How to Choose a Licensed Roofing Contractor in Sydney

The Sydney roofing industry has no shortage of operators — from established licensed contractors to unregistered tradespeople operating without insurance. The consequences of choosing the wrong one range from poor workmanship to outright fraud. Here's how to protect yourself.

CHECK THE NSW CONTRACTOR LICENCE

In NSW, any roofing work over $5,000 must be performed by a licensed contractor. You can verify a contractor's licence for free on the NSW Fair Trading licence check website. Look for a current Contractor Licence (not just a supervisor licence) and check the licence category includes roof plumbing or general building.

VERIFY INSURANCE

A legitimate roofing contractor should carry public liability insurance (minimum $5M, ideally $10–20M) and workers compensation insurance for all employees. Ask for a Certificate of Currency for both. If a contractor can't or won't provide these documents, walk away.

READ THE QUOTE CAREFULLY

A professional written quote should itemise: labour, materials (with brand and specification), waste removal, any scaffold or access costs, and the scope of warranty. A one-line quote for a lump sum is a red flag — it makes disputes about scope almost impossible to resolve.

CHECK REVIEWS — BUT LOOK BEYOND THE STAR RATING

Google reviews are a useful starting point, but read the text. Look for patterns: do multiple reviewers mention the same tradesperson? Are there responses to negative reviews? A business with 200 detailed positive reviews over several years is far more trustworthy than one with 50 five-star reviews all posted in the same month.

GET AT LEAST THREE QUOTES

For any job over $10,000, get three written quotes. This isn't just about finding the lowest price — it's about understanding what a realistic price is for your scope of work. If one quote is 40% lower than the others, ask why. Often it means scope has been excluded or inferior materials are planned.

ASK ABOUT THE WARRANTY

Ask explicitly: what does the warranty cover, for how long, and is it in writing? A workmanship warranty of less than 5 years should raise questions. Crown Roofers backs all work with a 10-year written workmanship guarantee, in addition to product warranties.