Question 1

What OSHA fall protection is required for roofing work?

Accepted Answer

OSHA 29 CFR § 1926.501(b)(10) requires fall protection for any roofing work on low-slope roofs (4:12 or less pitch) at heights above 6 feet. Options: conventional fall protection (guardrails, safety nets, or personal fall arrest systems with anchor and harness); warning lines combined with safety monitor for residential work (under § 1926.502(k)); designated work area combined with fall-arrest for very small areas. For steep-slope roofs (over 4:12), conventional fall protection is required — no warning-line or monitor alternatives. Violations are actively enforced; OSHA roofing citations average $15,000-$40,000 per serious violation, and multi-violation enforcement can reach six figures. The subcontract should require the sub to maintain a written fall-protection plan, provide training records, require harness and anchor use on steep-slope work, and allow the prime's safety manager to observe and stop unsafe work. Fatal falls from roofs are the highest-consequence construction safety incident.

Question 2

What material manufacturer warranties should apply?

Accepted Answer

Roofing manufacturers (GAF, CertainTeed, Owens Corning, Malarkey, IKO, Johns Manville) offer tiered warranties ranging from 25 years (standard shingles) to lifetime (premium shingles and some commercial membrane systems). Commercial EPDM, TPO, and PVC single-ply membranes have separate warranties from the manufacturer (Carlisle, Firestone, GAF, Johns Manville, Sika) ranging from 10-30 years depending on membrane thickness and system. These warranties typically require: installation by a manufacturer-certified contractor; use of manufacturer-approved components (underlayment, flashing, fasteners); manufacturer inspection at specific points; and warranty registration. The subcontract should require the sub to: obtain the specified warranty tier; register it in the owner's name; provide all documentation at project close; and be certified by the manufacturer if the warranty requires it. Manufacturer warranties cover materials only — labor warranties come from the sub's own one-year workmanship warranty.

Question 3

What are weather-day exclusions and how are they handled?

Accepted Answer

Roofing work is weather-sensitive: rain, snow, ice, high winds, extreme heat, and cold all affect both safety and product performance. Manufacturer specs typically prohibit shingle installation below 45°F (asphalt becomes brittle and seals won't set), above 90°F (shingles become soft and scuff), and in winds above 30 mph. EPDM and TPO cold-weather installation has even stricter limits. The subcontract should require the sub to stop work in out-of-spec conditions, protect the exposed structure from water intrusion during interruptions (tarp the deck, install temporary protection), document daily weather conditions, and bear the cost of water-intrusion damage from inadequate temporary protection. Weather days should be built into the schedule — typically 10-20% of calendar days in spring/fall seasons, more in high-precipitation climates. Late-season tear-offs that cannot be completed before weather risk should not be started.

Question 4

What certifications do roofing manufacturers require?

Accepted Answer

Premium roofing warranties require manufacturer certification of the installing contractor. GAF Master Elite® certification requires $1M+ CGL, state licensure, positive reputation, and enrollment in continuing-education programs; qualifies for Golden Pledge warranty. CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster™ and Master Shingle Applicator require similar documentation plus specific training. Owens Corning Preferred Contractor and Platinum Preferred require financial and business certifications. Commercial single-ply membrane manufacturers (Carlisle, Firestone, Johns Manville) have contractor certification programs with site-inspection requirements before the membrane warranty is issued. The subcontract should require the sub to identify which manufacturer certifications it holds, maintain certifications through project completion, and indemnify the prime if the warranty fails to issue due to the sub's failure to maintain certification or follow manufacturer installation requirements.

Question 5

What is ice-and-water shield and where is it required?

Accepted Answer

Ice-and-water shield (self-adhering bituminous underlayment) is a modified-bitumen underlayment that seals around nail penetrations and prevents ice-dam water intrusion. IRC § R905.1.2 (residential) and IBC § 1507.1.1 (commercial) require ice-and-water shield in regions where the mean January temperature is below 25°F — effectively most of the Northeast, Midwest, and northern states. Required applications: from the eave to at least 24 inches inside the exterior wall line (actual requirement varies by state amendment — some require 36 inches inside, some 48 inches); at all valleys; around penetrations (chimneys, skylights, vent stacks); around dormers. The subcontract should specify the ice-and-water shield coverage requirement by state, require the sub to warrant full-width coverage at the eaves, and exclude water-intrusion claims after installation where the spec-required coverage is in place. Inadequate ice-and-water coverage is a frequent cause of warranty claims in winter climates.

Question 6

What insurance does a roofing subcontractor need?

Accepted Answer

Roofing is one of the highest-risk trades, driving higher insurance minimums than most other subs. Standard minimums: CGL $2M per occurrence / $4M aggregate (vs. $1M/$2M standard); excess/umbrella $5M-$10M; workers' compensation (statutory) with experience mod rating under 1.0 preferred; auto liability $1M CSL; completed-operations coverage extended 10 years post-completion for latent leak claims. Many commercial projects require $10M+ umbrella for roofing subs. Additional specialty coverages: pollution liability for asbestos removal or coating work; builder's risk cooperation; adjacent-property damage coverage for tear-off debris; and water-intrusion coverage. Require additional-insured endorsements CG 20 10 and CG 20 37 on primary/non-contributory basis. Workers' comp experience mod below 1.0 indicates the sub has a better-than-industry-average safety record — primes should prequalify based on mod rate.

Question 7

What tear-off and disposal responsibilities apply?

Accepted Answer

Tear-off of the existing roof creates significant waste: old shingles, underlayment, flashing, and sometimes sheathing. The subcontract should specify: who provides dumpsters or roll-offs (typically the sub); protection of landscaping and adjacent property during tear-off (tarps, plywood protection); daily cleanup of loose debris; final site cleanup before demobilization; and disposal fees (landfill cost borne by sub and built into bid). For asbestos-containing materials (older built-up roofing or cement-fiber shingles), the sub must be certified for asbestos abatement under EPA NESHAP regulations and state-specific requirements; abatement triggers separate pollution-liability insurance, waste manifests, and worker exposure monitoring. The subcontract should require pre-tear-off asbestos testing on buildings of uncertain age and separate pricing for any abatement work if encountered.

Question 8

What deck inspection and repair should the sub perform?

Accepted Answer

Before new roofing installation, the sub should inspect the roof deck for rot, water damage, delamination of plywood or OSB, and fastener withdrawal. The subcontract should require: daily deck inspection as areas are exposed; written deck condition report before installing new underlayment; unit pricing for deck replacement (per square foot, per sheet, per linear foot of fascia); photographic documentation of all deficiencies; and time-and-material documentation for any deck repair performed. The default cost allocation: minor repair (a few linear feet of fascia, small plywood patches) is included in the bid and routine. Significant damage (full sheet replacement, structural repair, wet insulation removal on commercial) is a change order with unit pricing. Surprises often happen on older roofs — set unit prices in Exhibit B to avoid field pricing disputes.

Question 9

What lien rights does a roofing sub have?

Accepted Answer

Roofing subs have strong mechanic's lien rights because roofing is a major improvement. Preliminary notice requirements vary: California 20-day notice under Civil Code § 8204; Nevada 15-day; Arizona 20-day. Missing preliminary notice forfeits lien rights in these states. Lien filing deadlines run 30-180 days after last work. The subcontract should require the sub to: file preliminary notices as required; submit conditional progress lien waivers with each pay app using statutory forms in CA/TX/FL; obtain lien waivers from its own suppliers (shingle suppliers, underlayment, fasteners, rental) and sub-subs before each payment; file a final unconditional lien waiver at retainage release. Because roofing retainage is often released quickly (upon substantial completion and passing inspection), the final unconditional waiver should be carefully drafted to cover manufacturer warranty registration and completion-related items still in process.

Question 10

What warranty does a roofing sub typically provide?

Accepted Answer

Roofing subs typically provide a two-year labor warranty (higher than the standard one-year warranty on most construction trades) covering workmanship defects, leak repair, and any failure of the sub's installation to perform per spec. The manufacturer warranty on materials is passed through to the owner at a separate tier (25 years, 50 years, lifetime depending on product). The subcontract should specify: the duration of the sub's labor warranty; response time for warranty calls (typically 48-72 hours for emergencies, 2 weeks for non-urgent); the scope of the warranty (repair; extended to full section replacement if repair is unsuccessful); warranty call-back procedure; and coordination with manufacturer warranty for material defects. Allow the prime to back-charge repair costs against retainage or from a separate holdback if the sub fails to respond to warranty calls within the specified time.

Question 11

What is the difference between residential and commercial roofing subcontracts?

Accepted Answer

Residential roofing subcontracts cover single-family and small multi-family work: asphalt shingles, metal roofing, tile, slate, or wood shake; typical job size $5,000-$50,000; shorter schedule (1-5 days); simpler contracts with fewer flow-down obligations. Commercial roofing covers low-slope (modified bitumen, EPDM, TPO, PVC) and steep-slope commercial (metal, tile) on larger buildings: typical job size $50,000-$1M+; longer schedule; full AIA A401 flow-down from prime contract; additional insurance (umbrella $5M-$10M); manufacturer certification requirements; pre-construction meeting and submittals process; shop drawings for unique conditions (curb-mounted equipment, parapet details). The subcontract should be tailored to the scale: residential uses a simpler form; commercial uses the full AIA A401-style template with flow-down, lien waivers, schedule of values, and detailed spec incorporation.

Question 12

How should roofing change orders be handled?

Accepted Answer

Roofing change orders typically fall into three categories: (1) deck repair discovered after tear-off (priced per Exhibit B unit prices or T&M); (2) owner-directed upgrades (premium shingles, ice-and-water shield extension, additional attic ventilation, skylights); (3) weather delays and re-mobilization costs if a job must be interrupted for extended weather. The subcontract should: require written authorization before any change work is performed; specify unit pricing for common changes in Exhibit B; require T&M documentation at 15-20% markup for unpriced changes; distinguish between owner-authorized (prime pays) and prime-authorized (prime absorbs) changes; handle weather delays through a schedule extension with possibly no additional cost (weather risk typically on sub) or time-and-material cost if the delay causes extended mobilization; and impose a 30-day claim deadline for any extra-cost claim. Most roofing disputes settle with a clean change-order paper trail.

Roofing Subcontractor Agreement

What Is a Roofing Subcontractor Agreement?

When to Use a Roofing Subcontractor Agreement

Key Provisions

Scope & tear-off

Fall protection

Manufacturer certification

Ice-and-water shield

Insurance

Warranty pass-through

Weather & protection

Change orders

Legal Considerations

Roofing-Specific Issues

How to Fill Out the Agreement

Identify parties and project

Roofing system and warranty tier

Scope and tear-off

Fall-protection plan

Pricing and payment

Insurance minimums

Warranty and call-backs

Sign and retain records

Frequently Asked Questions

Create your roofing subcontract in under 10 minutes.