Roofing estimate template with rot planned for

What a roofing quote template needs

A roofing estimate template that prices the roof the way crews measure it, in squares of 100 ft². The sample strips and reshingles a 22 square gable roof with new underlayment, ice barrier, ridge vent and drip edge, plus a decking allowance the customer approves only if rot turns up. Edit it in the free quote maker or download it as a Word, Excel or PDF file.

Roofing disputes start with whatever was hidden under the old shingles. A sound quote names the roof size in squares, the layers coming off, every material going on, and a per sheet price for bad decking before anyone climbs a ladder. A surprise then becomes a known unit price instead of a driveway argument.

1. Roof size in squaresTotal squares measured on the slope, not from the floor plan, plus the pitch of each plane. Note the waste factor you allowed for hips, valleys and starter.
2. Tear off layersHow many layers come off and how they are disposed of. A second layer adds labor and dumpster weight.
3. Shingle line and colorManufacturer, product line, color and warranty class. Architectural and three tab shingles are not interchangeable on price or lifespan.
4. Underlayment and ice barrierSynthetic underlayment over the field, with ice and water barrier at eaves, valleys and penetrations where local code or climate calls for it.
5. Flashing and edge metalDrip edge, step flashing at sidewalls, chimney and pipe boot flashing, and whether existing metal is reused or replaced.
6. VentilationRidge vent length, intake vents at the soffit, and any old box vents being removed and patched.
7. Decking allowanceA per sheet price for replacing damaged plywood or OSB, shown as optional until you see it. This is the line most likely to change.
8. Permit, dumpster and nail sweepThe permit fee where required, dumpster and haul, and a magnetic sweep of the yard and driveway.
9. Warranty and weatherYour workmanship warranty, the manufacturer warranty, and what happens if rain stops the job halfway through.

Roof estimate sample: 22 square shingle replacement

This roof estimate sample is a full tear off and reshingle on a 22 square gable roof. Materials cover the shingles per square, a set of synthetic underlayment with ice barrier, and the ridge vent and drip edge. Labor charges tear off and install per square. Six sheets of decking sit on an optional line, so the $10,080 subtotal excludes them, and a 10% deposit applies. Every price is an example.

Edit the Ridgeway Roofing estimate

6 lines are filled in, from architectural shingles to replace damaged decking. Put in your own roofing rates, then download the PDF.

Open the roofing sample

How to price a roofing job

Roofers price per square: measure the roof area on the slope, divide by 100 ft², add waste, then multiply by a material rate and a labor rate per square. Steep pitch, extra layers, chimneys and skylights get their own lines or a multiplier on the labor rate.

1. Per square, split into materials and laborMaterials per square from your supplier, labor per square for tear off and install. Easy for homeowners to compare and easy to adjust if the measured squares change.
2. Pitch and story addersSteeper roofs and second stories are slower and need more fall protection. Many roofers add a percentage to labor above a set pitch such as 8/12 and state it on the estimate.
3. Unit prices for unknownsDecking per sheet, extra layers per square, rafter repairs per linear foot. The customer knows what a surprise costs before work starts.
4. Repairs by the jobSmall leaks, pipe boots and flashing repairs at a minimum charge plus materials, because ladder time and setup are the same on a small repair.

Shingle prices change with supplier price lists, so confirm cost before you send. Use the markup calculator to set your materials margin, and see how trades mark up materials for the reasoning behind it.

Worked example: measuring and pricing a gable roof

Here is how a roof gets from a tape measure to the sample’s numbers. The roofer measured on the slope and billed both materials and labor on the squares including waste, which keeps the estimate simple to read.

1. Measure the planesEach side of the gable is 50 ft along the eave and 20 ft from eave to ridge on the slope: 1,000 ft² per plane, 2,000 ft² in total, or 20 squares.
2. Add wasteAllow 10% for starter, ridge cap and cuts: 20 x 1.10 = 22 squares. Hip roofs and valleys need a higher allowance.
3. Price the materials22 squares x $135 = $2,970 for shingles. Add $980 for underlayment and ice barrier and $520 for ridge vent and drip edge: $4,470.
4. Price the laborTear off at $95 per square is $2,090, and install at $160 per square is $3,520: $5,610 in labor.
5. Total and deposit$4,470 + $5,610 = $10,080 before tax, and a 10% deposit is $1,008. If six sheets of decking are needed, 6 x $85 = $510 brings the total to $10,590.

Pitch, a second layer, chimneys, skylights and the landfill fee in your area all move these numbers. Measure on the slope, or apply a pitch factor to the plan area, never the house footprint alone.

Roofing inclusions and exclusions

Roofing estimate mistakes

• Measuring from the house footprint and forgetting overhangs and pitch, which can leave you several squares short.
• No unit price for rotten decking, so every sheet becomes a negotiation with the homeowner on the lawn.
• Writing new roof as the whole scope without naming the shingle line, underlayment and flashing, so a cheaper bid looks identical.
• Forgetting the dumpster weight limit and the extra haul a second layer needs.
• Leaving ventilation out, then getting blamed for a hot attic or early shingle failure.
• Asking for a larger deposit than your state allows on home improvement contracts.