Verifiable criteria scorecard
How to compare roofing companies in Miami
Eight criteria you can check yourself in ten minutes, and where Art's stands on each. Use it on any contractor, not just us.
| Criterion | Why it matters | How to verify | Art's Roofing & Construction | Your candidate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active state license | In Florida only a certified or registered roofing contractor can legally roof. No license means no permit, no valid insurance, and nobody to hold accountable. | Search the number or name on the DBPR portal; confirm status is "Current, Active" and the name matches the company. Search DBPR | CCC1333598 (Certified Roofing) and CGC1541858 (Certified General), both active under founder Arturo Stadthagen, DBA Art's Roofing & Construction. Verify | |
| General liability + workers' comp insurance | If a worker is hurt on your roof or your home is damaged, the contractor's insurance pays. Without it, you do. | Ask for the certificate of insurance (COI) issued by the carrier with you as certificate holder; call the carrier if in doubt. DBPR shows workers' comp | General liability and workers' compensation in force; certificate provided with the estimate on request. | |
| Miami-Dade NOA-approved products | Miami-Dade and Broward are the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. Every tile, membrane and fastener needs a Notice of Acceptance or HVHZ approval, or the inspector fails the roof. | Ask for the NOA numbers on the quote and look them up in the county's Product Control search. Product Control Search | NOA products only; the NOA numbers are listed on every written estimate. Look up NOA | |
| In-house crews | With subcontractors, the company that signed is not the one on your roof, and the workmanship warranty is split between two parties. | Ask directly: "Who will be on my roof, and are they your employees?" Get the foreman's name. | In-house crews, no subcontractors; the same crew and foreman from tear-off to final inspection. | |
| Written warranties (two of them) | The manufacturer's covers the material; the workmanship warranty covers the installation. One without the other leaves gaps, and a verbal one does not exist. | Get both in the contract: years, what is covered, what voids it, and whether it transfers when you sell. | Manufacturer warranty up to 50 years (GAF Certified Commercial Contractor) plus a written workmanship warranty, typically 10 years on residential replacements. | |
| Reviews: 100+ at 4.8 or higher | A high rating on a handful of reviews means little; a large count at a low rating means less. Look for both, on more than one platform. | Count reviews and average on Google, Yelp and BBB; read the 1- and 2-star ones and how the company answered. See on Google | 5.0★ from 145 Google reviews. Yelp and BBB profiles exist (most of our reviews are on Google). Read reviews | |
| BBB accreditation | BBB verifies identity and licensing and publishes complaints and how they were resolved. Not a substitute for reviews, but a record nobody can delete. | Search the company on bbb.org; check grade, accreditation date and complaint history. Search BBB | BBB Accredited Business, A+ rating, since December 2021. BBB profile | |
| Years in business and permits in their name | Permits are public records that show how many roofs a company has actually done, and where. Age matters less than a clean history you can see. | Look the entity up on Sunbiz and the license number in your city or county permit portal; permits must be in the contractor's name, never the homeowner's. Search Sunbiz | Founded 2020 as Stadt Roofing & Construction, renamed 2023; 25+ years of combined experience on the team. Every permit is pulled under CCC1333598. |
How to read the score
- 8 of 8: hire with confidence and get everything in writing.
- 6 or 7 of 8: ask about the gaps before you sign; a "no" on license, insurance or NOA is disqualifying.
- Under 6: keep looking, whatever the price.
Why no two "best roofers in Miami" lists agree
Directories (Yelp, Angi, Houzz, Thumbtack) rank by reviews and by paid placement. A company can be first because it paid.
Editorial lists (Expertise, Three Best Rated, Yahoo Local, Today's Homeowner) use formulas: review volume across several platforms, years in business (many filter for 10+) and accreditations. Useful, but they reward size and age, not the work on your roof.
Several "rankings" that show up on Google are published by a roofing company that puts itself first. Check who owns the site before you trust it.
Reddit and Nextdoor threads are real neighbors' opinions, but each is one job.
The fix is the same in every case: take any name from any list and run it through the eight criteria above.
Walk-away signals
- No license number, or a number that does not appear under their name on DBPR.
- They ask you to pull the permit as an owner-builder: the permit belongs in the contractor's name.
- They offer to "cover" or "waive" your insurance deductible: illegal in Florida (Statute 489.147) and it can cost you too.
- They ask you to sign an assignment of benefits (AOB) for roof work: SB 2-A banned it on new policies.
- Large cash deposit up front, pressure to sign today, or a "warranty" that is not in the contract.
See these criteria applied to 9 well-known Miami companies →
Full guide: how to choose a roofing contractor in Miami →
How Art's measures against these eight criteria, with links to verify →
Sources
- Florida DBPR — verify a contractor license (myfloridalicense.com)
- Miami-Dade County — Product Control (NOA) search (miamidade.gov)
- Florida Division of Corporations (Sunbiz) (search.sunbiz.org)
- Better Business Bureau (bbb.org)
- Florida Statutes — 489.147 (deductibles) and SB 2-A (AOB) (leg.state.fl.us)
Last reviewed: by the Art's Roofing & Construction team · Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC1333598
Common questions
Answers from the crew, not a call center.
-
Who is the best roofing company in Miami?
The one that passes the eight verifiable criteria: an active CCC license on DBPR, general liability and workers' comp insurance, Miami-Dade NOA products, in-house crews, a written warranty, 100+ reviews at 4.8 or higher, BBB accreditation and permits pulled in the contractor's name. Art's Roofing & Construction meets all eight and publishes the facts here so you can check them; run any other company through the same table before you decide.
-
How do I verify a roofer's license in Florida?
On the DBPR portal (myfloridalicense.com), search by number or name. A valid roofing license starts with CCC (certified) or RC (registered); the status should read "Current, Active" and the name should match the company quoting you.
-
How many reviews should a roofing company have?
As a benchmark, 100 or more reviews averaging 4.8 or higher, ideally on more than one platform. What matters most is how the company answers its negative reviews; that says more than the rating.
-
Does BBB accreditation matter?
Yes, as a record: BBB verifies identity and licensing and keeps every complaint and its resolution public. It is not a quality guarantee on its own, so use it alongside reviews and the license check.
-
Does the cheapest quote win?
Not if it fails the criteria. A cheap quote without NOA products, a permit in the contractor's name or a written warranty usually costs more later: a failed inspection, insurance that will not pay, or a roof that has to be redone. Compare quotes that pass all eight, then look at price.