How to Get a Roof Quote and What It Should Say in Writing

Updated 2026-10-24 · Sources checked

"Do people really pay the expensive price? I can’t imagine how the company stays in business."

A homeowner in a roofing thread asked that, and a single number can't answer it. A total only means something when every quote covers the same job. Ask each roofer for a written quote that lists the scope of work, materials, start and completion dates, and payment terms¹. Then you can compare line by line instead of guessing from the bottom line. Below: what a quote should spell out, what happens at the visit, and what to watch for before you sign.

Quick answer:

Ask each roofer to put the same items in writing: work, materials, dates and payment terms.
Watch the visit from the ground and leave the roof inspection to the roofer².
Compare the quotes line by line, not by the total.
Walk away from pressure to sign and pay a deposit on the spot³.

On this page

What should a written roof quote spell out?
What happens at the visit, step by step
How do you compare two or three quotes?
Red flags before you sign
What if the roof may have storm damage?
Quick questions

Before anyone visits, you already control the key part: telling each roofer which items you want in writing.

What should a written roof quote spell out?

It should describe the job in enough detail that you can see what the price includes. A written estimate should describe the work to be done and give the materials, the completion date and the price⁴. In North Carolina, the list also includes a breakdown of the costs and the warranty details⁵.

Ask each roofer to write down:

Scope of work: the jobs the roofer will do, and whether removing the old roof covering is one of them.
Materials: the products the roofer will use.
Dates: start and completion dates¹.
Payment terms: when and how much you pay.
Cost breakdown and warranty: what each part of the price covers, and what the warranty promises.

Without those lines, a bare total is hard to read. One reply in a roofing thread voiced the same doubt about a quote it had seen: "Something is fishy about the second quote like that quote is just materials or just labor or something." A quote that lists each item answers that question before you ask it. One more question to ask each roofer: what happens to the price if the crew finds damaged wood under the old roof? Ask for a price per sheet of replacement decking, and for your OK in writing before any extra cost is added. The checklist below writes a message for you to send, from your answers.

What happens at the visit, step by step

The roofer inspects the roof while you stay on the ground. Homeowners should inspect a roof only from ground level², because the risk of falling is too great without proper safety systems, and trained roofers can spot damage that may not be obvious to you.

A simple order to follow:

Before the visit, tell the roofer you want a written quote with the items above, and ask whether removing the old roof is included.
At the visit, ask for copies of the roofer's liability insurance and workers' compensation certificates⁶, and make sure both stay in effect for the whole job.
After the visit, put the quotes side by side and compare them item by item.
Before you sign, read the contract details and check the red flags below.

To check a license, look at your state's licensing board. In Virginia, for example, you can verify license status and past disciplinary actions with License Lookup⁷.

Wondering what to ask when the roofer names a price? Questions to ask a roofer before you hire one.

How do you compare two or three quotes?

Line by line, not by the total. Put the items from each quote in a row: work, materials, dates, payment terms, costs, warranty. If one quote leaves out something the others list, ask that roofer to add it before you decide.

More than one bid helps you decide which offers are too high or too good to be true⁸. A low or high number is a reason to ask what is included, not a verdict on the company. Don't choose on price alone; balance cost with reputation, quality of work and materials⁹.

Getting several quotes is a habit for some people. As one reply put it: "I always get 3 separate quotes though just to be thorough". The count is only the start. The written items are what make the quotes comparable.

Have a few quotes in hand? How to compare roof estimates when the totals don't match.

Red flags before you sign

Each of these has something you can do about it.

Pressure to sign and pay at once. A legitimate contractor will not pressure you to sign a contract and hand over a deposit on the spot³, so say you will read the contract first.
A demand for full payment upfront. Avoid high-pressure sales tactics and contractors who demand full payment upfront⁹. Ask for the payment terms in writing and compare them with the other quotes.
A roofer who shows up uninvited. Contact a roofer you choose yourself, not one who turns up unasked⁵. Say no thanks and call someone you picked.
A vague number. If the quote does not list the items above, ask for them in writing before you compare it with anything.

Then insist on a detailed contract that includes agreed-upon start and finish dates⁷.

What if the roof may have storm damage?

Your first contact can be your insurance company or a roofer you chose yourself, not one who shows up uninvited⁵. Before you call, read your policy to see exactly what your responsibilities are¹⁰ and write down your questions. The policy, not this page, tells you what is covered.

Before you sign: what to get in writing

Answer a few quick questions. You'll get a list of what to ask for in writing, what to do if anyone pushes you, and a message you can send. Nothing you choose leaves this page.

Your browser isn't running scripts, so here is the general list. It fits most roof jobs.Ask for these in writingTick each one when you have it in writing. You can print this list.

The work and the materials. A written estimate should describe the work to be done and the materials, with the completion date and the price.^4,1

Start and completion dates.^1,6

The total price and a breakdown of the costs, not just one number.⁵

The payment schedule: what you pay at each stage. Keep the final payment until the work is done.^11,4

A price per unit for hidden damage, for example per sheet of decking, and your signed change order before any extra. Rotted decking found mid-job is the kind of surprise a change order covers. In California and Maine, a change to the contract price must go on a written change order.^12,11,13

Who pulls the building permit. A contract should say who does it.¹¹

Proof of license and insurance, including liability and workers' compensation certificates. Confirm the license with your state or county government.^4,6

The warranty details, and what would void the warranty.^5,6

Every promise made out loud, including what the roofer will and will not do.¹⁴

Repair or replacement?

Ask every roofer to quote the same job and to show you a photo of each problem they list. If one quotes a repair and another a replacement, ask each to explain why in writing.

Your quotes

Ask for written estimates from at least 3 roofers, each with the same items.¹

If they push

If anyone pushes you to sign today, you can wait. Never give in to high-pressure sales tactics.¹⁵

If a roofer won't put this in writing, that is an answer too: weigh it against the bids that do.

Before you sign

Never sign a contract that has blank spaces.⁸

Quick questions

How much will my roof cost? It depends on the roof, the materials and the roofer, which is why a quote that lists each item tells you more than a rule of thumb. Ask each roofer for the same job in writing.

Do I need three quotes? At least 3 written estimates¹ is the advice from one roofing-safety group. The number matters less than getting enough to compare line by line.

What if I only want part of the roof priced? Tell each roofer exactly which part, and ask every one to price that same part. Otherwise you may be comparing a repair with a full replacement.

Will my insurer want repair estimates? Questions to ask your insurance professional include whether the claim will exceed your deductible and whether you will need repair estimates¹⁰.

Sources

1. Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), Tips for Hiring a Roofing Contractor

2. National Roofing Contractors Association, NRCA Urges Homeowners and Business Owners to Use Caution When Repairing Their Roof Systems

3. New York State Attorney General, Contractors and home maintenance

4. Federal Trade Commission, How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam

5. North Carolina Department of Insurance, Avoiding predatory roofing scams

6. National Roofing Contractors Association, Selecting a Contractor

7. Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, Avoiding Home Improvement Scams: Tips for Hiring a Contractor

8. Texas Department of Insurance, Hail damage to your home or car? What to do next

9. IBHS, Tips on Hiring a Roofing Contractor

10. Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I), How to file a homeowners claim

Also cited by the Before you sign tool on this page:

11. California Contractors State License Board (CSLB): Terms of Agreement: A Consumer Guide to Home Improvement Contracts

12. Oklahoma Insurance Department (Strengthen Oklahoma Homes program): Change Order Information (template)

13. Maine Office of the Attorney General: Home Construction and Repair

14. California Contractors State License Board (Department of Consumer Affairs): Tips for Hiring a Roofing Contractor

15. IBHS (Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety): Is It Hail Damage?

16. Federal Trade Commission: How To Avoid Scams After Weather Emergencies and Natural Disasters

17. California Contractors State License Board (CSLB): What You Should Know Before You Hire a Contractor

18. North Dakota Insurance Department: Beware of contractor scams and fraud following recent storms

19. Texas Department of Insurance: Do you know the signs of a contracting scam?

20. North Carolina Department of Insurance: Prepare your home, be wary of roofing scams as Hurricane Dorian approaches the East Coast

21. Texas Department of Insurance: Will my premium go up if I file a claim?

22. Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner: Filing a homeowner insurance claim

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