Roofers in Ellijay, GA: Checking a Contractor Before You Sign

Start with the license, not the yard sign

Georgia has no roofing-only license. Residential roofing falls under the State Construction Industry Licensing Board's division for residential and general contractors, set up by Title 43, Chapter 41 of the Official Code of Georgia. The Secretary of State runs a public license search called GOALS where you can type a company or person's name and see whether they hold an active residential or general contractor license.

The license rules include dollar thresholds and exemptions that are written in the statute, and they change from time to time. Rather than repeat a number here, check the board's own site and ask the roofer directly which license covers your job. A roofer who answers that question clearly, with a license number you can look up, is off to a good start.

Gilmer County's Planning & Zoning page lists a subcontractor affidavit, a qualifying agent license form and business license applications among its building documents, and the office issues business licenses for the county. Ask whether the roofer's crew are employees or subcontractors, and whether the company holds a county business license.

Insurance questions to ask out loud

Roofing is dangerous work, and a fall from your roof is a claim that someone's insurance must cover. Ask every roofer for a current certificate of general liability insurance and, if they have employees, workers' compensation coverage, and have the certificate sent to you directly by their insurance agent rather than handed over as a photocopy.

Ask whether the roofer will be working with your homeowner's insurer on a storm claim. Georgia's Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner tells consumers to keep copies of all correspondence, ask the insurer for an itemized explanation of any settlement offer, and get the reason for any denial in writing. You should be the one talking with your insurer; a roofer can supply photos and measurements, but the claim is yours.

If something goes wrong with an insurer, the Commissioner's Consumer Services Division takes complaints.

What the written contract should include

A roofing contract you can rely on names the address, the scope of work, the roof covering by brand and product, the underlayment, flashing and ventilation plan, the decking unit price, tear-off and disposal, the permit and who pulls it, the start window, cleanup, payment schedule, warranty terms for both workmanship and materials, and the license number of the contractor.

Watch for contracts that assign your insurance benefits to the roofer, contracts that set the price as 'whatever insurance pays' with no scope, and contracts that require full payment before the work is inspected. None of those protect you.

Ask for lien waivers when you pay. In Georgia, as elsewhere, an unpaid supplier can sometimes look to the property for payment, and a lien waiver from the roofer and major suppliers closes that door.

Permits are your inspection

The permit is not just a fee. It is what triggers a county or city inspection, which is the only independent check on work you will never see once the roof is covered. In unincorporated Gilmer County, building permits must be obtained before construction begins, according to the county Planning & Zoning page. Inside Ellijay city limits, the City of Ellijay Code Enforcement department issues permits.

Section 66-40 of the county code sets re-inspection fees at $50.00 each and charges double the permit fee plus a $500.00 fine for building without a permit. Ask your roofer to show you the permit card before tear-off starts, and keep the final inspection record with your house papers.

The Gilmer County permit page and the City of Ellijay permit page have the details.

Red flags after a storm

After hail or wind, out-of-area crews often canvass north Georgia neighborhoods. Some do fine work; others leave before the warranty matters. Be cautious with anyone who wants a signature on the spot, offers to cover your deductible, pressures you to skip the permit, or cannot give a local address and a license number you can verify.

Georgia's claim tips advise making temporary repairs to prevent further damage and not making permanent repairs before the insurer inspects. A legitimate roofer will help you tarp and document; they will not need you to sign a full replacement contract the same afternoon.

The hail damage page covers the claim side in more detail.

Comparing two or three roofers fairly

Give every bidder the same information: the calculator square count, photos, the age of the roof, any leaks, and which permit office covers your address. Ask each to write the scope in the same order. Then compare the scope first and the price second, and ask any bidder whose square count is far from the others to walk you through it.

Ask how long the crew has worked in Gilmer County and whether they have handled steep cabin roofs, metal, or low-slope porches if your house has them. Experience with your roof type matters more than the size of the company.

The Free Quote Request form passes your details to an independent roofer who works in the county. It is one way to get a bid; you can and should collect others.

Figures on this page come from: Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board, Residential and General Contractors (O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 41); Georgia Secretary of State: GOALS license lookup; Gilmer County, GA: Planning & Zoning (building permits, inspections, STR ordinance notice); Gilmer County, GA Code of Ordinances, Sec. 66-40, Building permit fees (Municode); City of Ellijay: Code Enforcement (building permits and inspections inside city limits); Georgia Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire: Insurance Claim Tips. Checked 2026-10-30.