How to Read a Roofing Estimate

Start With the Scope

The first question is what is being done. A good estimate says tear-off down to the decking, how many existing layers are coming off, and that the old roof is being hauled away. If it just says "reroof" or "install new shingles," ask whether that means a tear-off or a new layer over the old one. Layering over is cheaper on paper and hides the decking, which is the part nobody can quote honestly from the ground.

The Lines Every Estimate Should Have

• The shingle, by name. Manufacturer and product line, not just "architectural shingles." Different lines from the same maker carry different warranties.
• Underlayment and ice and water shield, and where the ice and water shield goes. Eaves and valleys are where it matters.
• Drip edge, new along the edges.
• Flashing: new or reused. Step flashing, chimney flashing and skylight flashing are where roofs leak. "Reuse existing flashing" is a saving you pay for later.
• Pipe boots and vents, replaced, not reused.
• Ventilation: what kind, and enough of it for the attic.
• Decking, priced per sheet. Nobody knows how much decking is bad until the roof is off, but anyone can tell you what a sheet costs. If that price is missing, the decking line is a blank check.
• The building permit, and who pulls and pays for it.
• Cleanup and disposal, including nail pickup.

Two Warranties, Not One

A roof can fail two ways, so it should come with two warranties. The manufacturer covers defects in the shingles. The contractor covers the installation, which is where roofs actually fail. An estimate that promises a "lifetime warranty" without saying whose, and covering what, is usually describing the shingle warranty and nothing about the workmanship.

Look for the labor warranty in writing: how many years, and from whom. Ours is a 10-year written labor warranty from us, alongside the manufacturer's Limited Lifetime materials warranty.

Every shingle maker publishes its own warranty terms, and they differ by product line and sometimes by who installs the roof. Ask which shingle is on your estimate, then read that manufacturer's warranty: Owens Corning, CertainTeed and GAF all post theirs.

Payment Terms

Read how and when you pay as closely as the price. A large deposit before any work starts puts the risk on you, and a crew that disappears with a deposit is the most common roofing horror story there is. We take no money until the roof is finished, inspected and you’re satisfied. Whoever you hire, the terms should say exactly how much is due and when.

Ask for a lien waiver covering materials and labor at the end. It’s your proof that the supplier and the crew were paid, so a dispute between them can never become a lien on your house.

If Insurance Is Paying

Your estimate and your insurance company's scope should describe the same roof. Where they differ, the differences should be specific line items you can point to, not a vague total. Colorado law doesn’t allow a roofing contractor to pay, waive or absorb your deductible, so any estimate that "covers your deductible" is a reason to walk away. Our insurance claims page explains what we do, and what we don’t do, on a claim.

Comparing Two Quotes

Put them side by side and go down the list above. Where one quote names something the other doesn’t mention, ask the second contractor directly. The cheaper quote is often cheaper because it leaves something out: reused flashing, no ice and water shield, a vague decking line, or a new layer instead of a tear-off.

Then ask both contractors the ten questions we suggest asking any roofer. If you’d like a quote from us to compare, we’ll give you one in writing, line by line, before any work starts.

From Our Own Jobs

See More of Our Completed Roofs

Sources

• Colorado Revised Statutes 6-22-103: the written contract Colorado requires before residential roofing work starts: scope, materials, dates and approximate costs
• Colorado Revised Statutes 6-22-105: the ban on a roofer paying, waiving or rebating your insurance deductible, and on a roofer acting as a public adjuster
• Colorado Roofing Association, Looking for a Trusted Colorado Roofer: the state roofing law and what to check before you hire
• Colorado Attorney General, Colorado roofing contractor law (PDF): the full text of the state's residential roofing law
• International Residential Code R908.3, Roof Replacement: a replacement removes the existing layers down to the roof deck