Every spring, when the line of thunderstorms rolls up US-70 and across Shelby County, the phone starts ringing and the trucks start cruising through neighborhoods off Stage Road and Kirby-Whitten. As the person who handles insurance claims here at Bartlett Roofing, I sit with homeowners on their worst days, and I see who did the work right and who left them holding a soggy, leaking mess. Choosing a roofer is one of the biggest home decisions you will make in Bartlett. Here is how to do it without getting burned.
Start With Tennessee Licensing
Licensing in Tennessee is not a formality, and it is more specific than most homeowners realize. There are two tiers that matter for a Bartlett roof:
- Contractor's License: For any project where labor plus materials totals $25,000 or more, Tennessee law requires a license from the State Board for Licensing Contractors. A full tear-off and reroof on a typical Bartlett two-story easily crosses that line.
- Home Improvement License: Shelby County is one of only a handful of Tennessee counties that require a separate Home Improvement license for residential work between $3,000 and $24,999. That means a smaller repair on a home near Elmore Park still requires a properly licensed contractor.
You can verify any license in about two minutes at the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance license portal (core.tn.gov). Search the company name, confirm the classification covers roofing, and check that it is active and not expired. If a contractor gets cagey when you ask for a license number, that is your answer.
Insurance: The Coverage That Protects You
A license tells you the contractor is qualified. Insurance tells you that you are not on the hook if something goes wrong on your property. Ask for a current Certificate of Insurance and confirm two things:
- General liability covering damage to your home. If a crew cracks your driveway or a sheet of decking goes through a window, this pays for it, not you.
- Workers' compensation. In Tennessee, construction-industry employers are generally required to carry workers' comp with even one employee. Without it, an injured worker who falls off your Cordova or Germantown roofline can potentially come after your homeowners policy.
Do not accept a certificate emailed as a screenshot. Ask for it to be sent directly from the insurance agent listed on the document. It takes one phone call and it protects the largest investment you own.
Spotting Storm-Chasers After a West Tennessee Storm
West Tennessee gives us a punishing mix of summer heat and humidity that bakes shingles, straight-line winds that peel them back, and the occasional hailstorm that pockmarks a roof in ten minutes. After every big system, out-of-town crews descend on Bartlett, Lakeland, and Memphis to cash in and disappear. Watch for these red flags:
- Unsolicited door-knocking right after a storm, often with out-of-state plates or a cell number as the only contact.
- High-pressure "sign today" tactics, or asking you to sign an "authorization" that is actually a binding contract or an assignment of benefits.
- An offer to "waive" or "eat" your insurance deductible. In Tennessee that is insurance fraud, and it drags you into it.
- Large cash deposits demanded up front, with no local address you can drive to.
A legitimate Bartlett roofer has a physical presence, a verifiable license, and no problem letting you take a day to decide. Storm chasers count on urgency and fear. Do not give them either.
Questions to Ask Before You Sign
A good contractor welcomes hard questions. Before you sign anything, ask:
- What is your Tennessee license number and classification?
- Are your crews your own employees or day-labor subcontractors, and are they covered by your workers' comp?
- Will you provide a written scope that lists shingle brand, underlayment, ice-and-water shield at the valleys, and ventilation?
- Who is my point of contact if there is a warranty issue in year three?
For budgeting, a full asphalt shingle replacement in the Bartlett and greater Memphis market generally runs from roughly $6,000 to $15,000, or about $400 to $650 per roofing square (100 square feet) for architectural shingles installed. Repairs typically land between $400 and $1,500. A bid dramatically below that range is usually cutting corners on labor, decking, or insurance you cannot see from the ground.
Workmanship vs. Manufacturer Warranties
This is where homeowners get confused, and it matters most years down the road. There are two very different warranties on your roof:
Manufacturer Warranty
This comes from the shingle maker (GAF, Owens Corning, CertainTeed, and others) and covers defects in the materials themselves. Standard architectural shingles carry a limited lifetime warranty that is prorated over time. Enhanced "system" warranties, which cover more and last longer, are only available when a manufacturer-credentialed contractor installs the full system correctly.
Workmanship Warranty
This comes from the contractor and covers installation errors, which is what actually causes most leaks. A workmanship warranty is only as strong as the company standing behind it. A five-year written warranty from a licensed, insured Bartlett company that will still be here is worth far more than a "lifetime" promise from a crew that leaves Shelby County the day the job ends.
When storm damage sends you into an insurance claim, both warranties, your documentation, and your contractor's credibility with the adjuster all work together. Choose the roofer with that in mind from day one.
If a recent storm has you worried about your roof anywhere in Bartlett, Cordova, Germantown, Lakeland, or Memphis, let Bartlett Roofing give you a straight answer. Call us at (877) 692-5349 for a free, no-pressure inspection and written estimate, and we will walk you through your licensing, insurance, warranty, and claim options before you commit to anything.