How to read a roof estimate without getting taken

Start with the scope, not the price

Two quotes for the same house can differ by nine thousand dollars and both can be defensible. The number only means something once you know what is being removed, what is going back on, and who owns the risk if the deck underneath turns out to be soft. An estimate that says “reroof house” is not an estimate. It is a hope.

Ask for the line that covers sheathing replacement. Every honest contractor knows they cannot see the deck until the covering is off, so the good ones publish a per-sheet price up front. The ones who leave it blank are not being generous; they are leaving room for a conversation you will have on day two, standing in your driveway, with no leverage.

The three questions that settle it

How many layers are coming off, and where is the debris going? What is the flashing plan at every wall, chimney, and valley? And what is the labour warranty, in writing, separate from the manufacturer’s material warranty? If a quote answers those three clearly, the price is probably real. If it does not, the price is a placeholder.