Pressure to sign the same day, or a large payment up front before any material arrives.
- A vague one-page contract with no roof system named.
- No certificates of insurance, or a reluctance to show them.
Questions to ask any commercial roofer
- How long have you worked in Corpus Christi and the Coastal Bend?
- Who supervises my job, and will they be on site?
- Which manufacturers are you certified with, and what warranty will I get?
- How will you build this roof for hurricane wind and the windstorm inspection?
- What happens if I have a leak in year three?
Compare bids the right way
Three bids for a commercial roof can look like three prices for the same thing when they are not. Line them up on the same points: the exact roof system and manufacturer, membrane thickness, how much insulation and what kind, tear-off or roof-over, how edges, flashings and penetrations will be handled, how drains and slope will be addressed, who provides the warranty and for how long, and whether windstorm requirements are included. A low price that leaves out insulation, flashing work or the windstorm inspection is not a lower price. Ask each roofer to walk you through their bid until every line makes sense.
Warranty: who stands behind the roof
There are usually two layers. The manufacturer warranty covers the roofing materials, and some also cover labor or more, depending on the system and terms. The contractor's workmanship warranty covers the installation. Both matter, and both are only as good as the company behind them. A manufacturer warranty often requires a certified installer and an inspection of the finished roof, so ask who will inspect and when. Read what each warranty requires of you as the owner, such as regular inspections and prompt leak reports.
Local matters after the job is done
The relationship with your roofer does not end when the crew leaves. You will need someone for maintenance visits, warranty questions, post-storm checks and the occasional leak. A roofer based in Corpus Christi, who knows the windstorm rules, the weather and the local buildings, will still be answering the phone when you need them.
Why owners choose Nelson Roof Contracting
Nelson Roof Contracting has over 50 years of hands-on experience, an office at 5233 IH 37 in Corpus Christi, and every job supervised. We are a certified Duro-Last installer and install TPO, PVC, EPDM and metal roofs and UL-approved lightning protection. Ask us every question on this page. Call (361) 683-1733.
Meet the owners
Nelson Roof Contracting is owned by Nelson and Esperanza Alvarado. Nelson brings over 50 years of hands-on roofing experience to Corpus Christi and the Coastal Bend, and every job is supervised. When you call, you are calling a family business that has been on these roofs for decades.
Office (361) 683-1733
24/7 line (361) 320-3131
Updated October 2026 by Nelson Roof Contracting, Corpus Christi, TX.