How Pricing Works

• Measured area. Roofing is quoted in squares — one square is 100 square feet of roof surface, not floor area. A complex roof has far more surface than the footprint suggests.
• Pitch and access. A steep roof requires staging and slows every stage of the work. Limited driveway or lot access changes how material and debris get moved.
• Layers to remove. Tearing off two or three existing layers costs more in labor and disposal than tearing off one.
• Decking condition. Rotten or delaminated sheathing is only visible after tear-off. A good estimate states a per-sheet price for replacement up front rather than surprising you mid-job.
• Complexity. Valleys, dormers, chimneys, skylights, and wall transitions are where roofs leak, and detailing them properly takes time and material.
• The system you choose. Three-tab, architectural, impact-resistant Class 4, standing-seam metal, concrete or clay tile, natural or synthetic slate — these span an enormous range in both material cost and installation labor.
• Ventilation and code. Bringing intake and exhaust ventilation up to spec, or meeting a current code requirement the old roof predated, is often part of doing the job correctly.

These are two different transactions. On an out-of-pocket project, you are buying a scope of work and comparing bids. On a storm claim, your insurance carrier determines the scope and the settlement, and the contractor’s job is to make sure that scope actually covers the damage. Comparing an insurance-scope roof against an out-of-pocket bid is comparing two unlike things.

The inspection is free. The damage documentation, including drone photography of the roof, is free. The written estimate is free. Meeting your insurance adjuster on the roof and negotiating the scope of work is included in the project rather than billed separately. None of that obligates you to anything, and if the roof does not need work, we will tell you that instead of selling you one.

• Is the measured square count stated, or just a lump sum?
• Does it name the actual shingle line and underlayment, or just say “architectural shingle”?
• Does it include tear-off and disposal, or is that separate?
• Is there a stated per-sheet price for replacing bad decking?
• Are new flashings, drip edge, and pipe boots included, or is the old metal being reused?
• What ventilation is being installed?
• What exactly does the workmanship warranty cover, for how long, and is it transferable?
• Is the contractor’s insurance certificate current and available on request?

A cheap estimate is usually cheap because something on that list is missing. Ask which one.