What a roofing work order is for
The crew that shows up at 7am was not at the sales call. The work order is how what you promised the homeowner gets onto the roof: the exact shingle color, the skylight they want kept, the dog in the back yard, the flower beds along the drip line. It is also the sheet the foreman signs when the job is done, which settles arguments about what was finished.
What to put on a roofing work order
- The address, the date and the start time, and the homeowner's phone number.
- The material on order: shingle line and color, underlayment, drip edge color, vents.
- Squares and layers to tear off, and where the dumpster goes.
- Flashing to replace, and anything to keep, such as skylights or satellite dishes.
- Site notes: gate codes, pets, plants and AC units to protect, where to park.
- A sign-off for the foreman and the homeowner when the work is done.
A worked example
Thursday's reroof. The crew lead needs the scope and the site notes on one page. The prices stay off this copy; the toggle on the form hides them.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tear off one layer, three-tab | 19 | square | Your price |
| Install architectural shingles, charcoal | 19 | square | Your price |
| Synthetic underlayment | 19 | square | Your price |
| Ice and water shield, eaves and valleys | 140 | ft | Your price |
| Replace pipe boots | 3 | each | Your price |
| Ridge vent | 38 | ft | Your price |
Put the site notes in the Notes box: dumpster on the left side of the driveway, tarp the hydrangeas on the south side, the side gate code. When the roof is done the foreman signs, the homeowner signs, and a photo of the sheet goes in the job file.
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. |
How to fill it in
- Fill in the customer, the site and the date.
- Add who is assigned, the arrival window and access.
- List the tasks and materials in the order the crew will need them.
- Put gate codes, pets and anything to protect in the site notes.
- Print it for the truck or send it to the crew's phone as a PDF.
Free tools for roofing
- Roof replacement cost calculator
- Roof measurement tool
- Satellite measuring tool
- Gutter installation cost calculator
The same work order 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.