Independent second look
A second opinion on your roofing proposal, before the tear-off starts.
Roofing decisions tend to arrive with urgency — a leak, a storm, a salesperson with a folder. The proposal in your hand may be thorough or it may be three lines and a price, and from the kitchen table those can look surprisingly similar.
This is a second opinion on the document, not on the roof. Upload the written estimate and we explain what it appears to cover, which quantities and materials are unstated, and what to ask before anyone opens up the deck.
We do not inspect roofs, judge whether a price is fair, or promise savings. We help you read what you are being asked to sign.
Get a free Quote Snapshot before you decide what to do next.
- Independent Review
- Private Upload
- No Sales Calls
Updated September 2026
Roof Replacement Proposal
Illustrative sampleTwo-story home, architectural shingles, one existing layer
- SquaresNot stated
- Tear-off1 layer
- UnderlaymentSynthetic (type not named)
- Ice and water shieldNot mentioned
- Decking'As needed'
- VentilationReuse existing
Learn The Quote note
'Decking as needed' without a unit price is the line most likely to change the final invoice.
Example figures only. Real estimates vary widely by region, specification and site conditions.
What should be in the quote
What a clear roof_second quote normally covers.
Every contractor writes proposals differently. These are the details homeowners most often want to see spelled out before signing — a missing item is not automatically a problem, but it is usually worth a question.
- Roof area in squares
- Number of existing layers removed
- Shingle brand, line and color
- Underlayment type and coverage
- Ice and water shield locations
- Starter strip and hip and ridge product
- Drip edge material and gauge
- Valley method — open, closed or woven
- Pipe boots, vents and flashing replacement
- Chimney and wall flashing responsibility
- Decking inspection and unit price for replacement
- Nail type, length and pattern
- Ventilation plan — ridge, box or powered
- Skylight treatment, if any
- Gutter, satellite and solar handling
- Property protection and landscaping care
- Magnetic nail sweep and cleanup
- Dumpster placement and disposal
- Permit and inspection responsibility
- Manufacturer warranty tier and requirements
- Workmanship warranty term
- Payment schedule and exclusions
Line-item breakdown
What each line on the estimate actually pays for.
| Line item | What it covers | What moves the number |
|---|---|---|
| Tear-off | Removing existing roofing layers down to the deck and hauling them away. | Layer count, roof pitch, story height and disposal fees. |
| Decking repair | Replacing sheathing found to be soft or rotten after tear-off. | Sheet count, thickness and whether a unit price was agreed in advance. |
| Underlayment | The water-resistant layer between deck and shingles. | Felt versus synthetic, weight, and full versus partial ice and water coverage. |
| Shingles | The visible roof covering, plus starter and ridge accessories. | Product line, wind rating, square count and waste factor. |
| Flashing | Metal at walls, chimneys, valleys and penetrations. | New versus reused, chimney complexity and whether crickets are included. |
| Ventilation | Ridge vent, box vents or intake corrections. | Whether existing venting is reused, replaced or redesigned. |
| Access and protection | Staging, ladders, tarps and protecting landscaping and siding. | Pitch, height, obstacles and how tight the property is. |
| Permit and cleanup | Permitting, inspection, dumpster and magnetic nail sweep. | Local fees, dumpster size and disposal weight. |
A higher price is not evidence of overcharging, and a lower price is not automatically a better deal. Two estimates can differ because they describe genuinely different work.
Commonly missing or unclear
The gaps homeowners notice after work has started.
- No square count anywhere in the document.
- Layer count for tear-off unstated.
- Underlayment described generically as 'synthetic'.
- Ice and water shield omitted in a climate that expects it.
- 'Decking as needed' with no unit price or approval process.
- Flashing described as 'reuse existing' without condition notes.
- Ventilation left unaddressed although the shingle warranty may require it.
- Pipe boots and vent replacement not itemized.
- No permit line where the jurisdiction requires one.
- Manufacturer warranty tier named without the accessories it requires.
- Workmanship warranty absent or stated only verbally.
- No cleanup, dumpster or nail-sweep commitment.
Allowances, exclusions and extras
Where the final invoice can drift from the estimate.
Decking discovery
Rot is genuinely unknowable until tear-off. Agree a per-sheet price and an approval step in writing beforehand.
Layer surprises
A second hidden layer changes labor and disposal. Ask how a discovered layer is priced.
Flashing and chimneys
Masonry condition at the chimney can push work outside a roofing scope entirely.
Ventilation corrections
Meeting a warranty's intake and exhaust requirements can add soffit or ridge work.
Interior repairs
Existing leak damage to ceilings and insulation is usually excluded from roofing proposals.
Solar and satellite
Detaching and resetting equipment is often a separate trade and a separate charge.
Questions to ask
Ask these before you sign.
- 1How many squares are you pricing, and how was that measured?
- 2How many layers are coming off?
- 3What underlayment product, and where does ice and water shield go?
- 4What is the per-sheet price if decking must be replaced, and who approves it?
- 5Which flashings are being replaced versus reused?
- 6What is the ventilation plan, and does the warranty depend on it?
- 7Are pipe boots and vents new?
- 8Does the price include permit and inspection?
- 9What manufacturer warranty tier is this, and what does it require?
- 10What workmanship warranty do you provide, and in writing?
- 11How is my property protected, and what cleanup is included?
- 12What is the payment schedule, and is a deposit required before materials arrive?
Quote red flags
Wording that deserves a second look.
- A total price with no square count and no materials named.
- Pressure to sign during a storm-damage door knock.
- 'Insurance will cover it' promises in a written proposal.
- Deductible handling described in a way that seems too convenient.
- Decking, flashing and ventilation all left as 'as needed'.
- Warranty language that names a tier but no requirements.
- Deposit larger than the material cost for the job.
- No physical business address on the document.
None of these mean a contractor is doing anything wrong. They are simply points where the written document leaves room for interpretation.
Comparing competing estimates
Are the two bids even for the same job?
- Compare square counts before comparing totals.
- Check layer counts for tear-off on both.
- Compare underlayment and ice and water coverage.
- Compare shingle product line and wind rating.
- Check which flashings each proposal replaces.
- Compare ventilation scope and warranty requirements.
- Check decking unit prices, not just whether decking is mentioned.
- Compare workmanship warranty duration and what voids it.
What affects pricing
Labor rates, material costs, project complexity, geography, permitting, site access, specifications and current market conditions all move the number. There is no single universally correct price for a job, and Learn The Quote does not claim to determine one.
Quantity and pitch
Squares, roof pitch and story count drive labor more than any other factor.
Material tier
Three-tab, architectural and designer shingles differ substantially in material cost.
Complexity
Valleys, dormers, skylights and chimneys add detail work per square.
Disposal
Layer count and local landfill rates change tear-off cost.
Warranty tier
Enhanced manufacturer coverage requires specific accessories and certified installers.
Market conditions
After regional storms, demand and material availability move pricing and schedules.
Comparing two proposals for the same job? Read our guide to comparing contractor quotes before assuming the cheaper one is the better value.
How Learn The Quote helps
An independent read of the document you already have.
Upload your quote
Upload the written roof_second estimate you already received. Your first Quote Snapshot is free.
We read it closely
We organize the proposal in plain English and flag items that look unclear or potentially missing.
You ask better questions
You get price context and specific questions to put to your contractor before you sign.
Learn The Quote is informational and document-based. We do not issue price verdicts, we cannot tell you a universally correct price, and this is not a substitute for licensed trade, engineering, legal or financial advice or for an onsite inspection. We are not a contractor marketplace and we do not sell your details.
Why the document matters
On a roof, the written scope is the whole agreement.
Once shingles are down, nobody can see what went under them. Whether the ice and water shield extended far enough, whether the valleys were lined, whether the boots were replaced — those are settled by what the proposal committed to and by who was watching.
A clear proposal names quantities, products and unit prices for the things that cannot be known in advance. A vague one moves those decisions to install day, when the leverage has shifted.
We read your proposal and tell you which of those commitments are present, which are missing, and what to ask. We do not judge the roof and we do not judge the price.
Storm work
If your roofing quote followed a storm.
- Check whether the proposal describes work or only references an insurance settlement.
- Look for a written scope you would accept even if no claim were involved.
- Confirm who is responsible for permits and code-required upgrades.
- Confirm what happens if the insurer's estimate and the contractor's scope differ.
- Keep your own copies of every estimate, photograph and revision.
Questions homeowners ask
Frequently asked questions
- What is a roofing second opinion if nobody comes to my house?
- It is a close read of the written proposal you already have. We describe what the document appears to include, identify the details that are missing or ambiguous, and give you questions to ask. It is not an inspection and it does not replace one.
- Can you tell me whether the roof really needs replacing?
- No. Condition assessment requires someone on the roof. What we can do is show you whether the written proposal explains the basis for its recommendation, what it commits to installing, and what it leaves out.
- Why does the number of squares matter so much?
- Roofing is priced by squares — 100 square feet each — and quantity drives most of the total. If two proposals state different square counts for the same roof, one of them is measuring differently, including waste differently, or including areas the other does not.
- What is tear-off versus layover?
- Tear-off removes the existing roofing down to the deck. A layover installs new shingles over the old ones. They are not equivalent, they cost differently, and local code may limit layers. A proposal should say which it prices and how many layers come off.
- Should decking replacement be priced up front?
- Rotten decking is usually discovered after tear-off, so many proposals handle it as a unit price per sheet. That is reasonable. What matters is that the unit price, and the approval process, appear in writing rather than being settled mid-project.
- What roofing items are most often unclear?
- Underlayment type, ice and water shield coverage, drip edge, valley method, pipe boots and flashing, ventilation changes, ridge treatment, nail pattern, and whether gutters, satellite dishes and solar are handled.
- How do roofing warranties differ?
- A manufacturer's material warranty covers shingles under stated conditions and may require specific accessories or a certified installer. Workmanship warranty is the roofer's own promise. Both should appear in writing with terms and durations.
- Do you talk to my roofer?
- No. We do not contact contractors, we are not a lead generator, and your uploaded documents stay private. You keep the conversation.
- What if my roof claim involves insurance?
- We can help you understand what a written estimate contains, including line-item formats. We do not verify coverage, interpret your policy, or act as a public adjuster or attorney.
- Where should I start?
- Upload your roofing estimate for a free Quote Snapshot. If you want the full walkthrough with a complete question list, the $39 report covers one proposal and $59 Compare reads two roofing proposals side by side.
Helpful homeowner resources
More reading before you sign.
- Roofing quote reviewWhat a clear roofing estimate normally spells out.
- Is my roofing quote too high?Reading a roofing price without guessing at market rates.
- Compare two roofing quotesWhether two roof proposals describe the same job.
- Xactimate roof estimatesLine-item roof estimates, squares, waste and accessories.
- Gutter quote reviewWhere roof water goes after it leaves the shingles.
- Is my contractor quote fair?What reasonable can and cannot mean on paper.
Learn The Quote is an independent, document-based quote-review service. We are not a roofing contractor, engineer, home inspector, public adjuster, insurer or attorney, we do not inspect roofs or assess damage, and nothing here is engineering, safety, insurance or legal advice. We do not determine exact market value, do not decide whether a price is fair or unfair, do not verify insurance coverage and do not promise savings.
Know before you sign.
Get a free Quote Snapshot before you decide what to do next. Upgrade to the full $39 report, or the $59 two-quote comparison, only if you want the detail.