When a roofer knocks after a storm, take a card and hold off on signing. Before you agree to any work, check three things: an ACTIVE state registration, insurance you've confirmed with the agent, and a contract with South Carolina's insurance-cancellation notice. That notice comes from S.C. Code §40-59-25, and it gives you rights a door-to-door pitch rarely mentions.
Plenty of people knocking after a storm are local roofers doing honest work. The checks below sort them out quickly.
Step 1: Get the name and number, then look them up
Ask for the registration number and the full name of the person who holds it. The state registers individuals, not companies, so the record may not match the logo on the truck. Search it on the Residential Builders Commission lookup and look for a status of ACTIVE.
Then check for discipline on LLR's board orders search, which you can search by name, company or "doing business as" name. Our verification guide explains every field and status.
Out-of-state crews and emergency registrations
After the Governor declares an emergency, LLR may issue emergency registrations to out-of-state specialty contractors (Reg. 106-5). Each one is limited to a single event, to the declared area and to the length of the declaration. For a specialty contractor, it is capped at $35,000 for any single project. Ask for the emergency registration number and confirm it with the Commission at (803) 896-4696.
Step 2: Know your five-day right after a denial
South Carolina gives homeowners a cancellation right built for insurance-paid roof jobs. Say you sign a written roofing contract that insurance money will pay for. If the insurer then denies all or part of the claim in writing, you may cancel "prior to midnight on the fifth business day after the insured has received the written notice of the denial of coverage" (§40-59-25(A)(1)).
- Who it covers. Licensed residential builders, registered specialty contractors, and people doing this work without the registration they need (§40-59-25(A)(2)).
- What counts as the roof. The covering, sheathing, weatherproofing, framing, ventilation and insulation (§40-59-25(A)(4)).
- How to cancel. Send written notice to the address in the contract. It needs no special form, and a mailed notice is effective when you drop it in the mail, postage prepaid (§40-59-25(A)(3)).
- What the contract must contain. Before you sign, the roofer must give you the cancellation statement in bold type of at least 10 points. A detachable form in duplicate, captioned "NOTICE OF CANCELLATION," must come with it (§40-59-25(B)).
No payment during that window
Where payment may come from insurance, the roofer "shall not require any payments from an insured until the five-day cancellation period has expired" (§40-59-25(C)). The one exception is emergency work, such as a tarp, that you acknowledge in writing as necessary to prevent damage. If you cancel, a contract clause charging any fee other than for emergency services can't be enforced against you.
Step 3: The roofer can't take over your claim
The law is direct: a builder or contractor "shall not represent or negotiate, or offer or advertise to represent or negotiate," for a homeowner on an insurance claim to repair or replace a roof system (§40-59-25(D)(1)).
What you can do is hire a roofer to evaluate the roof and use that evaluation yourself when you deal with your insurer (§40-59-25(D)(2)). Photos, measurements and a written estimate are fair game. Talking to the adjuster on your behalf is not.
The same section bars a roofer from promising to pay or refund your deductible, in whole or in part. That includes a price break for a yard sign (§40-59-25(E)). A violation is a misdemeanor. Breaking any part of §40-59-25 also counts as misconduct the Commission can discipline (§40-59-110).
Step 4: Check the local license and the insurance
- Business license. Registered contractors still have to follow local business license ordinances (§40-59-240(C)). Inside Columbia city limits, the City requires a license and says a contractor's name must match their LLR license (City of Columbia FAQ). Ask for a copy, or call the Business License Division at (803) 545-3345.
- Liability insurance. State law doesn't make a registered roofer carry it, so ask. Have the agent send you the certificate, then call the agency to confirm the policy is active for your job dates.
- Workers' compensation. Required for employers with four or more regular employees in the state (§42-1-360(2)). You can check an employer's coverage on the Workers' Compensation Commission lookup or call its coverage staff at (803) 737-6203.
Step 5: Read the contract before you sign
If the roofer came to your door and you sign at home, the federal Cooling-Off Rule usually lets you cancel within three business days. The seller must hand you a receipt or contract with that notice and a cancellation form (16 CFR Part 429). This right is separate from the five-day insurance right, and the statute says the five-day right is "in addition to" others.
A sound storm-repair contract should also show:
- the name, address and registration number that match the lookup;
- the bold §40-59-25 notice and the detachable cancellation form, if insurance may pay;
- a payment schedule with nothing due before the five-day window closes, except written-acknowledged emergency work;
- the scope in detail, so it can be compared with other bids;
- who pulls the permit, in the roofer's name rather than yours.
For what a complete bid looks like line by line, see the roofing estimates guide.
If something has already gone wrong
You can report a roofer who skipped the notice, demanded payment during the five-day window, or offered a deal on your deductible. File with the Residential Builders Commission using the online complaint form or call (803) 896-4470 for a paper form. Attach the contract, any invoices and your insurer's letter.
Want a second look at storm damage before you sign? Cola City Roofing offers free inspections in the Midlands, and you're welcome to look us up first.
