This comes up more than you might think. A homeowner has a leak or a few missing shingles, and they know a guy who does general repairs around the house. He is handy, he is available, and he is cheaper than calling a roofing company. So why not let him handle it?
I am not here to badmouth handymen. Good ones are worth their weight in gold for a lot of things around your home. But roofing is not one of those things, and here is why.
What are the licensing requirements for roofing work in Utah?
In Utah, any roofing work that exceeds a certain dollar amount requires a licensed contractor. A handyman license does not cover roofing. This is not just a technicality. The licensing requirements exist because roofing is complex, and bad installation leads to serious damage. A licensed roofing contractor has met specific experience requirements, carries the right insurance, and is accountable to the state licensing board.
If an unlicensed person does roofing work on your home and something goes wrong, your options for recourse are limited. The licensing board cannot help you. Their insurance, if they even have it, probably does not cover roofing.
How does hiring a handyman affect your roof warranty?
This is the big one that most people do not think about. Shingle manufacturers like CertainTeed require that their products be installed by a qualified roofing contractor for the warranty to be valid. If a handyman installs your shingles and they fail prematurely, the manufacturer is not going to honor that warranty. You are on your own.
On top of that, a licensed roofing contractor typically offers a workmanship warranty on their labor. That means if the installation itself causes a problem, they come back and fix it. A handyman generally does not offer that, and even if they say they will, there is nothing backing it up.
As a CertainTeed ShingleMaster Premier Contractor, Bob Harvey Roofing can offer enhanced warranty coverage that a non-certified installer simply cannot. That certification is not just a credential for the wall. It directly affects what your roof is covered for and for how long.
Why does roofing require specialized knowledge?
Roofing is a system, not a single product. A proper installation involves understanding how underlayment, flashing, ventilation, and the shingles all work together. It means knowing local building codes, understanding how Utah's climate affects material choices, and recognizing problems that are not obvious to someone who does not look at roofs every day.
A good handyman can nail shingles to a roof. A roofing professional understands why those shingles need to go on in a specific pattern, with specific fastener placement, over specific underlayment, with proper ventilation behind them.
The shingles are just the surface. Everything underneath is what determines whether your roof lasts 12 years or 25. Bob Harvey Roofing has been working on roofs in Davis County and Weber County since 1988, and our W-2 crews bring that accumulated knowledge to every job.
When does it actually make sense to call a handyman?
I will be fair here. If you have a single loose shingle after a windstorm and you just need it tacked back down to get you through until a proper repair can happen, a competent handyman can probably handle that as a temporary fix. But anything beyond a minor, short-term patch should be done by a licensed roofing professional.
Anything involving flashing work, anything in a valley, anything near a chimney or wall transition, anything that involves removing and replacing sections of roofing, and definitely any full replacement belongs in the hands of a roofer.
A cheap repair that fails in two years and causes water damage to your attic and ceilings is not cheap at all. It is the most expensive option.
Have a roof issue and not sure if it needs a handyman or a contractor? Call us and describe what you are seeing. We will tell you honestly whether it is something we need to come out for or something simpler. No charge for the conversation. Give us a call.
"The team at Bob Harvey Roofing is amazing! They care so much about their clients and customers. Trust them with your next roof."Anne Hill , Google Review