Indiana · Before you sign
Roofing contract checklist.
Separate official guidance from unanswered scope.
Use this source-linked checklist to review one written residential roofing agreement, then compare two to four bids with the same roof-specific questions. It is educational information, not legal advice or a determination that a contract complies with current law.
Official Indiana consumer guidance
Start with what should be written down.
The Indiana Attorney General’s storm-chaser guide says Indiana home-improvement contracts exceeding $150 must be in writing. Before signing, the guide tells consumers to make sure the contract includes the items below.
| Written item | Question to check |
|---|---|
| Price | Does the written agreement state the job price and identify what that amount covers? |
| Payment schedule | Are the deposit and later payment amounts or milestones written clearly? |
| Work and materials | Does it describe the work and materials in detail, including relevant colors, brand names, and patterns? |
| Estimated dates | Are the estimated start and completion dates written down? |
| Contractor identity | Does it state the contractor’s name and address? |
| Problem contact | Does it name a person and telephone number to contact if a problem arises? |
| Contractor signature | Is the contractor’s signature present before you sign? |
Source: Indiana Attorney General, Protect Yourself from Storm Chaser Scams. Review the current Indiana Code, Title 24, Article 5, Chapter 11 or qualified counsel for the current law and how it applies to a specific agreement.
Keep the supporting decisions in writing too.
The Indiana guide also recommends written bids, checking permit needs, obtaining written warranties, keeping the contract, change orders, warranties, and correspondence, and avoiding full payment before work begins. Local permit and contractor requirements can vary.
Federal Trade Commission guidance recommends getting multiple written estimates, asking about large price differences, reading the contract carefully, filling blank spaces, and keeping promises about scope and cost in writing.
Compare the written warranty documents with a source-location worksheet →
Roof-specific clarity
Check the scope beyond the basic contract fields.
These BidHound questions are document-comparison categories, not additional claims about what Indiana law requires. Mark each item as stated, not stated, allowance or unit price, explicitly excluded, or not applicable based on the written agreement.
| Roofing area | What to make visible |
|---|---|
| Project basis | Roof areas, measured quantity, existing layers, and every structure covered by the price. |
| Removal and disposal | Tear-off layers, hauling, disposal, daily cleanup, and final cleanup. |
| Named roof system | Exact shingle, underlayment, ice protection, accessories, and fastening details. |
| Flashing and ventilation | Which components are replaced, reused, added, excluded, or left unstated. |
| Decking and hidden work | Included quantity, written unit price or allowance, trigger, documentation, and approval process. |
| Permits and protection | Responsibility for permits, inspections, landscaping, siding, pavement, and occupied areas. |
| Changes and exclusions | Written change-order approval, excluded work, alternates, and conditions that can change the price. |
| Warranty and closeout | Workmanship and manufacturer terms, eligibility, exclusions, registration, and final records. |
Have two to four bids for the same project?
Use the free no-upload comparison tool to apply the same written-state labels to every bid, or review the fictional source-linked example. The tool does not rank contractors or decide whether a contract is legally sufficient.
Check business records, local requirements, and contractor evidence separately →
Return to the approval memo that records the selected written bid →
Inquiry only · No files or payment
Have an Indiana project question?
Read the fictional sample first. The prepared email asks for your city and state, residential asphalt-roof confirmation, bid count, role, main question, what decision the sample helps with, and what you would choose at $97. Completing the prompts may avoid a follow-up.
If you manage properties or association projects, also include approximately how many eligible roofing projects you compared in the past 90 days and when you may next need a comparison.
Do not send bids, attachments, street addresses, client names or payment information.
If the button does not open your email app, write support@trybidhound.com with the subject “Roof comparison inquiry”. Include the same project details above and no attachments or sensitive information.
No order, reservation, payment, document submission, delivery promise or subscription.
Limits
This page does not provide legal advice, determine contract validity, inspect a roof, establish code or permit compliance, verify contractor identity, licensing, bonding, insurance, or workmanship, calculate a fair price, or recommend a contractor. Laws and official guidance can change; use the linked official sources and obtain qualified help for a specific legal question or dispute.
There is no file upload, account, order, reservation, payment, document submission, delivery promise, or subscription. Do not send bids, attachments, street addresses, client names, or payment information.