How to Read a Roofing Estimate, Line by Line

Three bids arrive and they differ by thousands. The instinct is to assume someone is overcharging. Usually the truth is duller and more expensive: they are quoting different roofs. Here is how to read what is actually being sold, in the order it appears on a proposal.

Tear-off and what happens underneath

Layers of tear-off. The estimate should say how many existing layers come off and that disposal is included. If a bid quotes going over the existing roof instead, read our layover guide before you save that money.

Decking replacement policy. This is the single most important line in the document, because nobody knows how much rotten decking exists until the roof is open. You want a stated price per sheet and a commitment to show you what gets replaced. A bid that is silent here is a surprise invoice waiting to happen.

The water layers

Underlayment: the type and weight, across the whole field. Ice-and-water barrier: where exactly it goes, at minimum in valleys and around penetrations. These are invisible the day the job ends and decisive in year eight, which is precisely why they are where cheap bids economize.

Edges, penetrations, and the small metal

• Drip edge at eaves and rakes, current standard practice on replacements.
• Starter course as a real starter product, not cut-up shingles.
• Flashing: new or reused? Chimney, wall, step, and valley flashing. Reusing tired flashing under new shingles is a classic shortcut and a top-five leak source. Get the word "new" in writing.
• Pipe boots, new every time. They are inexpensive and they are the most common leak in Georgia, as our leak guide explains.
• Ridge cap: a manufactured ridge product, not three-tab shingles cut into pieces.

Ventilation and fastening

Ventilation should appear as an actual plan: ridge vent footage, intake at the soffits, and baffles if insulation is choking the eaves. A roof installed over a starved attic ages early and can void manufacturer coverage, which our ventilation guide covers. Nailing should specify the pattern, commonly six nails per shingle for wind performance in our market. It sounds like a triviality. It is the difference between a warranty that holds and one the manufacturer walks away from.

The parts people skip to

• Shingle line and color, named specifically, plus the impact rating if that is part of your plan.
• Cleanup: magnetic sweeps, debris removal, gutter clearing, and property protection.
• Permit and who pulls it.
• Warranty: the workmanship term from the contractor and the manufacturer tier the installation qualifies for, plus who registers it. Our warranty guide explains why those are two different promises.
• License and insurance certificates, attached, not described.
• Payment schedule and the change-order process for discoveries. On an insurance job the schedule should fit how your carrier and mortgage servicer actually release money, which our loss draft guide lays out.

The four questions that sort any three bids

Ask each bidder: what happens when you find bad decking, is the flashing new or reused, what is your ventilation plan, and what exactly does your workmanship warranty cover. The answers, more than the totals, tell you which roof you are actually buying. A good contractor answers all four without hesitating, and puts them in the proposal without being asked.

Quick answers

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