How a three tier roofing contractor proposal works
A well built roofing contractor proposal gives you three priced options, usually labeled good, better and best, and shows what changes between them. Price is the smallest part of the difference. What actually changes is the material grade, the underlayment, the length of the workmanship warranty and the follow up the contractor commits to in writing.
Read the three side by side. The right choice depends on how long you intend to own the building and what the roof has to do while you do.
The Good option
The lowest priced option meets the published requirements for the assembly using entry grade materials, commonly rated around a 25 year service life, with a shorter workmanship warranty, often about one year.
It is the right choice in specific situations:
- A required minimum. You need to satisfy a lender, a sale condition or a community association standard, and nothing beyond that.
- A budget ceiling. The roof needs replacing now and the money is what it is. A correctly installed entry grade roof beats a premium roof you cannot afford to install yet.
- Rental property held for cash flow. Market rent sets what the asset can carry.
- A building with a short remaining life. Demolition or a gut renovation is planned, so the roof needs a defined, short horizon.
Understand what you are accepting: shorter material life, a shorter labor warranty, and fewer choices on appearance and detailing.
The Better option
The middle option upgrades the parts of the assembly that decide how the roof ages.
- A covering rated for a longer service life, commonly 30 years or more
- Synthetic underlayment in place of felt, which handles moisture and installation traffic better
- Improved flashing details and ventilation components
- A workmanship warranty commonly running two years, sometimes with a one year check up included
In regions that see hurricanes, tornadoes, hail or repeated freeze and thaw, the underlayment upgrade is the line that matters most. It is the layer still doing work when wind lifts a covering.
The Best option
The top option changes the material selection and the level of detailing.
Architectural shingles replace three tab. You get choices that are not offered lower down: valley treatment, whether woven, closed cut or open, ventilation system design, flashing style, and replacement of soft decking discovered once the old roof is off rather than a change order for it.
The workmanship warranty is usually the real difference. Five years is common at this level, often with a return inspection at one year and again at five, and a written report to the owner each time.
This option makes sense if you plan to hold the property more than ten years, or if appearance carries weight for resale or an association review.
What to compare across all three
The labels are marketing. These are the lines that tell you what you are actually buying:
- Covering. Manufacturer, product line and rated service life, named on the page.
- Underlayment. The specific product, not the word “synthetic”.
- Workmanship warranty. Length, what triggers it, and what is carved out. Storm exclusions are normal. Read them anyway.
- Deck repair. An included allowance, or billed as a change order at a stated rate per sheet.
- Flashing and ventilation. New or reused. Reused flashing is a common hidden downgrade.
- Follow up. Scheduled visits, in writing, with a written report at each one.
- Cleanup, disposal and permits. Included or excluded.
If two proposals differ by thousands of dollars, one of these lines explains it. Make the contractor show you which.
Verify the roof you paid for
A proposal describes what should be installed. An independent inspection records what was. That record is what you hand to a buyer, an insurer or an attorney years later, when nobody remembers which underlayment went down.
NRCIA members perform the LeakFREE® Check, a five zone inspection covering interior, attic, exterior, perimeter and rooftop, and issue a LeakFREE® Roof Inspection Report. Where the roof meets the published criteria, the accredited member who performed the inspection can issue a LeakFREE® Roof Certification through InspectionPLUS®, with a term set by the findings, the slope, the materials and the condition, to a maximum of ten years. LeakFREE® is our federally registered trademark. Only NRCIA members can issue a LeakFREE® certification.
Find an accredited NRCIA inspector near you in the NRCIA member directory.
LeakFREE®, Forensic ROOF®, Mr. RoofCheck®, InspectionPLUS®, Today’s Inspection… Tomorrow’s Protection®, and Got Leaks?® are registered trademarks of Field Gate FLP, used by permission. RoofGUARD™, ForensicGUARD™, DisasterGUARD™, E3GUARD™, and Think Like a Raindrop™ are trademarks of Field Gate FLP.
