What should an out-of-pocket roofing contract say before I sign?

An out-of-pocket roofing contract should name everything you are paying for: the measured scope, the materials, the tear-off, how decking is priced, the payment phases and the warranty. Robust Roofing's out-of-pocket agreement is e-signed in the RoofMap portal and lists the scope, your chosen options and colors with their prices, the payment phases and the 50-year labor warranty.

When you pay for a roof out of pocket, the contract is the only document that defines the job. There is no insurance estimate behind it, so anything not written down is open to argument later. Here is what each section should say, the questions to ask before you sign, and the one place a final bill can honestly move.

What should the scope section of a roofing contract list?

Every layer of the roof by name, and the measured size it applies to. A scope that just says "replace roof" leaves the roofer free to decide what that means. Look for:

• Measured size of the roof, and which structures are included, such as a garage or porch.
• Tear-off of the existing roof down to the decking, and how many layers are coming off.
• Decking: how it will be checked and how replacement sheets are priced.
• Underlayment type (synthetic or felt) and where ice-and-water barrier goes, such as valleys and around penetrations.
• Drip edge, flashing and pipe boots, and whether each is new or reused.
• Ventilation: what is being added, replaced or corrected.
• Shingles: the manufacturer, the product line and the color.
• Gutters, downspouts and gutter guards, if you chose them.
• Cleanup and the permit, including a nail sweep and who arranges the permit where one is required.

Robust Roofing's agreement lists the scope of your roof along with the options and colors you picked in the portal and the price of each, so the shingle line and color on the page are the ones you chose.

Can the final bill be higher than the quote?

Only for what no one could see before the old roof came off, and then only at a price stated in writing beforehand. Three things hide under a roof: rotten decking, an extra layer of old shingles under the top one, and damage where the roof meets a wall or wraps a chimney or vent, which only shows when the old flashing comes off. A good contract says how each would be priced and that you will be shown it before it is covered. The guides to decking rot and a second layer under your shingles explain what each looks like.

Decking is the one that comes up most, and it is where Robust Roofing takes the guesswork out. The crew checks the deck board by board after tear-off, and replacement sheets are priced before they go down, so rotten wood is not a surprise line on the final bill. Robust Roofing's customers mention it in their Google reviews. Christian G. wrote, “They replaced a couple bad decking spots, matched the color perfectly, and the flashing work is clean.” Adonias W. noted that “they even double checked the decking spots with me before closing it up.”

What should the payment section say?

Each payment, its amount and what triggers it, so you always know what is due and why. Payments should follow the work: a portion at signing, and the balance when the roof is built, never the whole price up front. The section should also say how you pay, so there is no question later about where money went.

Robust Roofing's agreement sets a deposit when you sign and the remaining balance on project day, both paid online in the RoofMap portal by card or bank transfer, with a pay-over-time option at checkout for smaller balances. The guide on how to pay a roofer covers deposits, cash and records in detail.

What should the warranty section say?

It should cover two warranties, both in writing: the roofer's labor warranty on the installation, and the manufacturer's warranty on the materials. A shingle warranty answers for a defective shingle, not for a mistake in how the roof was put on, so the labor warranty is the one that answers for a leak at the flashing or a valley.

The length of that labor warranty varies more than most people expect. CertainTeed, one of the major shingle manufacturers, notes that contractor workmanship warranties typically run one to five years. Robust Roofing's labor warranty on the roof is 50 years, in writing, in addition to the manufacturer's warranty. The warranty page explains what it covers.

What should you ask a roofer before you sign?

Ask the questions whose answers belong in the contract, and get each answer in writing. Here are the ones that matter most, with Robust Roofing's answer to each:

Where do the signed documents live after the job?

In your RoofMap portal. The signed agreement, the invoices and the project photos stay there after the crew leaves, so you are not hunting through email when you need them. That matters later: for a warranty question, for an insurance company asking about the roof's age, or for a buyer's inspector when you sell the house.

Why is Robust Roofing's agreement one you can sign with confidence?

Because it is built to leave nothing to argue about. Every option and color is priced before you choose it, the quote comes from measurements of your roof, and decking, the one cost nobody can see in advance, is priced before it goes down. It is the same crew and the same process as every Robust Roofing roof, and the answers in the table above are in writing, not in a sales pitch.

If you are holding more than one bid, the guide to comparing roof quotes lines them up row by row, the FAQ answers the rest of the common questions, and the out-of-pocket roof replacement guide makes the case for Robust Roofing as the best roofer to hire with your own money. To get a written agreement you can read at your own pace before you sign, start with a free inspection: call (470) 887-6637 or schedule online.

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