How to Choose a Roofer in Cork (Without Getting Scammed)

I'm Michael Casey, founder of Keystone Roofing. There's no register you can check to confirm a roofer is any good, and no licence they're legally required to hold. That's exactly why Cork sees its share of door-knock “we noticed your roof” jobs that take a deposit and vanish, or cash-only fixes that fail the next winter. After more than two decades on Cork roofs I've re-done plenty of work that went wrong the first time. Choosing the right roofer is mostly about knowing which questions to ask before any money changes hands.

How do you verify a roofer in Ireland?

Ireland has no roofing licence, so verification falls to you — but three checks take ten minutes and rule out most cowboys before they set foot on your drive:

1. Check the company registration. A genuine business is registered with the Companies Registration Office (CRO) and will give you the number without fuss. You can look it up on the CRO's public register to confirm the company exists and who stands behind it. Keystone is registered in Ireland (CRO 752205).
2. Ask to see a current public-liability insurance certificate. Don't accept “we're covered” — ask for the actual certificate and check the expiry date and cover amount. Keystone carries €6.5M public liability with AXA and hands the cert over on request.
3. Confirm they use their own crews, not subcontractors. Ask directly: will the people who quote the job be the people on the roof? Firms that farm work out to whoever's cheapest that week can't stand over the quality — and the guarantee gets murky when something fails.

Is the roofer insured and registered?

This is non-negotiable. A roof is high-risk work, and if an uninsured worker is hurt on your property or your home is damaged, you can be exposed. A real roofing business hands over the policy number and company registration without hesitation. Anyone who dodges this question has answered it.

Can you verify their reputation independently?

A website testimonial proves nothing — anyone can type one. Check independent platforms you can't edit: Google reviews and Trustpilot, ideally with photos and recent dates. Look for how a company responds to the odd critical review, not just the five-star ones. Be wary of a brand-new profile with a sudden burst of reviews. Keystone holds a 4.8★ rating from 91 Google reviews, and our work is live on Google and Trustpilot for anyone to read.

Will you get a written, itemised quote?

Insist on a written quote that itemises materials, labour, scaffolding, waste and scope — not a number scribbled on the back of a card. A phone estimate without anyone looking at the roof is a finger in the air, not a quote. A proper quote lets you compare like with like and protects you if “extras” appear later. For what a good quote should contain line by line, see our guide to what a good roofing quote includes.

Do they guarantee the work in writing?

Materials usually carry a manufacturer warranty, but the workmanship guarantee is the one that matters most — bad fitting fails long before good materials do. Ask how long the workmanship is guaranteed and get it in writing on completion. Every Keystone job carries a written 20-year workmanship guarantee. Keep the certificate with your home insurance documents.

What are the Cork-specific red flags?

Some patterns come up again and again on the jobs we're called in to rescue. In Cork the classic one is the door-knocking “storm chaser” — crews that appear in the days after a named storm like Storm Éowyn or Storm Darragh, claim they “just spotted” loose slates or a slipped ridge, and pressure you into a same-day cash job. Treat these as reasons to walk away:

• Door-knock offers straight after a named storm that “just noticed” a problem on your roof.
• Cash-only with no VAT invoice, no paperwork and no company name.
• No written quote — just a verbal figure.
• Pressure to decide today, or a “today only” price.
• Full payment demanded up front (a deposit to secure materials is normal; paying for the whole job before it starts is not).
• No fixed address, and a mobile number only.

What questions should you ask before hiring?

A short list of straight questions separates the professionals from the chancers fast:

• Can I see your current public-liability insurance certificate and your CRO number?
• Will your own crew do the work, or is it subcontracted?
• Can you give me a written, itemised quote after inspecting the roof?
• How long is your workmanship guarantee, and is it in writing?
• Do you have a fixed business address and recent Google or Trustpilot reviews I can read?
• What's the payment schedule — and how much is due before work starts?

Trustworthy roofer vs red-flag roofer

Check	Trustworthy roofer	Red-flag roofer
Insurance	Shows a current PL certificate on request	“We're covered” — no paperwork
Registration	Gives a CRO number you can verify	No company name or number
Quote	Written, itemised, after inspecting the roof	Verbal figure, no site visit
Reviews	Recent Google & Trustpilot reviews	None, or a sudden burst of new ones
Crews	Own trained crews	Whoever's cheapest that week
Payment	Staged; guarantee in writing on completion	Cash up front, no guarantee
How they arrive	You called them; fixed address	Door-knock after a storm

Honest pricing and clear paperwork are the whole point of a registered contractor — see our roofing contractors Cork page for how we work, and our Cork roof repairs guide for what fair repair pricing looks like.