Home » How to Analyze a Roofing Estimate

Replacing a roof can be a daunting task and to make matters worse, the quotes or estimates roofers provide you can be just as difficult to understand and decipher. The following are 4 tips to use in analyzing a roofing estimate.

Tips

Shop Around: The first step to analyze a roofing estimate is to compare it to the competition. In order to do this, you should contact and request an estimate from at least 3 reputable roofing companies. While in the process of shopping around there are a multitude of questions you should be asking and research you should be doing. Find out which suppliers the company works with and how long they have been in business. Also, research what their customers say through reviews and double check the company is in fact licensed and insured. Finally, ensure they have a physical location, as many fly-by-nighters will only offer a phone number or e-mail to reach.

Determine Costs & Markup: Prior to determining costs you will need to decide which materials are going to be used in the replacement. Once you are aware of the materials being used you can contact suppliers directly to be determine the actual cost of the materials. This will help you be aware of any hidden markups added to your bill.

Labor and Incidentals: Roofing estimates come in various formats however each estimate should list labor and incidental costs. There can be many hidden expenses such as transporting supplies, cleanup, waste disposal, and permits; all of which should be listed.

Warranties: Last but not least you should ensure that your investment is protected under the warranties. Workmanship warranties will cover the labor, and installation, whereas material warranties will cover defects in the materials used. When analyzing the warranties be aware of the company’s history in honoring warranties and check to see if warranties are transferrable when selling your home.

Dealing with a roofing issue can be very stressful, however the above tips will help you better analyze each roofing quote to determine which option is best for you.