How to Compare Roofing Quotes Line by Line
To compare roofing quotes, put them on the same terms before you look at the totals. Copy every quote into one table, line by line: the measured area in squares, what comes off and down to what, how the deck is handled, the underlayment, the metal at the edges, valleys and walls, the vents, the shingle line and its cool-roof rating, the warranty by name, the permit, cleanup, the dates and the payments. Wherever one quote is missing a line or leaves it vague, ask that roofer to price it, so every quote prices the same job; only then compare totals. The contract that follows has to carry what California requires of a home improvement contract, from the license number and a description of the work and significant materials to a down payment of no more than $1,000 or 10% and progress payments tied to the work. This page sets out the procedure as of October 2026.
It covers re-roofs of houses in California. It doesn't explain why quotes differ, which is in why roofing quotes differ, or list everything a quote can leave out, which is in hidden costs in a roofing quote.
Step 1: Make sure it's the same roof
Before any line can be compared, the quotes have to describe the same roof:
- The measured area. Squares of roof surface, 100 square feet each, with the pitch. A big gap in squares between two quotes for the same house points to a measurement question, not a price question; how roofers measure is in how roofers measure a roof in squares.
- Which roofs. The house only, or the garage, porch and patio cover too, and any flat sections.
- What's there now. How many layers, and what they are.
Step 2: Put the quotes in one table
Copy each quote into the same rows, in the same words. A line one quote has and another doesn't is the first finding.
| Line | What to write down | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Area | Squares and pitch, and which roof sections are included | The base every other line is priced on |
| Tear-off | Layers removed, down to the deck, and disposal | A replacement removes the existing layers down to the deck (CRC R908.3) |
| Deck | Inspection, and the price per sheet for rotten wood, or a whole new deck | Extra work goes in a written change order before it's done |
| Underlayment | Type, brand, and where ice-and-water or self-adhered membrane goes | Shingles between 2:12 and 4:12 need double underlayment (CRC R905.2.2) |
| Metal | Drip edge, valley metal, step and counter flashing; new or reused | Drip edge is required at eaves and rakes of a shingle roof (R905.2.8.5); rusted or damaged flashings are replaced on a re-roof (R908.5) |
| Ventilation | Number and type of vents, intake and exhaust | Attic ventilation has code minimums; see attic ventilation requirements |
| Shingle | Manufacturer, product line, color, and its Cool Roof Rating Council rating where the cool-roof rule applies | Two "architectural shingles" can be different products |
| Accessories | Starter, hip and ridge, from the same maker or not | Some system warranties require the maker's accessories |
| Fire class | Class A, B or C, as listed for the roof assembly | Local rules can require more than the state floor; see the Class A roof rating |
| Permit | Who gets it, and whether the fee is included | The contract has to say who will get the permits |
| Solar | Removal and reinstallation, by whom, if panels are on the roof | It's a separate trade and often a separate line |
| Cleanup | Who cleans up, how often, and how nails are swept | It's part of the job, and worth having in writing |
| Warranty | The manufacturer's warranty by name, who registers it, and the roofer's workmanship term in writing | "Lifetime" without a name can mean the standard material warranty |
| Dates | What counts as starting, an approximate start date and completion date | Required in the contract (B&P 7159(d)(10)–(11)) |
| Payments | Down payment, then each payment tied to work done or material delivered | No more than $1,000 or 10% down; no payment ahead of the work (B&P 7159.5(a)(3), (a)(5)) |
| License | License number and classification, insurance | The license number has to be in the contract (B&P 7159(d)(1)); check it on the CSLB site |
Step 3: Fill the gaps on the same terms
Send each roofer the same short list of what's missing or vague in their quote, and ask them to price it: "please add the drip edge, the deck price per sheet, the vents and the warranty by name." Ask for the same shingle line where it matters to you, or ask each roofer to price their recommended line and the one the other quote names.
That's the method we used on a Northridge house in 2021, for the solar after the roof had been replaced: the same roof was priced five ways, changing one thing at a time, and the case notes that when quotes change the module, the inverter, the racking and the warranty all at once, the price gap doesn't say which of them caused it (the Northridge case). Roofing quotes are the same: hold the roof still and change one line at a time.
Step 4: Then compare the totals
Once the lines match, the totals compare like for like, and the difference that's left is the company itself: its labor, its overhead and how it runs its jobs. Per-square prices can help here, if each quote's squares are measured the same way; how a price per square converts is in price per square vs price per square foot.
Red flags in a quote
- No license number, or a number that doesn't match the company on the CSLB site.
- A down payment over $1,000 or 10%, or a schedule that asks for money before the work or material it pays for. A contractor with a qualifying bond on file is the exception to the down payment cap.
- "Lifetime warranty" with no warranty named and no word on who registers it.
- A one-line scope, such as "re-roof, 25 squares," with nothing about the deck, the underlayment, the metal or the vents.
- No change-order terms for what happens if the deck is rotten.
What the contract itself has to contain is in California roofing contract law.
Frequently asked
How do I compare two roofing quotes?
Why is one roofing quote so much cheaper than another?
Should I compare roofing quotes by price per square?
What should a roofing quote include?
How many roofing quotes should I get?
Related reading
Sources & methodology
Code sections, rules and figures on this page come from the primary sources below. Codes, local requirements and product terms change; each was verified October 9, 2026.
- California Business and Professions Code §7159 (home improvement contracts)
- California Business and Professions Code §7159.5 (payments)
- California Residential Code 2025, Chapter 9, Roof Assemblies (R905.2.2, R905.2.8.5, R908.3, R908.5)
- Contractors State License Board, check a license
- Contractors State License Board, Contractors Board Warns Consumers About Unlicensed Contractors After Disasters (tips: three bids, references,…
Send us the quote you're comparing
Call (323) 844-7777. We'll price your roof line by line on the same terms as the quote you already have, from the measured squares to the warranty by name, so the two can be compared directly. Have ready the address and the other quote.
Prepared by Cali Energy, October 9, 2026. This article is for general educational purposes only and is not legal, tax, financial, engineering, or utility advice. Rates, incentives, codes, permit requirements, equipment specifications, prices, and program terms may change; figures and timelines are estimates, not guarantees. Confirm current requirements with the applicable utility, AHJ, program administrator, manufacturer, or a licensed professional. See our Content Disclaimer. Cali Energy · 19201 Parthenia St, Unit E, Northridge, CA 91324 · CSLB #1032379 (B, C-10, C-39)