Talk With A Metal Roof Expert
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A metal roof is not a “material swap.” It is a system. The panels are only one part. The real performance comes from the installer’s decisions at the details: chimneys, walls, valleys, skylights, pipe penetrations, underlayment, fasteners, and how the roof is allowed to move through Tennessee heat cycles.
That is why the most common metal roof failures in Tennessee are not caused by the metal itself. They are caused by contractors cutting corners, using the wrong details, or treating metal like shingles. If you are hiring a metal roofing contractor in Nashville or anywhere in Middle Tennessee, use this guide as your screening checklist.
Licensing is the first filter because it immediately removes a large category of risky operators.
Tennessee contractor license threshold: Tennessee’s Board for Licensing Contractors states that a contractor’s license is required before bidding or offering a price for projects $25,000 and up, including materials and labor. It also states that subcontractors, including roofing subcontractors, must be licensed when their portion is $25,000 or more. (Tennessee State Government)
Home Improvement license in Davidson County: Tennessee’s Home Improvement page states that a Home Improvement license is required for residential remodeling projects from $3,000 to less than $25,000 in certain counties, including Davidson County. (Tennessee State Government)
What this means in real homeowner terms is simple. If the contractor is bidding a large metal roof project, you should expect a state contractor license. If the project falls into the smaller range in Davidson County, you should still expect the correct Home Improvement licensing framework to be taken seriously. The point is not to play “gotcha.” The point is to hire someone operating legitimately, under the same rules everyone else is required to follow.
What to request every time: Ask for the contractor’s license number and the exact legal business name that holds the license. Make sure that name matches the name on the contract, invoice, and Certificate of Insurance. If the names do not match, ask why, in writing.
A metal roofing crew works at height, on slopes, with heavy materials and sharp edges. If something goes wrong, you want real coverage, not a vague promise.
Tennessee’s contractor licensing insurance guidance explains that proof of general liability insurance is required to renew or apply for a Contractor or Home Improvement license, and the Board establishes a minimum amount tied to the contractor’s license monetary limit. (Tennessee State Government)
The Board’s published minimums include:
Less than $25,000 (Home Improvement): $100,000 minimum
Up to $500,000: $100,000 minimum
$500,001 to $1,500,000: $500,000 minimum
$1,500,001 to Unlimited: $1,000,000 minimum (Tennessee State Government)
Here is why this matters. “State minimum” does not automatically mean “adequate.” In many cases, the minimum can be far below the financial exposure of a serious roof project.
What a smart homeowner standard looks like: A metal roofing contractor should carry general liability limits that are multiple times the minimum for their category, often with umbrella coverage. You are protecting yourself, your property, and your financial risk if something goes wrong.
Tennessee’s workers’ comp guidance states that employers in the construction industry are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance that covers employees, and that the Certificate of Insurance verifies coverage. (Tennessee State Government) It also makes an important point many homeowners never hear: workers’ comp is separate from general liability and is not “covered by an umbrella policy.” (Tennessee State Government)
What to request every time: Ask for a current Certificate of Insurance for both general liability and workers’ compensation, and then call the insurance agent listed on the certificate to confirm the policy is active. Do not accept a screenshot or a blurry PDF that cannot be verified.
The company on the truck and the company on the invoice are not always the same as the crew on the roof. That is not automatically a problem, but it must be transparent.
Tennessee’s workers’ comp COI guidance notes that general contractors need to keep copies of the COIs of subcontractors in addition to their own. (Tennessee State Government) That is the state telling you, indirectly, that subcontractor coverage is a real issue and a real risk area.
What to request every time: Ask whether the crew will be employees or subcontractors. If subcontractors are involved, request proof that the contractor collects and maintains current COIs for those subcontractors, including workers’ comp where applicable. If the contractor cannot clearly explain this, do not move forward.
Metal roofing is not just harder than shingles. It is different. A contractor can be excellent at shingles and still be average at metal.
A true metal specialist can explain, clearly and confidently, how they handle the parts of a metal roof that actually decide whether it succeeds:
They can explain how they flash chimneys on metal, not just “we flash it.”
They can explain their valley strategy for heavy rain and wind-driven water.
They can explain what they do at pipe penetrations and what boot system they use.
They can explain how they account for thermal movement and avoid binding panels.
They can explain underlayment choices in Tennessee heat cycles.
If the contractor’s answers are vague, you are not hiring a specialist. You are hiring a general roofer who sometimes installs metal.
Questions that reveal specialist-level competence: Ask them to walk you through one specific detail, such as a chimney on a standing seam roof. If they cannot describe the sequence without guessing, they are not who you want installing a premium system.
Memberships and programs are not magic, but they are valuable indicators. They tell you the contractor is connected to the metal roofing world and is willing to be visible in professional networks.
The Metal Roofing Alliance provides a “Find a Pro” resource and notes that by submitting the form you may be contacted by an MRA member. (metalroofing.com) This is useful for homeowners because it is one more way to locate contractors who are engaged with the metal roofing space.
What to do: Ask if the contractor participates with the Metal Roofing Alliance, and ask them how to verify it through the MRA’s own channels. (metalroofing.com)
TVA EnergyRight describes its Quality Contractor Network as providing access to licensed and insured contractors who complete training on TVA’s quality guidelines. (EnergyRight) Even though TVA programs are not exclusively “roofing programs,” being part of a vetted network with licensing, insurance, and training expectations is a credible signal.
What to do: Ask whether the contractor is part of the TVA EnergyRight Quality Contractor Network and whether they have completed the quality guideline training referenced by TVA. (EnergyRight)
Many roofing quotes look “detailed” until you realize they are detailed about the wrong things. A metal roof scope should be explicit about the items that actually control long-term performance.
A metal roofing scope should clearly state:
Tear-off and deck inspection: Will they remove shingles to the deck and inspect the sheathing? What happens if rotten or soft decking is found? Is there a listed per-sheet cost for repairs so you are not trapped by a blank check?
Underlayment package: What underlayment product is used? Is it appropriate for Tennessee heat? Is it installed with the correct laps and sealing details?
Flashing rebuild: Chimneys, walls, skylights, pipe penetrations, ridges, valleys. Does the scope include rebuilding these details for metal, or does it rely on “sealant” language?
Fasteners and attachment method: If it is screw-down, what fasteners are used and why? If it is standing seam, what clip or attachment approach is used and how is movement handled?
Ventilation and moisture plan: Are they evaluating attic ventilation, intake and exhaust balance, and moisture risk? In Tennessee humidity, ignoring attic performance is how you end up with condensation blamed on the roof.
Cleanup and protection: How are they protecting landscaping and property? How are metal scraps and fasteners handled? What is their cleanup standard?
Warranties in writing: Manufacturer material warranty is one thing. Workmanship warranty is another. You want both, clearly defined.
What to request every time: Ask the contractor to rewrite their scope so it describes the roof as a system, including underlayment, flashings, penetrations, and ventilation considerations, not just “install metal panels.”
Drone photos are easy. Real proof is harder.
A qualified metal roofing contractor should be able to show local examples with detail photos. The details matter more than the wide shots.
Ask to see close-up photos of:
Chimney flashing transitions
Pipe penetrations and boot details
Valleys
Roof-to-wall terminations
Ridge and eave closures
If the contractor can only show wide “before and after” photos, you are missing the evidence that matters most.
Metal roof problems are predictable because the shortcuts are predictable.
Common warning signs include:
The contractor refuses to provide a license number, or the license name does not match the contract. (Tennessee State Government)
They provide insurance documents but discourage you from calling the agent to verify coverage. (Tennessee State Government)
They avoid specific discussions about flashing and penetrations and instead talk only about panel thickness and color.
They promise an unrealistically short install timeline on a complex roof with multiple penetrations.
Their bid is dramatically lower than others but the scope is vague, which usually means key details have been excluded.
A cheap metal roof is rarely cheap. It is usually expensive later.
What to request every time:
A qualified Tennessee metal roofing contractor is properly licensed for the size and type of work, properly insured with limits well above the minimum, transparent about who is on the roof, and experienced specifically in metal roofing systems, not just roofing in general. (Tennessee State Government)
As a real-world example, The Metal Roofers meets these standards: licensed and insured, carrying liability coverage three times higher than the state minimum requirement for our license category, and participating in professional networks and quality programs such as the Metal Roofing Alliance and TVA EnergyRight’s Quality Contractor Network, while focusing specifically on metal roofing in Tennessee. (Tennessee State Government)
