A BBB contractor rating can be a useful starting point, but it is not proof that a roofer will do good work or make a problem right. BBB ratings use complaint information rather than customer reviews, and complaints and reviews can be removed from a profile after three years.
What a BBB grade does—and does not—tell you
The BBB rates accredited and non-accredited businesses. Its letter grade comes from its rating system; it is not a workmanship score, a roof inspection, or a guarantee that a contractor will handle a project well.
The BBB stopped awarding rating points for paid memberships in 2010. BBB accreditation involves a membership fee and an agreement to follow BBB standards. Neither accreditation nor a high letter grade proves roofing quality.
A favorable grade can provide background information, but it cannot show whether a roof was installed correctly, whether a customer received the remedy they wanted, or whether concerns appear in customer reviews.
A complaint response is not necessarily a customer remedy
A business can receive credit in the BBB complaint process for responding to a complaint without fixing the customer’s concern. One reported example involved a company with more than 300 complaints, including 100 refund issues, that retained an A+ rating; customers who requested refunds did not receive them.
Read the complaint narrative, the company’s response, and any outcome shown on the profile. A response alone does not establish that the homeowner received a repair, refund, or other requested resolution.
Keep reviews separate from the BBB grade
BBB ratings do not use customer reviews. A roofer can therefore have a favorable grade while its reviews raise issues the grade does not reflect.
- Read complaints, not just the grade: Look for the issue raised and the company’s actual response.
- Read reviews separately: They are not included in the BBB rating.
- Check dates: BBB reviews and complaints may be removed after three years.
- Look for repeated themes: Pay attention when the same concern appears across complaints and reviews.
What may be missing from a BBB profile
Because BBB reviews and complaints can be removed after three years, a clean-looking page may not show older history. The absence of older complaints is not proof that none existed.
BBB ratings take government lawsuits into account but do not treat private-citizen lawsuits the same way. A government lawsuit may lower a company’s score, while one private lawsuit—or multiple private lawsuits—may not affect it. That makes a BBB grade an incomplete screening signal.
The BBB is not a government agency and has no government enforcement power. If you believe you have been scammed, consider reporting the matter to local police, appropriate state authorities, or the Federal Trade Commission. For an insurance or contract dispute, confirm your options with a qualified professional.
Use the BBB page as a question list
A BBB profile is most useful when it prompts closer questions: What do the complaint details say? Did the company merely respond, or is an outcome shown? Are similar concerns appearing in reviews? Could older history have aged off the profile?
A grade alone cannot answer those questions or prove workmanship. Directorii lists verified contractors.
Source: BBB's Betrayal: Business and Consumer Risks
FAQ
Can I rely on a BBB A rating to choose a roofer?
No. A BBB rating is one research signal, not proof of workmanship or a guarantee that a roofer will correct a problem. Read available complaints and responses, review customer feedback separately, and check the dates on the profile.
Do BBB contractor ratings include customer reviews?
No. BBB ratings do not use customer reviews. A favorable letter grade may not reflect concerns raised in reviews, so treat reviews and the grade as separate signals.
Does a resolved BBB complaint mean the roofer fixed the problem?
Not necessarily. A company can receive credit for responding to a BBB complaint without giving the customer the repair, refund, or other outcome they wanted. Read the complaint narrative and response rather than relying on a status label alone.
How long do BBB roofing complaints and reviews remain visible?
BBB complaints and reviews may be removed after three years. A current profile can therefore leave out older history, so a lack of older complaints does not prove they never existed.
Do private lawsuits affect a BBB contractor rating?
BBB ratings take government lawsuits into account but do not treat private-citizen lawsuits the same way, including multiple private lawsuits. That is another reason not to treat the grade as a complete record.
