A good roofer is licensed in the right class, gives you a written price, and is upfront about consents and asbestos. Four checks cover most of it: the licence, the paperwork, the questions and your rights if the work fails.
This is general information, not legal advice. For cost figures, see our reroof cost guide.
The short version
- Ask for the roofer’s Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP) licence ID and check the register.
- Check the licence class is Roofing, and the area of practice matches your roof.
- Get a detailed written quote, not a verbal estimate.
- For $30,000 or more including GST, expect a written contract, disclosure statement and checklist.
- Ask whether a building consent is needed, and who applies.
- If your home was built before 1 January 2000, ask about asbestos testing.
- Keep the warranty, insurance papers and any record of work.
Check the licence
The LBP website says to ask to see the current licence ID, which can be digital or a printout. Its QR code shows the practitioner’s credentials, and you can also search the public register. Confirm the licence class matches the work.
The licensing classes page lists a Roofing class with these areas of practice: concrete or clay tile roof, profiled metal roof and wall cladding, metal tile roof, roof membrane, torch on roof membrane, liquid membrane roof, and shingle or slate roof. A Carpentry licence is a different class.
MBIE’s guide says restricted building work covers the primary structure, such as walls, foundations, floors and roofs, and weathertightness, meaning work on the outside of the building to protect it from the weather. A contractor commits an offence if they do or supervise restricted work without the right licence. The LBP website says if you are unsure whether your job is restricted, ask a licensed designer or your council. Our guide to checking a builder’s LBP licence explains the register.
Get it in writing
Consumer Protection says a quote is generally a confirmed maximum price. An estimate is not fixed and should generally be within 10 to 15 percent. After you accept a quote, the business cannot charge more unless you agree to extra work or the scope changes. It also suggests getting quotes from at least three businesses if you can, and not paying more than 10 percent of the total cost as a deposit.
MBIE’s prescribed checklist adds: get detailed quotes, compare the same scope and materials, and remember the lowest price is not always the best. Think carefully before paying more than the value of the work done plus materials supplied.
A full reroof can reach the legal threshold. MBIE’s Do your homework guide (November 2025) says that for residential building work costing $30,000 or more including GST, a contractor dealing directly with you must provide:
- a written contract
- before you sign, the consumer protection standard checklist and a disclosure statement, which covers insurance, guarantees and the key contact person’s LBP number
The contract must say who obtains consents, who does or supervises the work, how payments and variations work, and how defects and disputes are handled.
Questions to ask before you say yes
- What is your LBP number, and are you licensed in Roofing for this type of roof?
- Does the job need a building consent? Who applies?
- Does the quote include removing the old roof, flashings, gutters and rubbish?
- Has the roof been tested for asbestos? Who is licensed to remove it if it is found?
- How is rotten timber charged once the old roof is off?
- Is scaffolding or edge protection included, and how will you prevent falls?
- Is GST included?
- What warranty do I get on the workmanship and on the materials?
Red flags
These are reasons to stop and check. None proves a problem on its own.
- No licence ID, or a name that does not match the register.
- A licence in a class that is not Roofing.
- Cutting, drilling or water blasting an old roof without asbestos testing.
- A verbal price, or a large deposit before any work.
- No written contract on a job of $30,000 or more.
- Pressure to start immediately, or to skip consents.
On asbestos, WorkSafe says a home built before 1 January 2000 may contain asbestos, and asbestos cement was often used in roof sheeting and ridge capping. The only way to confirm is to test a sample, and sampling should be done by a reputable contractor. If you suspect asbestos, do not disturb it.
Your rights if it goes wrong
Building Act. MBIE says there is a 12 month defect repair period from completion: tell the contractor about defects in writing and they must fix them in a reasonable time. Implied warranties apply to residential building work for up to 10 years, whatever the contract says.
Consumer Guarantees Act. Consumer Protection lists four service guarantees: reasonable care and skill, fit for purpose, a reasonable time, and a reasonable price where none was agreed. If a problem can be fixed and the business refuses or delays, you can have it fixed elsewhere and claim the cost, or cancel. For serious failures you can cancel and refuse to pay for the work.
LBP complaints. The Building Practitioners Board hears complaints about building work and conduct by LBPs. It cannot hear payment or contract disputes. Complaints must use the approved form, name the LBP and include evidence.
Disputes Tribunal. The Disputes Tribunal handles small claims up to $60,000, including poor tradework and disputed charges. Fees depend on the claim amount.
How GoodTradie helps
GoodTradie is a free service for homeowners. For roofing jobs we find one local roofer, check their LBP status on the public register, book them, and compare their quote against published NZ figures. That is a guide, not a guarantee. We send your job to one tradie, not several. Type your job into the box at the top of the page.
Sources
- Licensed Building Practitioners, Find an LBP (page undated)
- Licensed Building Practitioners, Licensing classes (page undated)
- Licensed Building Practitioners, When you need an LBP (page undated)
- Licensed Building Practitioners, Making a complaint (page undated)
- MBIE, Contractors: Do your homework quick guide (last updated November 2025)
- MBIE, Prescribed checklist (BP 9817, September 2023)
- WorkSafe, Asbestos in the home (page undated)
- Consumer Protection, Quotes and estimates (page undated)
- Consumer Protection, Consumer Guarantees Act (page undated)
- Disputes Tribunal, What the Tribunal can help with (last updated 20 August 2026)
Need a roofer? See how we find and check one, or type the job in the box at the top.