Hiring for roofing, siding and storm repair in Connecticut
Why registration matters most for exterior work, how trade licences fit in, door-to-door sales and what to ask before work starts.
Roofs, siding, windows and storm repairs are among the most common home improvement jobs in Connecticut and the ones where door-to-door sales are most frequent. After a heavy storm, contractors from other areas often canvass neighborhoods. The state's Home Improvement Act applies to them all.
Exterior work is home improvement
The Act's definition of home improvement lists roofs, siding, insulation, sunrooms, patios, porches, garages, doors and windows, waterproofing, and water, fire or storm restoration. If a contractor offers any of these for a private residence for more than $200, the contractor must be registered with the Department of Consumer Protection (sections 20-419 and 20-420). Exceptions in the statute are narrow.
Trade licences are separate
Electricians, plumbers and heating and cooling contractors are licensed by DCP under their own chapters. Under section 20-428, a person with a current occupational license is exempt from home improvement registration only for the work the license covers. If a roofer plans to re-wire a skylight, or a siding contractor reroutes a gas line, ask who holds the licence for that work.
Verify the registration
Ask for the registration number. The law requires registered contractors to state in any advertisement that they are registered and to include the number (section 20-427(a)), and to show their certificate on request. Look it up in this directory or on the state's eLicense lookup. See our registration guide for the details.
Door-to-door and "we are in your neighborhood"
Every home improvement contract is treated as a home solicitation sale, with cancellation rights described in the contract. A contractor may not tell you that work will begin unless you tell them not to by a date they choose (section 20-429a). Salespeople must be registered too. You are never required to decide on the spot. Ask the salesperson for their registration number and the contractor's.
Insurance claims
If damage is covered by your homeowner's policy, report it to your insurer before hiring anyone and ask what the insurer needs before it pays. Be careful with a contractor who wants you to sign over your insurance claim or who offers to cover your deductible. Your policy and the state's insurance rules govern what is allowed; ask your insurer or the Connecticut Insurance Department. For repair, remediation or mitigation contracts connected with insurance claims, the Act has additional requirements in section 38a-313a.
What to ask before work starts
- What is the registration number, and what is the exact legal name on the contract?
- Does the contract show start and completion dates, and a signed copy for me?
- Who pulls the building permit, and will the town inspect the work?
- What materials, brands and colors are specified, and what is the warranty from the manufacturer and the contractor?
- How will the crew protect landscaping, and how will debris be cleaned up?
- What proof of liability and workers' compensation insurance can you provide?
Scaffolding, permits and cleanup
Exterior jobs create risks that are easy to overlook in the sales pitch: ladders and scaffolding on your property, roofing debris in gardens and gutters, and weather delays when a roof is open. Ask what happens if rain comes while the roof is stripped, who is responsible for damage to landscaping and fixtures, and how nails and debris will be collected. Your town's building department can confirm which jobs need a permit and inspection, and the permit should be in the contractor's name.
Payment
Tie payments to progress and completion rather than a large up-front deposit. If little or no work is done and more than thirty days pass after the starting date, you can ask in writing for a refund, and the contractor must refund within ten days (section 20-427(b)(8)). Pay by check or card and keep every receipt.
If something goes wrong
Complain to DCP, which administers the Act, and read our guide to the Guaranty Fund to see what it covers and what you need to do first.
General information only, current as of the date above. The information on Connecticut Home Improvement Contractor Check is not a recommendation or a guarantee of anyone's work. A license record shows registration status on the date shown, not workmanship, insurance coverage at the time of your job, or suitability for your project. Confirm license, insurance and permits directly before you hire. Rules and programs change; check the official sources linked in this guide.