What To Look For In A Roofing Estimate

If you're looking to get a roofing estimate, you probably have some questions. What are the most important things to look for in a roofing estimate? What should a roofing estimate include? Here, we'll go over some things to be on the lookout for so you can be certain the estimate you receive was properly prepared and includes all the necessary information.

Contractor License And Insurance

The first and most important thing to make sure of when you're getting a roofing estimate, is to verify that the contractor you're working with has both insurance and a roofing license. In some states, roofing contractors are not required to have any licensing at all! However, a reputable and trustworthy contractor will always want to have the certifications to back up what they're proposing to do for you. Another extremely important thing your contractor must have is insurance. If anything happens on the job, you want to have the peace of mind that it's covered. The two types of insurance you want to verify are Workman's Comp and General Liability insurance. If you ask your contractor for a Certificate of Insurance (COI) they should provide it for you.

Options

After you've verified license and insurance for the contractor you plan to work with, the next thing to pay attention to in your estimate is options. All estimates, whether they are for a roof or any other type of service, should provide you with options. There should never be a situation where there is one fixed option on an estimate, so if you ever find yourself with an estimate that only includes one option - that's not the one you should go with.

Details

If your estimate has options - those options will have details. You want to familiarize yourself with what the details of each option are, and what they include. Details and options together will determine the price point. This could be the difference between 3Tab and Architectural shingles, or different types of coatings. There's really no limit to the amount of options and details you can expect to see in a roofing estimate, but the four main ones to be sure your estimate includes are drip edge, underlayment, ice and water shield, and ventilation. 

Change Orders

Moving past options and details, another thing that should be included in all roofing estimates is potential change order items. In any construction project there's the possibility that things will come up that were not on the original estimate. Because of this, it's extremely important that you have a preset and agreed upon cost should anything arise. Not only does this prepare you for what the additional cost could be associated with these things, but it gives you a sense of security in knowing that your contractor didn't just come up with a number out of thin air, and you have the details to back that up.

Terms And Conditions

We're going to let you know right now - terms and conditions should be included in your estimate. A good contractor providing a thorough estimate wants to cover all of their bases, and one of those bases is laying out terms and conditions both for you, and for them. This provides you clarity on what is expected both from your contractor, and from you as the property owner. 

Warranty

The final thing to make sure your roofing estimate has is warranty information. You warranty needs to be in writing, so that if anything happens, you know exactly what is covered. There are multiple different types of warranties, from a workmanship warranty - which is the warranty your contractor provides standing behind their work repairing or replacing your roof, all the way to an extended warranty - which is an additional warranty that can be purchased from the manufacturer of your roofing materials that covers an extensive range of things.

Need An Estimate?

If you're looking for a roofing estimate, Colony Roofers is proud to be a trusted name in roofing in the Southeast. One of the members of our team will come out to your property and perform a free 30 minute inspection and follow up with a detailed estimate. And if you ever have any questions, we're happy to help - call us today!