Roof Estimates and Contracts: How Many to Get, What to Include and Why Prices Differ

How many estimates should you get?

Two or three written estimates is a common rule of thumb. More than that rarely tells you anything new and can stretch out a repair that should not wait. If one estimate is far lower than the others, find out what it leaves out.

What a written estimate should include

• The company’s name, address and phone number
• A clear description of the work: repair area or full tear-off
• Materials, including the shingle or metal type
• How damaged decking will be handled and priced if it is found
• Flashing, vents and other details that will be replaced
• Clean-up and debris removal
• Total price and payment schedule
• Estimated start and completion timing

Ask for it in writing. A number spoken in the driveway is hard to hold anyone to.

What the contract should include

In Indiana, home improvement work over a certain dollar amount generally requires a written contract under the state’s Home Improvement Contracts Act. A good roofing contract repeats everything in the estimate and adds the warranty terms, what happens if the job is delayed, and how changes to the work are approved. Read it before you sign, and keep a copy.

Why some roofers charge more than others

• Scope: one estimate may replace flashing and vents while another reuses them.
• Materials: shingle lines and underlayment vary.
• Insurance and crew: insured, experienced crews cost more to run.
• Warranty and follow-up: a company that stands behind its work builds that into the price.

The cheapest bid is not a bargain if it leaves out the parts that keep water out.