Roof Replacement Process: What to Expect and Get in Writing

Updated 2026-10-24 · Sources checked

"My skylight installer took a look and believes that when they replaced the roof they installed the flashing improperly on the skylight."

A homeowner in r/Roofing wrote that about a finished job.

A roof replacement follows a set order. In a full replacement the crew removes the old roofing and replaces any damaged wood¹ under it, puts in flashing, and lays the new roof. Then you walk the job with them. Three things on paper protect you: a written scope², a signed change order for any price change, and no final payment until the work is done³.

Quick answer:

Ask for a written proposal² that lists the work, start and completion dates, and how you pay.
Ask before day one how extra work, such as rotted wood, gets approved and priced.
Ask the crew about noise, pets, yard and access before the first day.
Walk the finished job with the crew, and hold the last payment until defects are fixed⁴.

On this page

What a replacement looks like, step by step
Should you stay home during a roof replacement?
What if the crew finds rotten wood once the roof is open?
Get it in writing before day one
The final walkthrough and the last payment
What is the 25% rule for roofing?
Quick questions

None of this is a guessing game: each point can be settled on paper before the first day.

What a replacement looks like, step by step

How long each step takes depends on your roof and on the written proposal, so ask for dates in writing. The steps include:

Tear-off. The crew removes all the existing roofing material¹.
Wood check. Next they replace any damaged wood¹ under the old roofing. This is the step that can surprise you.
Flashing. These are thin metal pieces that keep water out of joints. Proper flashing goes in at penetrations (anywhere something passes through the roof), at roof/wall intersections, at valleys, at gables and at eaves¹.
New roofing. The new roof goes on over the repaired surface.
Cleanup and walkthrough. You look over the work with the crew (more on that below).

Contractors may scope jobs differently, so check that your proposal lists each of these. If you have a skylight or vents, ask exactly how each one will be flashed and have it written down.

What if rain is forecast while the old roofing is off? What to ask about roofers working in the rain.

Should you stay home during a roof replacement?

That is a practical call, and the crew's answers help you make it. Ask before day one:

When does the crew start and stop each day, and which days will be loudest?
Where will they park and put debris, and which parts of the yard need clearing?
How will they protect plants, windows and anything against the house walls?
Will they need to get into the house, and should someone be there to let them in?

Get the answers by text or in the proposal. Then, if something goes differently during the roof install, you have their answers to point back to.

What if the crew finds rotten wood once the roof is open?

Finding damaged wood is not automatically a sign of a bad contractor, because a full replacement includes replacing any damaged wood¹. The worry is still real. One reply in a roofing thread put it this way: "Who knows what else he will come up with during the process..."

What answers that worry is a rule set before day one. Ask how extra work is approved and how it is priced. In Maine, any change that changes the contract price must be in a written change order signed by both parties⁵. A change order is a short signed paper that records the new work and the new price. Wherever you live, ask for the same thing in writing.

Ask to see any wood that is damaged or weak, or a photo of it. That shows the work is real and tells you what you are paying for. Also ask for a price per sheet of replacement wood, written into the proposal, so extra wood has a known price before the roof is open. The checklist below writes a message for you to send, from your answers.

Curious who pays when the wood under the shingles turns out rotted? What roof rot means and what to get in writing.

Get it in writing before day one

A written proposal is your reference for everything above. Ask for:

A complete description of the work and specifications, start and completion dates, and payment procedures².
A list of the materials, a breakdown of the costs, and the warranty details⁶.
Copies of the contractor's liability insurance and workers' compensation certificates², which are papers that show the roofer carries that coverage.
A payment plan that does not have you pay the full amount up front³. Some states limit the down payment, so ask what yours allows.
The way extra work is approved and priced.
What cleanup includes, such as hauling away debris, and who fixes any damage to your yard, driveway or windows.

Why can two quotes for the same roof differ so much? What is included in a roof replacement.

The final walkthrough and the last payment

Do not make the last payment until you have walked the job.

Review the whole project with the crew. Point out any defects right away and make sure they are corrected before the final payment⁴. Look from the ground, and ask the crew to show you photos of anything you cannot see from there, such as the flashing around a skylight.

As one state's suggestion, Georgia advises withholding 10% of the total price until the job is done, you are satisfied and you have proof that subcontractors and employees were paid⁴. Be aware that any subcontractor or supplier who is not paid by the contractor may file a lien against your home⁴, which is a legal claim on the house for unpaid work.

Cities may inspect the work too. In Orlando, for example, re-roofs need an in-progress inspection and a final inspection that uses a completed inspection affidavit⁷. Permit and inspection steps vary by city, so ask your building department what applies and who arranges it.

What is the 25% rule for roofing?

It is a local building-code threshold, and it differs by place. In San Diego, if more than 25% of the roof area is replaced, altered or repaired within 12 months, the entire roof has to be a Class A roof assembly⁸. Your local building department can tell you whether your area has a similar rule. Ask before you agree to a partial job.

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.^3,9

Start and completion dates.^9,2

The total price and a breakdown of the costs, not just one number.⁶

The payment schedule: what you pay at each stage. Keep the final payment until the work is done.^10,3

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.^11,10,5

Who pulls the building permit. A contract should say who does it.¹⁰

Proof of license and insurance, including liability and workers' compensation certificates. Confirm the license with your state or county government.^3,2

The warranty details, and what would void the warranty.^6,2

Every promise made out loud, including what the roofer will and will not do.¹²

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.⁹

If they push

If anyone pushes you to sign today, you can wait. Never give in to high-pressure sales tactics.¹⁴

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.¹³

Quick questions

How do I know if the price on a proposal is a good one? One number can't tell you. Compare proposals that cover the same work, and when one is much lower than the rest, check what it leaves out.

Which part of replacing a roof costs the most? That depends on your roof, so don't trust a ranking. The cost breakdown in a proposal shows which lines are largest; ask the roofer to explain the biggest one.

What if rain or delays push the dates? Ask what the crew does to protect the open roof if weather turns, and how they will let you know when the dates change.

What if I spot a problem after the crew leaves? Photograph it, note the date and tell the roofer in writing. Then ask what the written warranty says about it.

Sources

1. IBHS FORTIFIED, FORTIFIED Home Re-Roofing Checklist (v2024.1)

2. National Roofing Contractors Association, Selecting a Contractor

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

4. Georgia Consumer Protection (Office of the Attorney General), Choosing & Working with a Contractor

5. Maine Office of the Attorney General, Home Construction and Repair

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

7. City of Orlando, Apply for a Residential Roof Permit

8. City of San Diego Development Services, Information Bulletin 123: Minimum Standards for Renewal of Roof Covering

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

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

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

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

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

13. Texas Department of Insurance (TDI): Hail damage to your home or car? What to do next.

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

15. New York State Attorney General: Contractors and home maintenance

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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