Understanding Your Roofing Estimate

Understanding A Detailed Roofing Estimate

By George Quijano, FROM Roof Ready

What a good estimate should include

A real estimate starts with someone getting up on your roof. If a roofer gives you a price from the curb, that's a guess.

Once they've looked, the written estimate should cover:

1) What's wrong and why it needs fixing: hail damage, worn shingles, a leak around the chimney...

2) Materials, by name. The brand and product line of the shingles, plus the underlayment, ice and water shield, and vents.

3) Labor, listed separately from materials, so you know what you're paying for each part.

What A Roofing Estimate Should Actually Include

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Most homeowners do not think about a roof estimate until something goes wrong , a leak after a heavy rain, visible shingle damage after a hail storm, or a home inspection report flagging the roof before a sale. At that point, getting an accurate written estimate quickly becomes the priority. Knowing what the work actually costs, and what materials will be used, gives you a real basis for decisions rather than relying on a verbal ballpark from a contractor standing at the curb.

A free roof estimate from a licensed contractor does more than put a number on paper. It documents current roof conditions, identifies problem areas, and outlines the recommended scope of work. This information is valuable whether you are filing an insurance claim, planning a replacement on your own timeline, or simply trying to understand the current condition of your home's most important protective system.

4) Tear-off and disposal, including how many layers of old roofing are coming off.

5) Possible extras, like replacing damaged wood under the shingles. Nobody can see that until the old roof comes off, so a good estimate tells you upfront what it costs per sheet if it's needed.

6) A timeline and what happens if weather pushes it back.

Watch out for these

1) One lump-sum number. If a roofer won't break it down when you ask, that's a red flag.

2) No tear-off listed. Some roofers price a new layer of shingles right over the old ones. It's cheaper upfront, but it hides any damage underneath and can shorten the life of your new roof. Ask directly.

3) Vague materials. "Architectural shingles" could mean a lot of things. Get the actual product name.

4) Offers to cover your deductible. In Colorado, that's against the law. A roofer who offers it is telling you something about how they do business.

Labor And Removal Costs Explained Clearly

Labor charges should be listed separately from materials in any honest estimate. A combined single number makes it difficult to know what you are paying for each part of the job. Reputable contractors are generally willing to break this down when asked, and doing so helps you compare bids from different companies on an equal basis.

Removal and disposal are often listed as their own line items. This covers the cost of removing your existing shingles, hauling away the debris, and disposing of it properly. In some cases, homeowners have two or more layers of old roofing that need to come off, which adds time and cost. A detailed estimate will note how many layers are being removed.

If a bid leaves out removal entirely, that is worth asking about directly. Some contractors price a new layer over the old roof rather than a full removal, which costs less upfront but can cause problems down the road.

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Your rights under Colorado law

Colorado has a law just for roofing contracts, and it protects you. Before any work starts, your roofer has to give you a written contract that you both sign. That contract has to include:

1) Your right to cancel within 72 hours of signing and get your full deposit back.

If insurance is paying, your right to cancel within 72 hours of your insurance company telling you the claim was denied, fully or partly.

2) A promise that your roofer will hold your payment in trust until materials show up at your house or most of the work is done.

If a contract is missing any of these, don't sign it.

If insurance is involved...

Your insurance company's adjuster will write up their own estimate of the damage. It's a starting point, not always the final number. Sometimes it misses things that only show up once a roofer looks closer, or items your town's building code now requires on a new roof.

Once you've signed with a roofer, they're allowed to talk with your insurance company about the scope of the repairs. What they can't do is act as your public adjuster and negotiate your claim for you. If a roofer tells you they'll "handle your whole claim," be careful.

Comparing estimates side by side

When you get two or three estimates, it's tempting to just pick the cheapest. But price only means something if the estimates cover the same work.

Check that each one includes:

1) The same grade of shingle. A premium architectural shingle and a basic three-tab aren't the same roof.

2) Full tear-off, not an overlay.

The same extras: underlayment, ice and water shield, vents, flashing.

3) Warranties: both the manufacturer's warranty on the shingles and the roofer's warranty on their own work.

4) Cleanup: a magnetic nail sweep and a final walkthrough with you.

Sometimes the cheapest bid is cheaper because it leaves things out.

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Want a second opinion on an estimate?

If you already have an estimate and aren't sure what it means, we're happy to look at it with you. And if you need one, our estimates are free, written, and broken down line by line, so you know exactly what you're paying for.