A new roof is one of the biggest purchases most homeowners ever make for their house, and it comes with a strange problem: when the work is finished, most of what you paid for is invisible. The underlayment, the flashing, the fasteners, the ventilation. You cannot see any of it from the street.
That is why a checklist matters. You verify quality before and during the project, in writing and in process, because you cannot verify it afterward by looking. Here is the complete new roof checklist we would hand our own family, in four parts: the paperwork, the roof system itself, the warranties, and the process.
Part one: the paperwork checklist
Before any ladder goes up, these belong in your hands.
A real inspection with evidence. Your quote should follow an inspection of your actual roof, and you should get to see what the inspector saw. At Hearthstone Restoration that means drone footage you review yourself.
An exact measurement. Ask how the roof was measured. We order an EagleView aerial measurement report on every project: precise dimensions, square footage, pitch, and material waste calculated from high-resolution imagery, so the quote and the material order match your roof exactly.
An itemized written proposal. Every component named: the shingle line, underlayment, flashing plan, ventilation, disposal, and cleanup. A one-line quote hides decisions someone else is making for you. Our guide to choosing a roofing contractor covers the ten questions that surface those decisions.
License and insurance. Confirm both, and confirm the name on the proposal matches the company doing the work.
Part two: the roof system checklist
A roof is a system, and shingles are only the visible layer. What “done right” means, component by component:
Decking, inspected honestly. The wood under your roof carries everything above it. Soft or rotted decking gets replaced before anything covers it, and you should be told what was found.
Underlayment, the right kind in the right places. The water barrier between shingles and wood, with upgraded protection where water concentrates.
Drip edge at every eave and rake. A small piece of metal that protects fascia boards for decades. Skipping it is a classic corner cut.
Flashing rebuilt, not reused. Around chimneys, walls, and valleys is where roofs leak first. New roof, new flashing, fitted to the joint it protects.
Ventilation, balanced. Intake at the eaves and exhaust at the ridge keep attic heat and moisture from cooking your shingles from below. A roof without balanced ventilation ages before its time.
Shingles installed to the manufacturer’s specification. Nail count, nail placement, and pattern all affect both performance and warranty coverage. This is exactly what certification programs exist to verify.
Part three: the warranty checklist
Two warranties cover a roof, and you want both in writing.
The manufacturer’s warranty covers the materials. Ask which tier you are getting, who registers it, and whether it transfers. A Hearthstone Restoration roof carries CertainTeed’s SureStart PLUS 4-Star extended warranty, available because we install CertainTeed exclusively as a certified ShingleMaster company. SureStart protection can transfer to a new owner during the coverage period, which matters the day you sell. Our ShingleMaster and warranty guide explains the tiers in plain language.
The workmanship warranty covers the installation. Materials rarely fail on their own; installation is where quality lives or dies. Hearthstone Restoration backs its work with a lifetime workmanship warranty. Ask any contractor for theirs, in writing, and ask who honors it if the company changes hands.
Registration, confirmed. An extended manufacturer warranty is registered, not automatic. Confirm who files it and get the confirmation in your records.
Part four: the process checklist
How a company treats your property tells you how it treats your roof.
A clear schedule and a named point of contact. You should know when the crew arrives, how long the work takes, and who answers your questions the same day.
Property protection before tear-off. Landscaping, siding, and driveway protected before the first shingle comes off.
Updates you can see. Shawn LeBlanc sends drone photo and video updates through the build, even when the homeowner is out of town. You watch your roof go on. Our step-by-step process guide shows every stage from tear-off to final walkthrough.
A magnetic sweep and a clean yard. Every nail, every scrap. The yard should look the way it did before we arrived, and the last walkthrough should be together.
Your documents, delivered. Final invoice, warranty registrations, and the material record for your files. Keep them with your home documents; the next owner will thank you.
The whole checklist starts with one step
Every item above traces back to the same starting point: knowing what your roof needs in the first place. That part costs nothing.
A free drone inspection from Hearthstone Restoration shows you your roof’s true condition, on footage you watch yourself, followed by a straight answer: years left, a targeted repair, or time to plan a replacement with everything on this checklist behind it. We serve Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point, and homeowners across North Carolina.
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Frequently asked questions
What should be on a new roof checklist?
Four things: paperwork (inspection evidence, exact measurements, an itemized proposal, license and insurance), the roof system (decking, underlayment, drip edge, flashing, ventilation, correct installation), warranties (manufacturer and workmanship, both in writing), and process (protection, updates, cleanup, and delivered documents).
What questions should I ask before getting a new roof?
Ask how the roof was measured, what every line of the proposal covers, which warranty tier you are getting and who registers it, who leads the crew, and how the property gets protected and cleaned. An honest company welcomes all five.
What warranties should come with a new roof?
Two: a manufacturer warranty on the materials and a workmanship warranty on the installation. Hearthstone Restoration roofs carry CertainTeed’s SureStart PLUS 4-Star extended warranty plus a lifetime workmanship warranty.
How do I know the installation was done right if I cannot see it?
Verify before and during, not after: an itemized proposal that names every component, a certified installer accountable to the manufacturer’s specification, and photo or drone documentation of the work as it happens.
Does a new roof come with paperwork I should keep?
Yes. Keep the final invoice, the warranty registrations, and the material record with your home documents. A transferable warranty in your file becomes a selling point the day you list the house.