Roofing, add or replace: check the quote
Roofing covers adding or replacing a roof covering. For asphalt shingles on a typical house the job is comparable enough to place a quote; size, pitch, tear-off layers and decking repairs drive most differences.
- Price
- Enter the quoted price.
- Terms
- Nothing flagged by the rules on file.
What hired owners reported paying
Middle half: $6,600 to $16,490; median $10,990. Survey dollars $6,000 / $10,000 / $15,000, adjusted by CPI-U (334.980 ÷ 304.702).
What the rules on file say
Enter a ZIP and how the quote was sold to see the federal and state rules that apply.
What the law says, quoted with its source. Not legal advice: for your situation ask your state's contractor board or attorney general.
Questions for the contractor
- Is this a full tear-off, and how many layers are coming off?For roofing, add or replace jobs
- What is the price per sheet if you find rotten decking?For roofing, add or replace jobs
- Which underlayment, ice barrier and ventilation are included?For roofing, add or replace jobs
- Who pulls the permit, and what are the workmanship and manufacturer warranties?For roofing, add or replace jobs
Answer the questions on the left to tailor this list. Red flags for this job
Roofers, United States
This ZIP is not in a metro area BLS reports on, so this is the national figure.
Roofing, add or replace
Roofing covers adding or replacing a roof covering. For asphalt shingles on a typical house the job is comparable enough to place a quote; size, pitch, tear-off layers and decking repairs drive most differences.
How it usually goes
- Inspect the roof and attic; measure squares and pitch
- Tear off old layers and inspect the decking
- Replace damaged decking; install underlayment, ice and water barrier where needed, drip edge and flashing
- Install shingles, ridge vents and pipe boots
- Clean up nails and debris; final inspection where required
What moves the price
- Roof size and pitch
- Number of layers to tear off
- Decking replacement found after tear-off
- Material (3-tab, architectural, metal, tile)
- Chimneys, skylights and complex valleys
- Insurance-claim paperwork
Red flags in a roofing, add or replace quote
Each one is a reason to ask, not proof of anything. The source supports the point; the wording is ours.
The sales pitch
They knocked because they were “in the area”
Unsolicited door-to-door offers are the first tactic on the FTC’s list of signs of a home improvement scam. A legitimate company can still knock, but you have not chosen them yet.
AskCan you leave a written estimate and your license number so I can compare it with other bids?FTC · How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam“We have materials left over from another job”
The FTC lists leftover materials as a common hook. It creates a discount that only exists today and skips the step of scoping your house.
AskWhat exact product and quantity are you offering, and what would the price be if I wait a week to decide?FTC · How To Avoid a Home Improvement ScamA price that is only good today
Pressure for an immediate decision is a classic tactic on the FTC’s list. A real price survives a night’s sleep and a second bid.
AskWill you put this price in writing, valid for 14 days?FTC · How To Avoid a Home Improvement ScamPressure to sign before you have read the papers
The FTC warns not to let anyone pressure you into signing any document, and not to sign a document you have not read.
AskI sign after I have read every page. Can I keep a copy overnight?FTC · How To Avoid a Home Improvement ScamA huge “list price” cut down to a “special” price
An inflated starting number makes any later price look like a deal. Compare the final price with what owners report paying and with other written bids, not with the list price.
AskWhat is the itemized price for materials and labor, without the promotion?FTC · How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam“Your house will be our showcase home”
A promised showcase or demo discount is another form of urgency. It rarely changes what is written in the contract, which is what binds you.
AskPlease write any discount and any condition attached to it into the contract.FTC · How To Avoid a Home Improvement ScamLicense, insurance, permits
“We don’t need a license for this”
After disasters the FTC sees scammers claim they do not need to be licensed. Whether a license is required depends on your state and city, so check rather than take their word.
AskWhich state or local license covers this work, and what is your number?FTC · Scams after weather emergencies and natural disastersNo license or registration number on the quote
The FTC’s contract checklist starts with the contractor’s name, address, phone number and license number. Pennsylvania makes a contract unenforceable without the registration number.
AskWhat is your license or registration number, and under which name is it issued?FTC · How To Avoid a Home Improvement ScamCannot show proof of insurance
The FTC says to consider only contractors who are licensed and insured and to ask for proof of insurance. An uninsured worker hurt on your property can become your problem.
AskCan you send your liability and workers’ compensation certificates, naming me as the certificate holder?FTC · How To Avoid a Home Improvement ScamNo references you can call
ENERGY STAR’s hiring tips include calling references and asking whether the job finished on time and on budget.
AskCan I call two customers whose similar job you finished this year?ENERGY STAR · 10 Tips for Hiring a Heating and Cooling ContractorThe business name on the quote does not match the license
A license search only protects you if the license belongs to the company you sign with. Illinois, for example, bars contractors from letting an out-of-area contractor use their name or license.
AskIs the company on this contract the same entity that holds the license?815 ILCS 513/18They ask you to get the permit
The FTC lists “asks you to get any required building permits” as a scam sign. The permit holder is responsible for the work passing inspection.
AskWill you pull the permit in your company’s name and schedule the inspections?FTC · How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam“This doesn’t need a permit” on work that usually does
Many cities require permits for water heaters, HVAC changes, roofing, electrical and structural work. Unpermitted work can complicate a sale or an insurance claim. Check your building department rather than the salesperson.
AskWhich permit applies here, and will the price include it?FTC · How To Avoid a Home Improvement ScamMoney and payment
Cash only, or pay by wire, gift card or app
The FTC lists cash-only demands and payment by wire transfer, gift card, payment app or cryptocurrency as signs of a scam. These payments are hard to reverse.
AskCan I pay by check or credit card, against a written invoice?FTC · Scams after weather emergencies and natural disastersMost or all of the price up front
The FTC advises not paying the full amount up front and notes some states limit down payments (California caps it at $1,000 or 10%; Pennsylvania at one-third on jobs over $5,000).
AskCan we tie payments to milestones, with the largest payment after final inspection?FTC · How To Avoid a Home Improvement ScamAsked to pay before the contract is signed
Pennsylvania’s home improvement law prohibits demanding or receiving any payment before the contract is signed; anywhere, a payment without a contract leaves you nothing to enforce.
AskLet’s sign the written contract first, then I will pay the deposit it states.Pa. Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act §7, §9Progress payments ahead of the work done
California forbids payments (other than the down payment) that exceed the value of work done or materials delivered. That is a sensible test anywhere.
AskCan each payment match a finished stage we can both see?Cal. B&P §7159.5Final payment due before the job is finished
The FTC says never to make the final payment until the work is done and you are satisfied with it.
AskCan the final payment be due after the final inspection and walk-through?FTC · How To Avoid a Home Improvement ScamThey want you to borrow from “a lender they know”
The FTC describes a loan scam in which a contractor arranges financing and the owner later finds a high-rate home equity loan. Shop for financing yourself.
AskWhat is the APR, total cost and lender name? I will compare it with my bank first.FTC · How To Avoid a Home Improvement ScamLoan papers to sign after work has started
In the FTC’s loan-scam pattern, papers appear after work starts and the owner is hurried through them.
AskI will not sign financing papers on site. Please email them so I can read them.FTC · How To Avoid a Home Improvement ScamAny request to sign over your deed
The FTC says never transfer your deed to anyone without consulting an attorney or someone you trust.
AskI will not transfer the deed. What other security do you need?FTC · How To Avoid a Home Improvement ScamThe financed amount is higher than the job price
Pennsylvania prohibits financing a contract that states a greater obligation than the actual price. Any gap is money you would repay with interest.
AskWhy is the amount financed different from the contract price?Pa. Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act §7, §9No answer to “where is my deposit held?”
New York requires payments received before completion to be held under its lien law or covered by a bond. Elsewhere, asking is still the fastest way to learn how a deposit is protected.
AskIs my deposit held in a separate account, or covered by a bond?N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law §771The contract
Only a verbal agreement, or a one-line invoice
The FTC says to ask for a written contract even if your state does not require one, listing the work, materials, dates and price.
AskCan you put the scope, materials, dates and price in a signed contract?FTC · How To Avoid a Home Improvement ScamBlank spaces left in the contract
The FTC says to make sure all blank spaces are filled in. A blank can be completed later by someone else.
AskLet’s fill in or strike every blank before either of us signs.FTC · How To Avoid a Home Improvement ScamNo start or completion date
An estimated start and completion date is on the FTC’s contract checklist and required in New York and Pennsylvania contracts.
AskWhat are the estimated start and finish dates, and what could move them?FTC · How To Avoid a Home Improvement ScamPromises made out loud but not written down
The FTC’s checklist includes any promises made in conversation about scope and cost. If it is not in the contract, it is hard to enforce.
AskCan you add what you told me about the warranty and cleanup to the contract?FTC · How To Avoid a Home Improvement ScamOne lump sum with no materials listed
The FTC says a written estimate should describe the work and materials. New York requires make and model where relevant, and Illinois requires parts and materials “with reasonable particularity” over $1,000.
AskCan you list the materials by brand, model and quantity, with labor separate?FTC · How To Avoid a Home Improvement ScamSigned at home, but no cancellation notice
For in-home sales of $25 or more, federal rules require two copies of a cancellation form and an oral explanation of your 3-business-day right.
AskPlease give me the two copies of the Notice of Cancellation now.16 CFR 429 (eCFR)Asked to waive your right to cancel
The federal emergency exception requires that you started the contact, that it is a genuine emergency, and a statement in your own handwriting. A pre-printed waiver is a different thing.
AskIs this an emergency I asked you to fix? If not, I keep my 3 days.16 CFR 429 (eCFR)Changes handled “as we go” without paperwork
Pennsylvania prohibits deviating from the plans in a material way without a written change order signed by both sides that states the price change. It is a good rule everywhere.
AskWill every change be a signed, priced change order before the work is done?Pa. Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act §7, §9The warranty is only verbal
ENERGY STAR advises a signed written proposal that specifies costs, model numbers, schedule and warranty information.
AskCan you write the labor warranty and the manufacturer warranty registration into the contract?ENERGY STAR · 10 Tips for Hiring a Heating and Cooling ContractorA binding-arbitration clause you were not told about
Illinois requires contractors to point out arbitration and jury-waiver clauses and lets you accept or reject each. Reading for them is worthwhile anywhere.
AskDoes this contract require arbitration or waive a jury trial? Can we strike it?815 ILCS 513/18No lien releases as you pay
An unpaid subcontractor or supplier may be able to place a lien on your home (New York requires contracts to warn of this). California lets owners demand a release after each payment.
AskWill you give me a lien release from each sub and supplier with each payment?N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law §771No refund terms if the job never starts
Florida obliges contractors who take more than 10% to apply for permits within 30 days and start within 90; Pennsylvania requires a refund on request if work has not substantially begun 45 days after the start date.
AskIf you have not started by the date in the contract, how and when do I get the deposit back?Pa. Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act §7, §9No line for cleanup and debris removal
Cleanup and dumpster costs are real, and if they are not in the contract they become an argument at the end of the job.
AskWho removes debris, and is the dumpster in the price?FTC · How To Avoid a Home Improvement ScamInsurance and storm work
An offer to cover or “eat” your deductible
Florida, Illinois and Colorado prohibit contractors from offering to pay, waive or rebate an insurance deductible, and Florida treats it as a form of insurance fraud.
AskI will pay my deductible. Please quote the full job price.Fla. Stat. §489.147A gift card or cash for a “free roof inspection”
Florida bars contractors from offering anything of value in exchange for inspecting your roof or filing a roof claim.
AskNo gift, thank you. Can you send a written estimate instead?Fla. Stat. §489.147The contractor offers to handle your insurance claim
Florida and Illinois bar contractors from adjusting claims or advising on coverage unless licensed as public adjusters, and Colorado bars roofers from acting as public adjusters.
AskAre you a licensed public adjuster? If not, I will talk to my insurer directly.815 ILCS 513/18Asked to sign your insurance check over to them
The FTC says never to sign your insurance check over to a contractor and suggests a bank arrangement that pays per approved stage.
AskMy bank will release payment by stage after I approve each one.FTC · Scams after weather emergencies and natural disastersOut-of-area crews right after a storm
The FTC notes that unlicensed contractors and scammers often appear in recovery zones promising immediate repairs.
AskWhere is your permanent office, and who honors the warranty after you leave?FTC · Scams after weather emergencies and natural disastersA fee to “help you qualify for FEMA”
The FTC says FEMA does not charge application fees; someone who wants money to help you qualify is running a scam.
AskI will apply with FEMA directly.FTC · Scams after weather emergencies and natural disastersNo rescission clause in an insurance-paid roof contract
Colorado requires a 72-hour rescission clause and lets owners rescind within 72 hours of a claim denial; Illinois allows cancellation within 5 business days of a denial.
AskIf my insurer denies the claim, can I cancel and get the deposit back?C.R.S. §6-22-103 to 105Full payment before materials are on site
Colorado requires roofers to hold your payment in trust until materials are delivered or most of the work is done.
AskCan the first payment wait until materials are delivered to my driveway?C.R.S. §6-22-103 to 105Scope and the job itself
One bid far below the others
The FTC says not to automatically choose the lowest bidder and to ask for an explanation when estimates differ a lot.
AskWhat is different about your scope compared with the other bids?FTC · How To Avoid a Home Improvement ScamTear-off, decking and underlayment left out
Whether the old roof is removed, how damaged decking is priced, and what underlayment is used change the price and the result. Put them in the written scope.
AskIs this a full tear-off? What is the price per sheet of decking if you find rot?FTC · How To Avoid a Home Improvement ScamCommon questions
What did homeowners pay for a roof replacement?
In the 2023 American Housing Survey, 2,217 hired owners reported a median of $10,000 (about $10,990 in Aug 2026 dollars). The middle half paid $6,000 to $15,000 in survey dollars. These are self-reported costs, not quotes.
When does Quote Check say “above the middle half”?
When your price is above the 75th percentile of what hired owners paid, adjusted to today’s dollars with CPI-U. For this job the spread is 2.5×, narrow enough for a position to mean something. It is a reason to ask questions, never a verdict.
Do I have three days to cancel?
If the sale was made at your home for $25 or more (or $130 or more at a temporary location such as a hotel or fair), the FTC Cooling-Off Rule (16 CFR 429) gives you until midnight of the third business day to cancel, and the seller must give you two copies of a cancellation form. Some states add their own rules; see the contractor rules for your state.
Why do insurers care about roof age?
Older roofs are more likely to fail in storms, so many insurers ask for the year it was installed. Keep the invoice and permit; they are the strongest proof.