How to Choose a Commercial Roofing Contractor in Victoria (10 Questions to Ask)

Choosing a commercial roofing contractor is not like hiring a tradie for a quick repair. For warehouses, factories, and commercial buildings, a roof replacement or new installation is a significant capital project. Get the contractor wrong and you are looking at workmanship defects, compliance failures, blown-out timelines, and costs that can far exceed the original quote.

The Victorian commercial roofing market has plenty of operators, but not all of them have the licensing, insurance, commercial experience, or WorkSafe-compliant processes that a project of this scale demands. Knowing the right questions to ask before you sign anything is the single most effective way to separate the professionals from the rest.

Here are the 10 questions every building owner, facility manager, or project manager in Victoria should ask before appointing a commercial roofing contractor.

Are you licensed with the Victorian Building Authority?

In Victoria, roofing work on commercial buildings is regulated under the Building Act 1993. Any contractor performing structural roofing work is required to hold a current licence with the Victorian Building Authority (VBA). This is a legal requirement, not a nice-to-have.

Licensing confirms that the individual or business has met minimum competency standards and is accountable to a regulatory body if something goes wrong. You can verify any contractor’s licence status directly on the VBA register at vba.vic.gov.au.

✓  What a good answer looks like: The contractor can immediately provide their VBA licence number and class, and encourages you to verify it.

⚠  Red flag: They are vague about licensing, claim it is not required for their type of work, or ask you to trust their experience without documentation.

Can you provide proof of public liability and workers’ compensation insurance?

Any commercial roofing contractor working on your premises must carry both public liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance. Without these, you as the building owner may be exposed to significant financial and legal liability if a worker is injured on your roof or if the work causes damage to your property or a neighbouring building.

Ask for a current Certificate of Currency for each policy before work commences. Public liability cover of at least $10 million is standard for commercial projects.

✓  What a good answer looks like: They provide Certificates of Currency without hesitation, with policy limits appropriate for commercial work and an expiry date that covers the project duration.

⚠  Red flag: They are slow to produce documentation, the policy is expired or lapsing, or coverage limits are inadequate for commercial-scale work.

What is your experience specifically with commercial and industrial roofing?

Residential roofing and commercial roofing are fundamentally different. Commercial and industrial roofs are typically larger, installed at greater heights, use different profiles and fixing systems, involve more complex drainage and flashing requirements, and are subject to different compliance obligations.

A contractor whose primary experience is residential re-roofing may not have the equipment, workforce, or technical knowledge to handle a 2,000m² warehouse roof safely and efficiently. Ask specifically about the types and scale of commercial projects they have completed.

✓  What a good answer looks like: They can speak in detail about commercial and industrial projects - warehouse footprints, profiles used, project timelines, and how they managed operational continuity for the client during works.

⚠  Red flag: They claim to do ‘all types’ of roofing but struggle to name specific commercial projects, or their portfolio is predominantly residential.

Can you provide references and recent project examples?

Past performance is the most reliable predictor of future performance. A credible commercial roofing contractor should be able to point you to recent completed projects - ideally of a similar scale and type to your own - and provide contacts willing to speak about their experience.

Look at their website for case studies and project photos. Then go one step further and ask for direct references you can actually call. A contractor who hesitates here is telling you something.

✓  What a good answer looks like: They share recent project case studies with project details, provide two or three references for comparable commercial work, and those references confirm on-time delivery, quality workmanship, and professional communication.

⚠  Red flag: References are unavailable, uncontactable, or consist only of vague testimonials with no specific project details.

Are you a licensed asbestos removalist if my building contains asbestos?

Many commercial and industrial buildings constructed before 1990 have asbestos cement roofing. If your building is one of them, your roofing contractor must also hold a current WorkSafe Victoria asbestos removal licence - either Class A or Class B depending on the condition of the material.

This is a strict legal requirement under the OHS Regulations 2017. Engaging an unlicensed contractor to disturb or remove asbestos exposes you, the building owner, to serious regulatory and financial consequences. Always verify the asbestos removal licence separately from the building licence.

✓  What a good answer looks like: They hold a current WorkSafe asbestos removal licence, can confirm the class, and are familiar with the notification and clearance certificate requirements. They coordinate with a licensed hygienist for air monitoring.

⚠  Red flag: They say they can ‘deal with it’ or have done it before without referencing their licence, or they suggest the asbestos can be worked around without removal.

Will you provide a fixed-price, itemised written quote?

A professional commercial roofing contractor provides a detailed written quote that clearly itemises labour, materials, scaffolding, disposal, roof plumbing, and any known variables. This is not just good practice - it is your primary protection against scope creep and unexpected cost blowouts.

Be wary of quotes that are unusually brief, lump everything into a single line, or are provided verbally. And be equally cautious of quotes that seem significantly lower than others - they often reflect corners that will be cut.

✓  What a good answer looks like: The quote is written, itemised by cost category, specifies materials and quantities (including Colorbond® profile, thickness, and colour), and clearly states what is and is not included.

⚠  Red flag: The quote is verbal, a single lump sum with no breakdown, or suspiciously low compared to other quotes received.

What safe work procedures do you follow on commercial roofing sites?

Commercial roofing is classified as high-risk construction work under Victoria’s OHS Regulations. Work at height above 2 metres requires a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS). Your contractor should also have a documented Safe Work Procedure for the specific activities involved in your project.

Ask how they manage the safety of your staff and operations below during works, how they handle adverse weather, and what their incident reporting process looks like. A contractor who cannot answer these questions clearly is not adequately prepared.

✓  What a good answer looks like: They provide a current SWMS for your project scope before work commences, can explain their height safety and exclusion zone procedures, and demonstrate familiarity with WorkSafe Victoria’s requirements for high-risk construction work.

⚠  Red flag: They are unfamiliar with SWMS requirements, wave away safety questions as ‘not a problem’, or cannot explain how they will manage the risk to occupants below.

What warranties do you offer on materials and workmanship?

A quality commercial roofing installation should come with two layers of warranty protection: a manufacturer’s product warranty on the materials (BlueScope’s Colorbond® carries warranties of up to 36 years on the steel substrate depending on the product and environment), and a workmanship guarantee from the contractor covering the installation itself.

Understand what each warranty covers, how long it lasts, and what conditions or maintenance requirements apply. A contractor unwilling to offer a workmanship guarantee is signalling low confidence in their own work.

✓  What a good answer looks like: They explain both the manufacturer’s material warranty and their own workmanship guarantee clearly, provide these in writing as part of the contract, and can explain what voids each warranty and what ongoing maintenance is recommended to keep them valid.

⚠  Red flag: Warranty is mentioned vaguely or only verbally, they cannot tell you the duration or conditions, or there is no workmanship guarantee at all.

What is the project timeline and how will disruption to our operations be managed?

For a working warehouse or commercial facility, roofing work cannot simply halt operations for weeks. A professional contractor plans the project with your operational needs in mind — staging works, scheduling disruptive phases during low-activity periods, and maintaining safety exclusion zones that allow your business to continue functioning.

Ask for a written project timeline with clear milestones. Understand what weather contingencies exist, and how delays will be communicated. Vague timelines are a warning sign.

✓  What a good answer looks like: They provide a written project programme with staged milestones, a clear communication plan for weather delays or unforeseen issues, and a specific plan for managing operational continuity during disruptive phases.

⚠  Red flag: Timeline is given as a rough estimate only, there is no plan for managing your business operations during works, or they cannot explain how they will communicate delays.

Who is my single point of contact throughout the project?

Commercial roofing projects involve multiple trades, materials deliveries, equipment hire, compliance documentation, and coordination with your team. Without a clear single point of contact, communication breaks down, issues go unresolved, and accountability becomes murky.

Confirm who your dedicated contact person will be, how they can be reached, and how frequently you can expect project updates. This is especially important for larger industrial projects that run over multiple weeks.

✓ What a good answer looks like: A named project manager or site supervisor is confirmed as your point of contact, with direct contact details provided. They commit to a regular update schedule and a response time for queries during the project.

⚠ Red flag: You are told to ‘call the office’, there is no named contact, or different people give you conflicting information when you try to follow up.

Three More Things Worth Checking Before You Sign

Google reviews and public reputation

Search the contractor’s business name on Google and read recent reviews - not just the overall rating, but the detail of what people say. Look specifically for mentions of communication, punctuality, workmanship quality, and how issues were handled. A pattern of similar complaints is a reliable signal.

ABN and company registration

Verify the contractor’s ABN on the ABN Lookup tool at abr.business.gov.au. Confirm the business name matches what is on their quote, that the ABN is active, and that their GST registration status is as expected. This takes two minutes and rules out operators who are not running a legitimate registered business.

Subcontracting arrangements

Ask directly whether all work will be performed by their own licensed employees or whether portions will be subcontracted. There is nothing inherently wrong with subcontracting, but you should know who will actually be on your roof. If work is subcontracted, ask whether the subcontractor holds the same licences and insurance, and confirm the head contractor remains responsible for the quality and compliance of all work.

How VIC Metal Roofing Answers These Questions

At VIC Metal Roofing, we are a fully licensed commercial roofing contractor servicing Melbourne and Victoria. We specialise in warehouse and industrial roofing installations, commercial re-roofing, roof maintenance, and licensed asbestos roof removal - and we manage every aspect of each project with a dedicated team and a single point of contact from initial inspection through to completion.

We provide detailed written quotes, fixed-price contracts, manufacturer-backed material warranties, and full WorkSafe-compliant safe work procedures on every project.

See our recent completed projects on our Projects page, or explore our commercial roofing services:

Ready to get a quote? Contact our team for a no-obligation site inspection and fixed-price proposal for your commercial roofing project.