5 Red Flags in a Roofing Bid Most Homeowners Miss

A new roof is one of the jobs contractors bid the most. It is also one of the hardest to read.

Here is what usually happens. You get three bids. They all look about the same. You pick the one in the middle and hope it works out.

The trouble is, a roofing bid hides more than it shows.

Here are five red flags we see over and over again.

Red Flag #1: No Mention of Underlayment Type

Underlayment is the layer that goes under the shingles. It sits on top of the wood boards that hold up the roof.

The price depends on what they use.

• Cheap synthetic underlayment runs about $0.20/sqft.
• Better synthetic underlayment (TitaniumPSU, Tri-Flex) runs $0.50 to $0.70/sqft.
• A water-blocking layer in the roof valleys and along the edges runs $0.80 to $1.50/sqft.

If the bid does not say what is going under your shingles, you are getting the cheapest thing that barely passes.

Get the underlayment in writing.

Red Flag #2: Vague Shingle Specification

"30-year architectural shingles" tells you nothing.

You want two things on the page.

The brand and the model. Like GAF Timberline HDZ or CertainTeed Landmark Pro.

And the wind rating. Class F holds up to 110 mph, which is enough for most places. Class H holds up to 150 mph, for the coast and other windy spots.

Without both, you have nothing to stand on if the shingles fail and you need the warranty to pay.

Red Flag #3: No Flashing Replacement Scope

Flashing is the metal pieces that seal the seams and keep water out. They go around chimneys, vents, the roof valleys, and where the roof meets a wall.

This is where most roof leaks start.

A bid that does not say it is putting on new flashing is reusing the old flashing. Even if that metal is 25 years old.

Tell them you want new flashing on every spot a pipe or vent comes through the roof.

If it is not in the bid, add $400 to $1,200.

Red Flag #4: No Decking Inspection or Replacement Allowance

When the old shingles come off, the wood boards under the roof get exposed.

Sometimes that wood is rotted. Sometimes there is water damage. Sometimes whole boards need to be swapped out.

A good bid says something like "up to X sheets of new wood included, and any more at $X a sheet."

A bad bid says nothing. Then you get a phone call in the middle of the job for an extra $1,800.

Nail down the wood replacement before you sign.

Red Flag #5: No Specific Warranty Terms

Roofing warranties come in layers.

There is a warranty on the shingles from the maker. It runs 25 to 50 years, but it shrinks fast as the roof ages.

There is a warranty on the work from the contractor. This one matters more. From a good contractor it is usually 5 to 10 years.

And there is a longer warranty from the maker that only counts if the contractor signs you up for it and uses the matching parts.

Get all three in writing.

If the contractor will not back their own work for at least 5 years, that tells you how much they trust it.

Bottom Line

A roofing bid should spell out the materials, the work, the wood allowance, the flashing, and the warranties.

If yours does not, ask in writing before you sign.

We built YouSuperIntendIT to put a working super in your corner for exactly this. Upload your bid and we read it the way a superintendent would, in plain English, before you say yes.