How to Compare Roofing Quotes
Put the bids side by side and check each of these on all three. The differences will explain most of the price spread.
- Underlayment: synthetic or 15lb felt? Name the product.
- Ice-and-water shield: how many feet up from the eave, and is it in the valleys and around penetrations?
- Flashing: new, or reused? This is the line that most often differs.
- Ventilation: is ridge vent included, and is intake ventilation being verified or assumed?
- Decking: what is the per-sheet rate, and how many sheets are assumed in the base price?
- Permit: included or not.
- Warranty: how many years of workmanship, and is it transferable?
- Payment schedule and the deposit amount.
- Total roof squares each contractor measured. If they disagree by more than about 10%, someone measured wrong.
- Tear-off: full, or roof-over? And how many existing layers are they accounting for?
A Roofing Estimate, Line by Line
| Line item | Typical cost | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Tear-off and disposal | $1.00 – $1.75 / sq ft | A second or third layer roughly doubles this line. |
| Decking repair | $85 – $150 / sheet | Should be priced per sheet, not guessed at up front. |
| Synthetic underlayment | $0.20 – $0.45 / sq ft | Insist on synthetic, not 15lb felt. |
| Ice & water shield at eaves and valleys | $1.10 – $2.00 / sq ft covered | Non-negotiable in Utah. Cheap bids cut this first. |
| Shingles and accessories | $1.60 – $3.20 / sq ft | Starter strip and ridge cap should be named, not implied. |
| Flashing (new, not reused) | $350 – $1,400 / home | "Reuse existing flashing" is the most common hidden cut. |
| Ridge vent and intake ventilation | $400 – $1,200 / home | Undersized ventilation voids most shingle warranties. |
| Labor | 40 – 55% of total | Ask whether the crew is employed or subcontracted. |
| Permit | $150 – $450 | If no permit is being pulled, ask why in writing. |
| Cleanup and magnet sweep | Included | Should be stated explicitly in the contract. |
When a bid comes in noticeably under the others, it is almost never because that company found a cheaper shingle. It is because one or more lines above are missing. Ice-and-water shield coverage and new flashing are the two most commonly omitted.
Estimate Red Flags
- A quote materially below the others with no explanation of what is different in the scope.
- A price good only today. Real pricing on a real roof does not expire in an afternoon.
- A quote given without anyone getting on the roof, or from a satellite measurement alone on a complex roof.
- Full payment demanded up front, or a deposit over about a third.
- No physical address, or an out-of-state address that appeared after a storm.
- Pressure to sign an "authorization to inspect" or a contingency agreement before you have a number. These sometimes bind you to the contractor for whatever the insurer approves.
- An offer to cover or "eat" your deductible. That is insurance fraud in Utah and it puts you on the hook, not just them.
- No proof of workers’ compensation insurance.
What Moves Your Number Up or Down
Two houses of the same square footage on the same street can be 40% apart. These are the reasons, roughly in order of impact.
- Layers. Tearing off two or three existing layers roughly doubles the tear-off and disposal line.
- Complexity. Dormers, valleys, chimneys, skylights, and intersecting gables are where the labor hours actually go. A simple gable ranch and a cut-up two-story with the same square footage are not the same job.
- Decking condition. Unknowable until the old roof is off. It should be quoted as a per-sheet rate, not buried in the total.
- Material tier. The spread from builder-grade to designer shingle across a full roof is often only $2,500 to $4,000 — one of the better value decisions in the project.
- Access. Tight side yards, steep driveways, low-hanging power lines, and no place to stage a dumpster all add time.
- Season. Late fall and winter are slower for most contractors, and pricing sometimes reflects that. Mid-summer after a storm is the worst time to shop on price.
- Pitch. Anything above about 7:12 requires additional fall protection and slows the crew down. Steep roofs commonly add 15 to 30%.
Roof Estimate FAQs — the Salt Lake Valley
Can you quote from satellite imagery?
We can give a rough range that way on a simple roof, and it is useful for planning. We will not give you a firm number without being on the roof, because decking condition and flashing detail are where estimates go wrong.
How long is your estimate valid?
Thirty days, and there is no pressure inside that window. If material pricing moves materially we will tell you why. What we will never do is offer a discount that expires this afternoon.
Do I have to sign anything to get a quote?
No. Be careful with any contractor who wants a signature before giving you a price — a "contingency agreement" or "authorization to inspect" can bind you to whatever the insurance company approves.
What does a new roof cost in the Salt Lake Valley?
For a typical valley home in architectural shingle, most fall between $8,500 and $18,500 fully installed with tear-off. Larger or more complex homes run $18,000 to $38,000. The variables that matter most are pitch, number of existing layers, and complexity — not square footage alone.
Why are my three quotes so far apart?
Almost always scope, not margin. Check whether each includes full tear-off, synthetic underlayment, ice-and-water shield coverage, new flashing rather than reused, ventilation work, and the permit. A cheap bid is usually missing two or three of those.
Do you offer financing?
Yes, with approved credit, including options with no prepayment penalty. We will run the numbers for you before you commit to anything, and we will tell you if the repair route makes more financial sense than financing a replacement.
Free roof estimate inspection in the Salt Lake Valley
Photo documented, written, and yours to keep. If your roof does not need work, we will tell you that — and we will put the remaining life in writing.
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