What a roofing proposal is for
Homeowners compare roofs on price because that is the only number most estimates show. Three options let them compare on what they get instead. The middle one is the roof you would put on your own house; the first is the one that meets the budget; the top one is for the customer who plans to stay for decades. The customer chooses, and nobody feels pushed.
What to put on a roofing proposal
- The same measurements behind all three options, so the only differences are the ones you chose.
- A one-line reason for each option, in the customer's terms: budget, the best value, the longest life.
- What changes between them: underlayment, ice and water coverage, ventilation, shingle line, warranty.
- The workmanship and manufacturer warranty that comes with each option.
- One deposit rule that applies to whichever option they pick.
- A place to mark the option chosen and sign.
A worked example
The same 19-square house. Option one is the shingle roof at the calculator's typical installed price. Options two and three add lines you price yourself: underlayment, ice and water, ridge vent, then a full manufacturer system.
Option 1: Good: shingle roof. Architectural shingles over one tear-off. Meets code, standard warranty.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural asphalt roof, installed * | 1,901 | sq ft | $5.25 | $9,980.25 |
| Tear off 1 old layer and haul away * | 1,901 | sq ft | $2.00 | $3,802.00 |
| Total before tax | $13,782.25 |
Option 2: Better: shingles with better protection. Adds synthetic underlayment, ice and water at eaves and valleys, and a ridge vent.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural asphalt roof, installed * | 1,901 | sq ft | $5.25 | $9,980.25 |
| Tear off 1 old layer and haul away * | 1,901 | sq ft | $2.00 | $3,802.00 |
| Synthetic underlayment | 19 | square | Your price | |
| Ice and water shield, eaves and valleys | 140 | ft | Your price | |
| Ridge vent | 38 | ft | Your price |
Option 3: Best: full manufacturer system. Matched starter, ridge cap and underlayment from one maker for the longest system warranty.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural asphalt roof, installed * | 1,901 | sq ft | $5.25 | $9,980.25 |
| Tear off 1 old layer and haul away * | 1,901 | sq ft | $2.00 | $3,802.00 |
| Synthetic underlayment | 19 | square | Your price | |
| Ice and water shield, full eaves and valleys | 140 | ft | Your price | |
| Ridge vent | 38 | ft | Your price | |
| Matched starter strip and ridge cap | 1 | set | Your price |
Each option totals on its own. Lines with no price stay blank until you fill them in, so the totals grow as you add your numbers. Keep the measurements the same in all three, or the customer cannot compare them.
* Typical price from our free roof replacement cost calculator, which lists its sources. Your own costs and market come first.
Line items roofers use
| Line item | Unit | How to write it |
|---|---|---|
| Tear off existing shingles and haul away | square | Say how many layers. A second layer is more labor and more dump weight. |
| Architectural asphalt shingles, installed | square | Name the brand, line and color so the customer knows what they are getting. |
| Synthetic underlayment | square | Covers the whole deck under the shingles. |
| Ice and water shield at eaves and valleys | ft | Measured along the eaves and valleys, or by the roll. |
| Drip edge | ft | Eaves and rakes. Pick the color to match the gutters or fascia. |
| Starter strip | ft | Along the eaves and rakes, under the first course. |
| Ridge cap shingles | ft | Along every ridge and hip. |
| Ridge vent | ft | Only where the attic has intake at the soffits to match it. |
| Replace rotted roof decking | each | Per sheet of plywood or OSB. Price it per sheet up front; you only know the count after tear-off. |
| Pipe boots and vent flashing | each | Count every plumbing vent and exhaust that comes through the roof. |
| Step and counter flashing at walls and chimney | ft | Say whether you reuse or replace it. |
| Dumpster and disposal | each | One line, or fold it into tear-off. Do not count it twice. |
| Permit and inspection | each | Pass the city's fee through at cost, or say it is included. |
| Roof repair labor | hour | For leak calls and small repairs, priced by the hour plus materials. |
Terms and deposit language for roofing
- Deposit. A deposit is due when the customer signs, so the shingles and underlayment can be ordered and the job put on the calendar. Some states cap how much you can take up front on home improvement work, so check yours before you set it.
- Payment. The balance is due when the roof is finished and the yard is cleaned up. If the customer is paying through an insurance claim, say who pays the deductible and when the insurance check is signed over.
- Warranty. Say two things separately: the shingle maker's warranty on the material, and your own warranty on the workmanship, with how many years each runs and what voids it.
- Rotted decking found at tear-off is replaced at the per-sheet price on the estimate, and the customer is shown the boards before you close them up.
- Weather can move the start date. Say how you will tell the customer and that a tarp goes on any open section at the end of each day.
- Say who handles the permit and who is home for the inspection.
How to fill it in
- Fill in the customer and the job.
- Check each option's name, its one-line difference and its lines.
- Add your prices; each option totals on its own.
- Set tax, the deposit and the good-until date.
- Print it, download it, or send it from Koira so the customer can pick and sign on the phone.
Free tools for roofing
- Roof replacement cost calculator
- Roof measurement tool
- Satellite measuring tool
- Gutter installation cost calculator
The same proposal for other trades: appliance repair, auto detailing, carpet cleaning, chimney, house cleaning, commercial cleaning, concrete, drywall, electrical, fence, flooring, garage door, general contractor, gutter, handyman, hvac, irrigation, junk removal, landscaping, lawn care, locksmith, moving, painting, pest control, plumbing, pool service, pressure washing, remodeling, septic, snow removal, solar, tree service, waterproofing, window cleaning.
More for roofers: how roofers run on Koira.