Choosing a contractor

Evaluating a residential roofing contractor in Tigard

Start with the basics you can verify yourself. In Oregon, construction contractors must be licensed with the Construction Contractors Board, and the CCB’s free online search shows license status and history. Ask for proof of insurance as well. These checks don’t tell you how good a roofer is, but they screen out the ones you shouldn’t consider.

Then look at the written scope. A contractor who explains what will be torn off, how decking will be handled, which flashing will be replaced, how ventilation is addressed, and what is excluded is giving you something you can hold them to. Vague estimates are harder to compare and harder to resolve if questions come up later. Named materials — the actual shingle line, not just “architectural shingles” — are part of a clear scope.

Communication is the third test, and it is easy to judge early. Did the estimator walk the roof and explain what they saw? Did you get photos? Were your questions answered plainly, without pressure? Do you know who to call once the job starts? How a company handles the estimate is usually how it handles the project.

Price belongs in the comparison, but only after the rest. A bid that is much lower than the others is often missing something — disposal, flashing, ventilation, or a realistic decking rate. Ask what is different instead of assuming it is a better deal.

Contractor checks before you sign

Look up the contractor’s license on the Oregon CCB website
Ask for proof of liability insurance
Request a written, itemized scope with named materials
Ask how decking damage found during tear-off is priced and approved
Find out who your contact will be during the project
Ask what workmanship coverage is provided, and where its terms are written
Confirm how cleanup and property protection are handled

Repair or replace

A good contractor will tell you when you don’t need a new roof

One sign of a trustworthy roofer is a straight answer when a repair would do. Here is how that judgment usually breaks down.

Often still a repair

The problem is isolated and the rest of the roof is in sound condition
The roof is relatively young and the issue is a single failed component
A repair can be done without disturbing large areas of shingles

Points toward replacement

Wear is widespread and repairs would keep finding new problems
The roof has been patched many times and leaks keep returning
Decking or flashing problems show up across several areas

Moss, stains, or a roof’s age alone don’t settle the question, and remaining life can’t be promised from a photo. An on-site roof inspection is the way to know. See also roof repair vs. replacement.

Scope

What a Tigard contractor’s scope should spell out

A complete scope is the best evidence of how a contractor plans to work. It should describe the tear-off, decking review, roof system components, ventilation, cleanup, and documentation. Big Bear’s estimate follows an on-site visit with photos and measurements, and damaged decking is photographed and reviewed with you before replacement at the per-sheet price in the estimate.

Permits: requirements depend on the city or county with authority over the property — which isn’t always the city in the mailing address — and on the scope, such as whether sheathing or framing is replaced. Ask whether your project needs a permit and who will obtain it before work is scheduled.

Items your written scope should cover

Contractor name, license number, and contact person
Full tear-off and disposal
Decking review and per-sheet pricing
Underlayment, flashing, and pipe boot replacement
Ventilation plan
Named shingle line and color
Property protection and cleanup
Warranty information in writing

Cost factors

Comparing Tigard contractors on cost and value

Every contractor builds a price from the same basic inputs: the roof’s measured area, its pitch, the number of valleys, chimneys, and penetrations, the flashing those require, how many layers come off, how far debris and materials must be moved, and the shingle line. Differences between bids usually come from how each one handles those inputs — whether flashing is new or reused, whether ventilation is included, and how decking is priced.

Concealed decking is the one variable no contractor can know ahead of time. A per-sheet price lets you compare that risk across bids. Lining up scopes item by item shows whether a gap in price is a real difference in value or just a difference in what was left out.

More detail: what affects roof replacement cost and what a roofing estimate should include.

Compare Tigard contractors side by side

License and insurance verified for each contractor
Same materials named on each bid
Flashing and ventilation included on each, or not
Decking rate per sheet, and approval process
Exclusions listed clearly
Who your contact is and how updates are shared

Process

How a Big Bear roof replacement runs

On-site estimate
A roofing specialist walks the roof, checks shingles, flashing, and ventilation, takes photos, gathers measurements, and emails you a detailed estimate.
Review and sign
You go over the written scope and options. When you are ready, you accept the estimate online with an e-signature and we schedule the installation date.
Tear-off and installation
The crew protects the property, removes the old roof, reviews the decking with you where repairs are needed, and installs the new roof system.
Cleanup and follow-up
Debris is hauled away, the property is checked for nails and scrap, and you receive follow-up messages and photo documentation of the work.

Before you meet Tigard roofing contractors

Going into each estimate with the same information makes the comparison fair.

Write down the same list of questions to ask every contractor
Have notes on any leaks, stains, or past repairs ready to share
Make the attic access easy to reach
Decide on any add-ons you want priced, such as gutters or skylights
Ask each contractor for photos of what they found

The roof as a system

What goes into a complete new roof

Big Bear focuses on steep-slope asphalt shingle roofs, including architectural shingles and designer lines such as GAF Grand Sequoia. We don’t install flat or low-slope roofing. Exact components depend on your roof’s design, applicable code, and the manufacturer’s instructions.

Decking

The plywood, OSB, or board sheathing the roof is fastened to. It is checked once the old roof is off.

Underlayment and membranes

A water-resistant layer over the deck, with self-adhering membrane at vulnerable areas where specified.

Flashing

Metal at walls, chimneys, valleys, and skylights that turns water back onto the roof surface.

Roof edges

Drip edge at eaves and rakes, and starter courses that seal the first row of shingles.

Penetrations

Pipe boots, vents, and other openings, each sealed to suit the new roof.

Shingles

Architectural or designer asphalt shingles, installed to the manufacturer’s instructions for your roof’s pitch.

Ventilation

Intake and exhaust that suit the attic. What a given roof needs depends on its design, code, and the manufacturer.

Aerial view of a craftsman-style home with a new charcoal-gray shingle roof, front gables, skylights, and a brick chimney — Multiple gables, skylights, and a brick chimney on a craftsman roof replacement by Big Bear Exteriors in Vancouver, WA.

Who you’re working with

Big Bear Exteriors serves homeowners in Tigard, OR from our office at 1104 Main St, Ste 610, Vancouver, WA.

Washington L&I # SERDEGL826PD · Oregon CCB # 239429
Licensed general contractor in WA & OR · Bonded & insured

You can check our registration with the Oregon CCB. How our workmanship coverage and manufacturer warranties differ is explained on our warranty page.

Nearby service areas

See residential roof replacement or all service areas. Not sure about your address? Contact us.

In Tigard

From Big Bear customers in Tigard, OR

Tigard, OR 97223

Ranch home roof replacement on SW 74th Ave

Work: Roof replacement

A new gray shingle roof on a single-story Tigard ranch home, including a gabled porch roof over the front entry, under mature trees.

FAQ

Roof replacement questions from Tigard, OR homeowners

Which questions should I ask before choosing a roofing contractor?

Ask for the contractor’s Oregon CCB license number and proof of insurance, then ask what the scope includes: tear-off, decking pricing, flashing, ventilation, materials, cleanup, and exclusions. Find out who your contact will be during the job and what workmanship coverage is provided. Ask to see photos of what they found on your roof.

How do I verify a contractor’s license in Oregon?

Use the Oregon Construction Contractors Board’s free online license search. It shows whether a license is active and its history. Our CCB number is listed on this page so you can check it.

Why do roofing estimates vary so much?

Bids often differ in what they include — new or reused flashing, ventilation changes, disposal, and decking rates — as well as in the materials named. Comparing item by item shows where the real differences are.

What warranty should I expect from a roofing contractor?

Ask for workmanship coverage in writing, and ask how the manufacturer’s product warranty applies to the shingles being installed. They cover different things and have separate terms. See our warranty page for how the two work.

Roof Replacement in Tigard, OR