How to Hire a Roofer and Compare Written Quotes

A roof is bought once every few decades, which means most people hiring a roofer have never done it before. The work is hidden under shingles within a day, so you are paying largely for what you cannot see. That is why the paperwork matters more here than in most trades. This guide covers how to check a contractor, what the written quote should contain, how to compare bids and which signs mean walk away.

Decide what you are asking for

Know whether you need a repair, a partial replacement or a full replacement before you call. If you have a leak, use the inspection checklist to note where it shows up inside and what you can see outside, and take dated photos. A crew that gets a clear description gives a better quote, and you can tell whether the diagnosis they give matches what you found.

If the question is whether to repair or replace, ask each contractor to explain the reasoning in writing: the age and condition of the roof, how widespread the damage is and what a repair would and would not fix.

Check the contractor before the quote

Licensing rules vary a lot. Some states license roofers, some leave it to cities and counties, and some require registration only. Look up your state contractor board or your local building department to see what applies to your job, and check the license number the contractor gives you rather than taking their word.

Then ask for:

• A certificate of insurance showing general liability and workers’ compensation coverage. Ask your own contact at the insurer or the issuing agent to confirm the policy is active, because a certificate on its own can be out of date.
• A permanent business address and a phone number that is answered.
• Recent local references, and permission to look at a finished roof.
• The name of whoever will supervise the crew on site.

A contractor who is licensed, insured and local is easier to hold to account after the job. Be careful with crews that appear after a storm, knock on doors and have trucks from out of the area. Some are legitimate, but a crew from out of the area is hard to find if something goes wrong.

What a written quote should include

A quote should describe the work in enough detail that you could hand it to another contractor and get a comparable bid. Look for:

• The roof planes being covered, with the measured area and how it was measured.
• Whether the old roofing is torn off or covered over, and how many layers are being removed. Whether an overlay is allowed at all depends on local code and the manufacturer.
• Named products: the shingle line, the underlayment, the flashing and the vents, not “quality materials”.
• What happens at the edges and joints: drip edge, starter strip, flashing at walls and chimneys, valley treatment, and replacement of pipe boots.
• Ventilation. A new roof over a poorly ventilated attic ages early.
• A price, or clear terms, for replacing rotted decking once the old roof is off. This is the item that most often changes the final bill, so ask how it will be measured and charged.
• Permits, and who is responsible for pulling them.
• Debris removal, protection for landscaping and a magnetic sweep for nails.
• Start and finish dates, and what happens in the event of weather delays.
• The payment schedule.
• Warranties, written out.

Local building code and the shingle manufacturer’s installation instructions both govern how the work must be done. A quote that departs from either is a reason to ask questions, because the manufacturer’s warranty can depend on following its instructions.

Two warranties, two different promises

The shingle manufacturer’s warranty covers the product, within its own conditions. The contractor’s workmanship warranty covers how it was installed. Installation mistakes are a common cause of leaks, so the workmanship warranty is the one you are more likely to need. Ask how long it lasts, who stands behind it if the company closes and whether it transfers if you sell the house. Get both in writing, and read the exclusions.

Comparing the bids

Put the quotes side by side and match line by line. Cheaper bids often differ in ways that hide in the details: thinner underlayment, no drip edge, reused flashing, no allowance for decking, or a smaller scope. If one bid is much lower, ask what it leaves out before you take it as a saving.

Check the quantities against your own numbers. The roof area estimator gives a rough area and square count from the house footprint and pitch. If a quote’s area is far off yours, ask how they measured.

Warning signs

• Pressure to sign today, or a discount that expires when the salesperson leaves.
• A request for a large payment up front, or for payment in cash only.
• No written contract, or a contract with blanks.
• No mention of a permit where one is likely to be needed.
• An offer to cover or waive your insurance deductible.
• Vague descriptions of materials and scope.
• A salesperson who cannot answer a simple question about ventilation or flashing.
• Reluctance to provide a license number, proof of insurance or references.

Any one of these is a reason to slow down.

Contract, payment and paperwork

Read the whole contract before you sign, and ask for changes in writing. It should name both parties, match the quote and describe how changes are handled. Many places give you a short window to cancel certain contracts signed at home, so check what applies where you live.

Tie payments to progress. Do not make the final payment until the work is finished, the site is cleaned up and you have walked the roof perimeter and checked the details with the foreman. In many places a contractor’s unpaid suppliers or subcontractors can place a lien on your house, so ask about lien waivers and have the final payment conditional on receiving one.

During and after the job

Take dated photos as the old roof comes off, especially if rotted decking is found, and keep the receipts and any change orders. Keep the contract, the product names, the permit sign-off and the warranty papers together in one folder. They matter if you ever sell, or need to make a claim.

For the vocabulary used on a quote, see the roofing terms page. For help weighing different products, the materials table compares the main roof types.