Get Quotes from Top Roofing Contractors in Nashville, TN

Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Roofing Contractor in Nashville

The risk of work-related injuries amongst roofers is ten times greater than that faced by all other construction occupations in the United States. Therefore, it's important to choose a licensed, insured and experienced roofing contractor to perform your roofing-related jobs in Nashville. This choice does not only guarantee the completion of your roofing in accordance with established standards and local building codes, but also limit your liability in case of an accident at work. As such before your contract any roofer in the city, it is recommended to ask the professionals the following questions:

Are You Licensed to Practice as a Roofing Contractor in Nashville?

Roofers in Nashville are regulated by the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) via its Board for Licensing Contractors. Per the requirements of this agency, these roofers must obtain a Home Improvement License before providing residential services in the city with a total value of between $3,000 and $24,999 and a Contractor License for any roofing services worth $25,000 or more. Roofers that provide services within these price ranges without obtaining an appropriate TDCI-issued license are considered guilty of committing a Class A misdemeanor offense and can face civil penalties of up to $5,000 in fines.

Roofers who wish to obtain TDCI-issued licenses will be required to apply online via the agency's CORE platform. Note that these applicants will have to register a user account before they can fully access this platform. To this end, the TCDI provides respective contractor license and home improvement license instruction resources that can be gleaned for information on navigating its license application process. Be aware that there are typically additional requirements as part of this application process, such as:

  • Paying an application fee
  • Providing proof of insurance
  • Passing a licensing examination
  • Providing a letter of reference from already licensed contractors

You can contact the TCDI at (615) 741-2241 to get additional information on its licensing requirements for Nashville roofers. Inquiries of this nature can also be directed to the TCDI's Board for Licensing Contractors at (615) 741-8307, (800) 544-7693, or via email.

Determining the licensing status of your intended roofer is a crucial step to take when undertaking roofing projects in Nashville. To this end, you can utilize the License Search and Verification platform to confirm that your roofer holds an appropriate TCDI-issued roofing license. When utilizing this platform, you should also consider using the search tips provided by the agency to ensure that you get accurate results.

How Much Do You Charge Compared to Other Roofers in the City?

The cost of roof repairs, replacements, maintenance, and other roofing-related projects in Nashville is primarily affected by the following factors:

  • The size of the roof
  • Accessibility to the roof
  • The roof style and design
  • The types of roofing materials to be used
  • The complexity of the job
  • The roofer's level of experience and reputation
  • Your location within the city

Before making your final hiring decision, you should consider requesting and comparing rates and quotes from at least three different roofers in the city. This is a good way to ensure that you get charged a reasonable price for your roofing project, as it helps you identify dishonest roofers who grossly overcharge for their services. However, note that you should equally be wary of offers or quotes that are noticeably cheaper than the others, as this is also a common scam technique utilized by dishonest roofers in the city. To this end, always seek an explanation for significant price differences in rates and quotes that you receive.

Roofers in Nashville earn an average wage of $43,380 annually. The average hourly wages of roofers in Nashville and those of roofers in other areas of Tennessee, as well as other major cities in the country, are compared below:

Nashville Roofing Contractors Hourly Average Wage
$20.86
Knoxville Roofing Contractors Hourly Average Wage
$19.43
Memphis Roofing Contractors Hourly Average Wage
$20.86
Chattanooga Roofing Contractors Hourly Average Wage
$19.01
Johnson City Roofing Contractors Hourly Average Wage
$16.79
New York City Roofing Contractors Hourly Average Wage
$27.87
Los Angeles Roofing Contractors Hourly Average Wage
$29.11
Chicago Roofing Contractors Hourly Average Wage
$31.74
Houston Roofing Contractors Hourly Average Wage
$19.78
Phoenix Roofing Contractors Hourly Average Wage
$23.41
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Will You Get the Roofing Permits Required as per the Nashville Building Code?

Chapter 16.28 of the Nashville Code of Ordinances stipulates that a building permit must be obtained before the alteration or repair of any part of a building or structure in Nashville. However, this law makes exemptions for repairs to existing roofs that do not exceed 33 percent of the total roof area and replacements of existing roofs on existing one or two-family dwellings. Note that this exempted work must still comply with local building regulations.

Building permits for Nashville roofing projects are issued by the Metro Nashville Department of Codes and Building Safety and they can be obtained in person at this department's Development Services Center located at:

Metro Office Building
Codes Department
800 2nd Avenue South
1st Floor
Nashville, TN 37210

It should be noted that building permits in Nashville are typically issued to only licensed contractors or owners of single-family residences that currently live in or intend to live in these properties. Also, all roofing projects permitted by the Department of Codes and Building Safety are subject to inspections to ensure compliance with relevant building and construction regulations and requirements.

Applicants are typically required to schedule an appointment by calling (615) 862-6500 or via email before visiting the Development Services Center to make their permit applications. Appointments scheduled by email should include the address of the property where the roofing work is expected to take place, as well as the phone number of the applicant.

Once appointments have been scheduled, a building official from the Department of Codes and Building Safety is typically assigned to the applicant to help them process their permit applications and ensure that the process goes through as smoothly as possible. Note that the payment of permit fees and the submission of site plans, renderings, and other pertinent documentation may be required during this application process.

The Department of Codes and Building Safety also provides an online permitting option for licensed contractors via its E-Permit System. However, contractors who wish to utilize this option must complete a local registration process with the department before they can do so, and parties that are interested in undertaking this local registration can contact the department via email to begin the process. The department also provides successfully registered contractors with a user guide that they can use to get information and assistance in navigating its online permitting system.

Additional information on the Metro Nashville Department of Codes and Building Safety's permit issuing procedures and requirements for roofing projects in the city can be obtained by calling (615) 862-6500.

What Kind of Roofing Services Do You Offer?

Always verify that the roofers you intend to hire in Nashville have the skills and equipment necessary to work on your specific type of roofing system and provide the particular types of services that you need. Residential and commercial properties in Nashville utilize various roofing systems, each with distinct features that necessitate a certain level of expertise and specialized tools on the roofer's part to ensure efficient service delivery. These roofing systems include asphalt shingle roofing, metal roofing, rubber roofing, tile roofing, slate roofing, composite roofing, and flat roofing.

While roofers in the city typically work on various roofing systems, some may specialize in particular ones. Likewise, some roofers may tailor their services to specific areas of roof work, such as:

  • Roof repair and maintenance
  • Roof replacement
  • New roof installation
  • Roof inspections

By confirming the types of roofing services that your intended roofers offer before finalizing any agreements with them, you can reasonably guarantee that the roofer you pick is the right professional for the job. This also lowers the likelihood of any misunderstandings occurring down the line.

The estimated costs of roofing services frequently requested by Nashville property owners are listed below. Note that the costs of these services may vary depending on factors like your location within the city, the scope and complexity of the job, and the roofer that you hire:

Estimates based on task:

Asphalt shingle roof installation (per 100 square feet)
$140 - $230
Asphalt shingle roof repair
$50 - $100
Flat roof installation (per 100 square feet)
$115 - $195
Flat roof repair
$75 - $125
Slate roof installation (per 100 square feet)
$640 - $1,595
Tile roof installation (per 100 square feet)
$660 - $1,060
Wood shake roof installation (per 100 square feet)
$465 - $610
Metal roof installation
$660 - $865
Metal roof painting (per 100 square feet)
$1.75 - $2
Roof cleaning (per visit, for a typical two-story house)
$300 - $390
Roof heating cable installation (per linear foot of eave)
$28 - $33.65
Roof inspection (per visit, for a two-story home with a typical roofline)
$155 - $265
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Estimates based on roof pitch (per square feet):

Flat roof replacement
$3 - $9
Low-slope roof replacement
$3 - $9
Conventional slope roof replacement
$2.50 - $8
Steep slope roof replacement
$3 - $12
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Estimates for roof repair/replacement based on roofing material (per square feet):

Asphalt shingle
$2.50 - $8
Vinyl (PVC)
$2.75 - $10
Plastic
$2.75 - $10
Bitumen
$3 - $12
Concrete Tile
$3.50 - $24
Metal
$4 - $30
Rubber
$3.75 - $15
Architectural shingles
$5 - $15
Cedar
$5.50 - $15
Composite
$8 - $15
Clay
$8 - $22
Green
$8.50 - $35
Solar
$10 - $30
Slate
$10 - $25
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Estimates for roof repair/replacement based on shape (per square feet):

Gable
$2.50 - $10
Hipped
$2.50 - $10
Dutch
$2.50 - $10
Butterfly
$2.50 - $10
Dormer
$3.50 - $12.50
Flat
$3 - $10
A-Frame
$4 - $30
Mansard
$6.50 - $25
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Do You Carry the Necessary Insurance Policy for Roofing Companies in Nashville?

Roofing is a very dangerous occupation, with hundreds of roofers reporting work-related injuries and fatalities every year. In 2020 alone, an estimated 88 fatalities and 1,960 non-fatal injuries were recorded in the United States roofing industry. To this end, you should always confirm the insurance status of any roofer that you wish to hire to avoid financial and legal liabilities if these work-related injuries or property damages occur during your roofing project.

Per the requirements of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TCDI), roofers in Nashville who wish to obtain state-issued home improvement and contractor licenses must comply with certain insurance obligations. These include:

  • Maintaining minimum general liability insurance of between $100,000 and $1,000,000, depending on the specific monetary limit of their licenses
  • Maintaining workers' compensation insurance for any employees that they have
  • Maintaining a $10,000 surety bond or irrevocable letter of credit for roofers that hold TCDI-issued home improvement licenses

Always confirm that your intended Nashville roofers have complied with these insurance obligations by requesting proof of their insurance coverage and authenticating this proof with the appropriate organization. You can learn more about the necessary insurance requirements for Nashville roofers by contacting the TDCI's Board for Licensing Contractors at (615) 741-8307 or (800) 544-7693.

How to File a Complaint Against a Bad Roofer in Nashville

The Tennessee Attorney General's Office handles complaints concerning bad roofers in Nashville, and you can file these types of complaints with this office through its Division of Consumer Affairs.

In August 2020, local station WTVF reported that Metro Police had arrested the owner of a roofing company that had been involved in a string of roofing scams across Tennessee and at least four other states, defrauding unsuspecting homeowners of thousands of dollars. These scams included providing incomplete services after receiving payment, deliberately doing a poor job to get a callback, or absconding without doing any work despite receiving payment. Some red flags that can help you spot potential roofing scams in Nashville include:

  • The roofer shows up at your home with offers of unsolicited roofing services.
  • The roofer is hesitant to provide written contracts for services
  • The roofer tries to pressure you into retaining their services through scare tactics or offers of time-limited discounts and deals
  • The roofer requests full payment upfront or a large advance payment

In March 2022, the Tennessee Attorney General's Office announced that its Division of Consumer Affairs had recorded a 37 percent increase in consumer complaints made by consumers across the state, with home improvement-related matters topping its list of complaints. The following tips can help you avoid falling victim to roofing and other home improvement-related scams in Nashville:

  • Search for reputable roofers in the city via platforms provided by organizations such as the National Roofing Contractors Association and the Better Business Bureau. You can also get referrals to roofers from trusted relatives and friends who have undertaken similar roofing projects.
  • Lookup reviews on your preferred roofers online via third-party websites like the Better Business Bureau, Google Review, and Yelp. You can also contact the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance's Board for Licensing Contractors at (615) 532-3996 and (800) 544-7693 to check if any complaints or disciplinary actions are on record against the roofers.
  • Get rates and quotes for your roofing project from at least three roofers
  • Request and check references from your preferred roofers before committing to any of them
  • Always verify your intended roofer's licensing status. Note that even though roofers working on projects worth less than $3,000 do not require TCDI-issued licenses, it is always in your best interest to hire a licensed roofer for any roofing project that you wish to undertake, regardless of its cost
  • Make sure that your roofers are properly insured
  • Never hire roofers who request full payment upfront or ask you to make large advance payments. Always limit advance deposits for your project to a maximum of one-third of its total value
  • Make sure that the roofer gives you a written and well-detailed contract for the job before they commence any work. Review this contract properly before signing it and ensure that it includes a description of the roofing services that are to be provided, the cost of these services, a timeline for the completion of the project, and payment terms

You can file consumer complaints against bad roofers in Nashville with the Tennessee Attorney General's Office's Division of Consumer Affairs via an online complaint form. Complaints can also be filed with this division by completing and submitting a pdf complaint form, either via email or by mail to:

Division of Consumer Affairs
Tennessee Attorney General's Office
P.O. Box 20207
Nashville, TN 37202-0207

You can also file complaints against roofers that operate in Nashville with the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance's Board for Licensing Contractors via its CORE platform. Note that you will have to create a user account on this platform if you wish to track the progress of your complaint.

Finally, you can pursue private legal action against bad roofers in Nashville by filing a lawsuit with the Metropolitan General Sessions Court of Nashville-Davidson County. Bear in mind that you should always seek professional legal advice before pursuing legal action of any kind. You can find and consult with licensed attorneys in the Nashville area by utilizing the Lawyer Referral & Information Service provided by the Nashville Bar Association.