Ask for a roof handover folder before the project disappears from your calendar. It should show what was installed, what changed during construction, which work remains open, and whom to contact with a problem. A receipt and one finished-roof photo leave too many questions unanswered.
For a Minnesota homeowner, these records can be useful when a later hailstorm prompts an inspection, when a warranty question comes up, or when a buyer asks about the roof. They document the work; they do not establish insurance coverage or guarantee that a future claim will be accepted.
Discuss this folder before construction begins. Some of its most useful photographs must be taken while the roof is open. Here is a practical request list you can bring to the final walkthrough.
1. The final scope and approved changes
Keep the signed scope together with every approved change. The finished record should let someone distinguish the original plan from the work actually completed.
For example, if deteriorated decking was discovered after tear-off, save the approval, price adjustment, location, and associated photographs together. An unexplained extra charge on the last invoice makes that history harder to reconstruct.
Ask for a short written clarification if the paperwork uses different terms for the same work. Also identify exclusions, such as a chimney repair assigned to another trade. A future contractor should be able to understand where this project stopped.
2. An itemized invoice and payment record
Save the final invoice in a format you can download. Check the property address, contractor name, installation dates, and description of the completed work. Store payment confirmations beside it so you do not have to search an old banking app years later.
If an item is disputed or unfinished, ask for its status in writing. Keep financing documents in a separate subfolder; a loan statement may not describe the actual roof assembly.
Label files “roof invoice” and “decking change approval” so you can find them without opening every emailed attachment.
3. A list of the installed products
Request the manufacturer, product line, and color for the shingles, plus the names of the installed underlayment, ice barrier, ridge caps, starter, and ventilation products. Ask the contractor which identifiers or packaging photographs are worth keeping.
This list is especially useful if a later repair involves a small area. A color name alone may not identify the shingle series. The name on the original estimate also may not reflect an approved substitution.
Have substitutions recorded explicitly. Keep any leftover material only if the contractor provides suitable storage guidance; do not assume a bundle left outdoors will remain usable indefinitely.
4. The warranty documents that apply to your project
Request the actual manufacturer warranty and any contractor workmanship warranty included in your agreement. Save applicable registration or confirmation documents, if required, with the installation record.
The name of a warranty package is not enough to answer a later question about coverage. For example, Owens Corning's roofing shingle warranties page lists separate warranty documents, and each has its own coverage conditions and rules for transferring coverage to a new owner. Other warranties can differ.
Ask which document applies to the products and installation you purchased. Record where questions go and what information to provide, without relying on a remembered sales conversation.
5. The permit and inspection status, where applicable
Ask for the permit number and the available inspection or completion record. If something remains pending, identify who is responsible for arranging it and how you will receive confirmation.
Local processes vary. St. Cloud's Building Safety guidance describes reroof permits and explains that inspection instructions accompany permits. Your property's building department can confirm the process that applies to your address.
Keep the official record separate from the contractor's own final walkthrough. Both may be useful, but they answer different questions. If your project did not require a particular record, note that rather than leaving an unexplained blank in the folder.
6. Photographs of conditions found after tear-off
Ask whether the contractor can provide labeled photos of notable existing conditions, especially areas that needed additional work. A wide view establishes location; a closer view can explain the finding.
“Rear bedroom, east-facing slope” is more useful than “bad wood.” Have the photo description distinguish an observed condition from a suspected cause. A dark area in a photograph alone does not explain when water arrived or what caused it.
These pictures should come from the crew's documentation. You do not need to climb onto the roof to complete your records. If no construction photos exist, record that limitation honestly.
7. Photographs before concealed work was covered
Finished shingles conceal much of the installation. Request available progress photos showing agreed areas such as repaired decking, roof-to-wall transitions, penetrations, and the ice-barrier installation.
Ask the contractor to label the location and stage of work. A photograph of loose material awaiting installation should not be mistaken for the finished detail.
A photo set also has limits. It may show selected locations without documenting every fastener or every roof plane. Treat it as supporting history, and ask specific questions about missing views while the project is fresh. Avoid describing a handful of images as proof of every installation requirement.
8. A labeled set of completed-roof photographs
Request final views of each roof plane and the important transitions identified in your scope. Include a simple location key if the house has several additions, dormers, or a detached garage.
For a property near St. Cloud or in the Brainerd Lakes Area that you visit less often, make sure another household member can tell which building and slope each photo shows. Save the original files when available, with dates intact.
The next inspector can use these views to understand what was visible at handover. The photos alone cannot establish that a later storm caused a particular defect.
9. A written punch list and follow-up contact
Walk through the agreed scope and record any remaining items. Use a short table with the item, location, responsible person, and next agreed update. Mark completed items with the date they were resolved.
A punch list might identify trim awaiting another trade, an unanswered product question, or a cleanup concern. Keep the wording factual. “Confirm rear porch flashing scope” is more useful than “roof issue.”
Ask which contact to use for an active leak and which to use for a routine question. Confirm the actual process rather than assuming a particular response time or emergency service is included.
10. Care instructions and a one-page folder index
Request the care guidance applicable to the installed products, along with any follow-up recommendations specific to the home. If the contractor observed a separate attic, masonry, or drainage concern, ask that it be described clearly, with the appropriate next professional identified.
Put a one-page index at the front of the folder:
- Property address and roof installation dates.
- Contractor contact and project reference.
- Installed product list and warranty file locations.
- Permit status, photo folder, and unresolved items.
Keep a second accessible copy and share its location with another household member. When selling, review which project records should go to the buyer and check the applicable warranty's transfer instructions separately.
If you are planning a replacement, bring this list to your Committed 365 roof consultation and agree on the handover records before work starts.