How we build your estimate
The number comes from a measurement, not a walk around the block. Here is exactly how it is put together and what each part of it means.
Your roof is measured before it is priced
We built our own estimating software and every job goes through it. The roof is measured from satellite imagery, county assessor records and lidar elevation data, and those three sources are cross checked against each other before anyone quotes anything.
Cross checking matters more than any single source. Imagery can be out of date. Assessor records can be wrong about the footprint. Lidar can be coarse on a small dormer. When all three agree, the measurement is solid. When they disagree, that is a flag to look harder rather than average them and hope.
What the estimate actually contains
| Part | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Squares | The measured roof area with waste applied. Waste is not padding: hip and valley cuts genuinely consume material, and a cut-up roof consumes more than a simple gable. |
| Linear runs | Eave, rake, ridge, hip and valley, each measured separately. Drip edge follows the eave and rake, ridge cap follows the ridge and hips, valley metal follows the valleys. Without these the flashing cannot be priced honestly. |
| Pitch | Both a material figure and a labor figure. A 10/12 roof takes materially longer and needs more staging than a 4/12, and pricing that fairly means saying so up front. |
| Penetrations | Every pipe, vent, skylight and chimney counted, because each one is a flashing detail and a potential leak. |
| Materials | Each item named, with the coverage it is priced from. Not "shingles" but the product, the bundles, and the squares those bundles cover. |
| Labor | Separated from materials, so you can see what you are paying for the product and what you are paying for the work. |
A single blended number is impossible to compare against another bid. Split out, you can see instantly whether a cheaper quote is using a cheaper product or simply planning to spend less time on your roof.
What the inspection itself looks like
The measurement settles the geometry. The inspection settles the condition, and that part still happens with someone on the roof.
These are clips from our own inspections, not stock footage.
What happens when we find something
The estimate is built before the roof is opened, so it cannot account for what is under the shingles. Two things bridge that gap.
- A decking allowance with a per-sheet price agreed up front. If we replace four sheets, you pay for four sheets at the price you already saw. No renegotiation on the day.
- Photographs before anything is covered. You see what we saw, and any change order carries the price and needs your approval before the work is closed up.
How to compare three bids
Put them side by side and ask five questions.
- Do they state the roof area in squares? If not, nobody measured.
- Is the ice and water shield described by where it goes, not just listed?
- Is flashing itemized, or assumed to be reused?
- Are starter course and ridge cap included as their own lines?
- Is there a stated price for replacing bad decking?
A bid that answers all five may be higher than one that answers none. It is usually also the only one describing the whole job.
Common questions
Do you need to get on my roof to quote it?
Not to measure it. The measurement comes from imagery and elevation data. We still inspect in person, because condition is something you cannot read from a satellite, but the geometry is settled before the ladder comes off the truck.
What is a square?
One hundred square feet of roof surface. Roofing is priced by the square, and a 2,000 square foot house does not have a 2,000 square foot roof: pitch adds surface area, and a steep roof can add thirty per cent or more.
Why do bids vary so much?
Usually because they are not describing the same job. One includes ice and water shield to code and new flashing, another assumes the old flashing is reusable and leaves the starter and ridge cap out. The totals differ because the scopes differ.
Want your actual number?
The inspection and the written scope cost nothing, and you keep the measurements whether or not you hire us.