Estimates
How pricing works
A roof's price depends on the roof. These are the questions people ask before they call, answered without a number.
What decides the price
Fifteen things move the number on a roof, listed below. Each one shows up as a line on your written estimate.
What the estimate includes, and what it doesn't
It lists the work line by line. If something is not on it, it is not in the price.
Included: tear-off and disposal
Included: deck check and a per-sheet price for bad decking
Included: underlayment, drip edge, starter, shingles and ridge
Included: flashing, vents, permit and cleanup
Not included: rafter, fascia or soffit rot found later
Not included: chimney masonry, skylights and interior repairs
What happens at the visit
An estimator walks the house, the roof and the attic and takes photos. There is no charge for the visit, and the estimate is yours whether or not you hire us.
How and when you pay
Payment terms and any deposit are written on the estimate before you sign. We don't ask for payment in full before the work is done.
If the job changes
A change to the work is priced and written down before it happens, and you agree to it first. Bad decking is the usual one, and its price is already on the estimate.
When you get the number
In writing, after the visit, as a price for the work listed. Not on the phone, and not on the day we come.
Fifteen drivers
What moves the price
Most of these are decided by the house, not by us.
- 01
Roof area
Measured in squares of 100 square feet. A roof is bigger than the house under it.
- 02
Pitch
A steep roof needs staging and more time.
- 03
Complexity
Hips, valleys, dormers and turrets add cuts and flashing.
- 04
Material
The shingle line, a metal profile or something else.
- 05
Layers to remove
Two layers take longer to tear off and cost more to haul.
- 06
Deck condition
Found only after the old roof is off, so the estimate names a price per bad sheet.
- 07
Underlayment and ice barrier
What goes under the shingles, and where.
- 08
Flashing and penetrations
Chimneys, skylights, walls and pipes.
- 09
Ventilation
A roof that can't breathe wears out sooner.
- 10
Access
Trees, fences, tight drives and the distance to the dumpster.
- 11
Warranty tier
Different shingle systems come with different material terms.
- 12
Code and permit
What the locality requires and what it charges.
- 13
Season
Spring and fall fill the calendar.
- 14
Work done at the same time
Gutters, fascia, a skylight or new vents.
- 15
Demand after big storms
When a storm hits the area, every roofer is booked and lead times grow.
The visit
From the first call to the follow-up, in nine steps
- 01
Step 1: Booking
Address, roof age, the problem, and photos if you have them.
- 02
Step 2: Ground walk
Gutters for granules, fascia and soffit for rot, and the lines of the roof.
- 03
Step 3: On the roof
Tied off, or by drone on a steep or fragile roof: covering, flashing, penetrations and vents.
- 04
Step 4: The attic
The underside of the deck, stains, daylight, insulation and airflow.
- 05
Step 5: Measuring
Squares, pitch, layers and complexity, so the numbers on the estimate are real.
- 06
Step 6: Photos, shown to you
What we found, and whether it is a repair or a replacement.
- 07
Step 7: Written options
The work, the price and a cheaper option when there is one.
- 08
Step 8: If a storm did it
We document the damage with photos and an itemized estimate you can share with your insurer.
- 09
Step 9: Follow-up
One call to see if you have questions. Then we leave you to decide.
Questions
About the estimate
How much does a new roof cost?
It depends on the squares, pitch, material, layers and deck. Online averages run wide, and they are not your roof. The written estimate is.
Do I need a permit?
Almost always for a full replacement. The contractor can pull it, and the fee is a line on the estimate.
Do you require a deposit or offer financing?
Deposit and any financing terms are written on your estimate. If financing is offered, the lender, the rate and the term are shown with it.
Want to see it on your roof?
Ask for a visit. You will have the estimate in writing afterward.