Roofing estimate template and checklist: every line from tear-off to dump fee

Published November 3, 2026 · Template, code sections and sources checked November 2026

• Free. The files come by email.
• Deepsel is our product: free estimate, invoice and scheduling software for contractors (scheduling, quotes, invoicing, card payments). One section, the one before the FAQ, says what it does with a roofing estimate and what it doesn't.
• Not legal advice. The code sections, state rules and comp rates below were read in November 2026; your building department and your state's rules have the last word.

A roofing estimate template turns what you measure on the roof into a price. Roof area becomes squares, squares plus waste become bundles, rolls and pieces, and every part of the job gets its own priced line: tear-off for each layer, decking, underlayment and ice barrier, drip edge, starter, ridge cap, valleys, step and counter flashing, pipe boots and vents, the chimney and skylights, the dumpster, the permit, delivery and rooftop loading, steep and height charges, cleanup and the magnet sweep, a warranty reserve, then crew pay, comp and your margin. This one does that math as you type.

Get the spreadsheet two ways: make your own copy in Google Sheets or download the Excel version (.xlsx). It has a blank Estimate tab, a Customer copy tab that shows the price and never your costs, a Repair tab with a minimum, a filled-in two-story reroof and a Notes tab. The printable measurement sheet for the roof and the attic is a separate file: PDF, Word (.docx) or a Google Docs copy. Pick a format, enter your email and I'll send the links.

Owners who've done this a while tell new ones to build a cost sheet and treat the per-square number as a check. "Pricing per square is for the birds," one wrote on r/Roofing. "You need to make a spreadsheet that calculates your expected cost based off of an eagle view or other measurement software and should include ALL costs of goods sold (COGS)."¹ Another built "a google form with like 50 questions (dimensions, angles, styles, penetrations etc.)" for the roof walk.² This is a starting version of both.

I opened what ranks for "roofing estimate template" first. Smartsheet's PDF has four material rows (shingles, underlayment, flashing, installation), prices labor as hours times a rate, and has no line for tear-off, decking, drip edge, ice barrier, the dumpster or the permit.³ Invoice Fly's guide says to "estimate the crew hours or days required."⁴ Roofers pay crews and sell by the square, so this template counts squares.

What should a roofing estimate include?

The customer's copy needs your license number, the roof as measured, the scope and what's not included, one price, the prices for decking and layers found at tear-off, the warranty, the payment schedule, a valid-until date and signatures. Behind that price sit these cost lines, in roughly the order you meet them on a reroof.

What to measure on the roof and in the attic

Bring the printable sheet. For each plane or group of planes with the same pitch, write down its plan size (the footprint, overhangs included), its pitch and the stories at the eave. Then the edges in feet: eaves, rakes, ridges, hips, valleys, sidewalls (the roof runs up beside a wall) and headwalls (it runs into one). Count the layers at the rake edge, the pipe boots, vents, chimneys with their width, skylights, and anything bolted on. A measurement report's area goes straight into the sheet and wins over your plan numbers.

Squares, the pitch multiplier and waste

A square is 100 square feet of roof. A plan measurement gives you the footprint, so multiply it by the roof pitch multiplier (some call it the pitch factor): the square root of 1 plus (rise / 12) squared. That's 1.054 for 4/12, 1.118 for 6/12, 1.202 for 8/12, 1.302 for 10/12 and 1.414 for 12/12. CertainTeed's Shingle Applicator's Manual works its examples the same way, 1.083 for a 5/12 roof and 1.118 for a 6/12.⁵ Rakes and hips are measured along the slope too: a rake is its run times the same multiplier.

Then waste. CertainTeed's rule of thumb is 10% on a gable roof and 15% on a hip roof, and the manual says those are too high on big roofs.⁵ Valleys, dormers and short runs push it up. The template takes one waste percentage for the whole roof and gives you squares with waste, which is what you order on. Bundles come next: GAF says three bundles of its Timberline shingles cover 98.4 square feet, not a full 100, so round up.⁶

In the attic

Go up before you price the decking. Look for daylight through the deck, water stains, delaminating plywood or OSB, sag between rafters, and plank decking with gaps. GAF's instructions want at least 3/8-inch plywood or OSB, or boards nominal 1 inch thick, no wider than 6 inches, no more than 1/8 inch apart.⁶ Denver caps the gap between boards at 1/2 inch whatever the manufacturer says.⁷ Then the ventilation: soffit intake, ridge or box exhaust, bath fans that dump into the attic, insulation blocking the soffits. The IRC asks for net free vent area of 1/150 of the attic floor, or 1/300 under the conditions in R806.2, so a 1,500-square-foot attic needs 10 square feet at 1/150.⁸

Owners split on the attic. In a 235-comment thread about a homeowner's decking bill, one wrote that "inspecting under tge roof deck/attic is something I always did prior to quoting," and another answered the homeowner: "Should it have been caught on the front end? Yeah. Does that change the fact its needed? No."⁹ The attic look won't find every bad sheet. It tells you how many to include and how hard to explain the per-sheet price.

The roofing estimate checklist, line by line

1. Tear-off, priced per layer

Under the 2021 IRC a roof replacement removes the existing layers down to the deck (R908.3), and a roof-over isn't allowed where there are already two or more layers (R908.3.1.1).¹⁰ Denver's guide says the same thing in its own words.⁷ So count layers at the rake edge, price each one, and put a price per square on the estimate for any layer you didn't see. An owner who learned this the hard way: "I've missed layers jobs before and had to eat the cost. Now my contract mentions any additional layers are $25/sq."¹¹ In the price statements I counted, owners sell extra layers at $15 to $40 a square and pay crews $5 to $15 a square for them.¹² (The contract wording for layers and decking is its own article.)

2. Decking: the sheets included and the per-sheet price

Owners include a few sheets in the price and charge per sheet after that. "I always include 2 to 3 boards in my quote," one wrote; another: "I charge 85 a sheet for plywood and will do volume discount to 60 a sheet for full re-deck."^{13, 14} Across 55 pros who stated a price, the median was $85 for a 4x8 sheet installed, with the middle half between $70 and $100.¹² The template puts the included sheets in the price and prints the per-sheet price on the customer copy, so the number is agreed before the old roof comes off. If the attic tells you a full redeck is coming, price it up front: roof area divided by 32 square feet a sheet, plus waste.

3. Underlayment, and ice and water shield where the code requires it

The IRC wants one layer of underlayment on slopes of 4/12 and steeper, and two layers from 2/12 to under 4/12; asphalt shingles can't go below 2/12 at all (Table R905.1.1(2), R905.2.2).¹⁰ The template orders rolls on squares with waste. Double it on a low-slope porch.

Ice barrier, the ice and water shield line, comes from R905.1.2: "In areas where there has been a history of ice forming along the eaves causing a backup of water as designated in Table R301.2, an ice barrier shall be installed." It runs from the eave edge to at least 24 inches inside the exterior wall line, and on 8/12 and steeper roofs also at least 36 inches along the slope from the eave.¹⁰ Whether your town is one of those areas depends on that table, which the state or the town fills in. Here's what I found for the states on our list:

• Massachusetts: required statewide. The Massachusetts residential code's Table R301.2(1) says YES.¹⁵
• Connecticut: required statewide. The 2022 state code's Table R301.2 says YES.¹⁶
• Minnesota: required statewide. The table in Minnesota Rules 1309.0301 says Yes.¹⁷
• New Jersey: Sussex County only. The state's table points to DCA Bulletin 07-3, which limits the requirement to areas where the average daily temperature in January is 25°F or less, and says that's Sussex County.¹⁸
• Denver: not required. The city's roofing guide says it "is NOT required."⁷
• Virginia and Utah: the state codes leave the table blank for the local jurisdiction, so ask the building department.¹⁹
• Iowa, Nebraska, Idaho and Louisiana: I didn't find a statewide answer. Ask the building department.

Where it's required, check the course count. With a 12-inch overhang, 24 inches inside the wall line is 36 inches level, which is about 40 inches along a 6/12 slope (my arithmetic). One 36-inch roll doesn't reach, so it takes two courses. A Kansas City owner: "Ice and water is required on the edge. Some city's require 2 rows."²⁰ GAF's instructions put its leak barrier at the eaves wherever ice dams can be expected, out to 24 inches beyond the inside wall line.⁶ The template multiplies the eaves by the courses you set and divides by the roll length, plus the valleys if you line them.

4. Drip edge

The model IRC requires it: "A drip edge shall be provided at eaves and rake edges of shingle roofs," lapped 2 inches, nailed at 12 inches or closer, with underlayment over it at the eaves and under it at the rakes (R905.2.8.5).¹⁰ The 2021 editions I read for Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Utah and Louisiana keep that section; Virginia's 2021 residential code and Minnesota's rules delete it.^{17, 19} Prince William County's homeowner FAQ says the Virginia code then requires drip edge only when the shingle maker's instructions do.²¹ GAF's Timberline instructions draw a metal drip edge with the leak barrier on top of it at the eaves.⁶ I'd price it on every shingle roof: eaves plus rakes, divided by the piece length less the lap.

5. Starter, ridge cap and valleys

Starter runs the eaves and, by GAF's instructions, the rakes too; GAF says starter at the rakes is required for its enhanced warranty coverage on some products.⁶ Hip and ridge cap covers the ridges plus the hips. The feet each bundle covers are printed on the wrapper, so type yours into the sheet. Valleys are either open, with metal at least 24 inches wide, or closed, lined with a 36-inch roll roofing or a self-adhering membrane (R905.2.8.2).¹⁰ The template has a line for valley metal and a line for ice barrier in the valleys.

6. Step and counter flashing

Where a roof runs up beside a wall, the IRC wants step or continuous flashing at least 4 inches by 4 inches, with the vertical leg under the siding (R905.2.8.3). On a reroof, existing flashings that are rusted, damaged or deteriorated have to be replaced (R908.5).¹⁰ Count one step flashing piece per shingle course, about 2.2 a foot at a 5 5/8-inch exposure, and GAF calls for 2 nails per piece.⁶ Headwalls get apron and counter flashing by the foot.

7. Pipe boots, vents and ventilation

Put new boots on every reroof. "The most common leaks are at the pipes. I plan to hold true to my warranty so im never coming back for pipe leaks," one owner wrote.²² For vents, decide ridge vent or box vents and price it. GAF's instructions say ventilation "must be designed to meet or exceed current F.H.A., H.U.D., or local code minimum requirements."⁶ Denver doesn't inspect venting on a reroof, but its guide says it must meet the code from when the house was built, and venting can be added to meet the manufacturer's warranty.⁷ Use the attic numbers from your walk.

8. Chimney and skylights

Price each one as its own line. A chimney wider than 30 inches across the slope needs a cricket or saddle on the uphill side (IRC R903.2.2).¹⁰ "A chimney flashing job should be atleast 1000$. That is my minimum for a block built 2'x2'," one roofer wrote.²³ On skylights, another broke it down: "We charge around 1K per skylight, reality is Velux skylights run around 600-700 typically, flashing kits around 100 bucks, install team we pay 100 per skylight."²⁴ Solar panels and satellite dishes go on a detach-and-reset line, or into the exclusions.

9. Dumpster, disposal, permit, delivery and rooftop loading

Get the hauler's price for the size, the days on site and the swap fee, then the per-ton overage. Two layers of asphalt weigh more than one, so that line grows with the layer count. Permits are set by the town. Louisiana has required permits and inspections on residential reroofs for projects starting on or after August 1, 2025, and made skipping the permit a violation of the contractor law.²⁵ Denver wants a permit even for repairs over 10% of the roof or two squares, whichever is smaller.⁷ Owners mark permits up or pass them through: "We have a 50% markup on permits, so if the permit costs me $50, we charge $75."²⁶ The supplier's delivery charge goes in too, and ask whether rooftop loading is included, because carrying 85 bundles up a ladder is crew time somebody pays for.

10. Steep and high charges

Crews charge more on steep roofs and high ones, so the estimate has to as well. A Virginia owner described his crew pay: "100 per square, plus steep charges (20-40 a square from 8 to 12 pitch), and $1 a foot for dnr gutter guard, step flashing, ridge vent."²⁷ The template adds up the squares on sections at 8/12 or steeper, and the squares on sections two stories or higher, so each charge lands on the right squares. Put in your own crew's rates; the example's $25 and $10 are examples.

11. Cleanup and the magnet sweep

Price the cleanup as crew time and say what it covers. "I will run a magnet each day if I know the customer has dogs or small children, but otherwise I wait until the end of the job," one owner wrote.²⁸ The attic counts too. On a homeowner's thread about debris in the house, the top answer was: "The contractor should have told you to cover everything in the attic."²⁹ The template has a protection line (tarps, plywood over the AC unit and the plants) and a crew cleanup line.

12. Warranty: the manufacturer's and yours

The shingle maker covers the shingles. Installation is on you unless you hold a higher certification. GAF's comparison guide lists no eligibility requirements for its basic shingle and accessory warranty, and workmanship as "Not covered"; coverage for "misapplication" comes only with the Silver Pledge warranty (10 years on Timberline HDZ, through GAF Certified Plus or Master Elite contractors) or the Golden Pledge (25 years non-prorated on Timberline HDZ, Master Elite only).³⁰ Manufacturers deny claims over installation details. A roofing salesman: "Most common way is by finding one or two spots the nails are outside of the nail zone strip. I've also seen denials because the underlayment wasn't the same brand as the shingle."³¹

So write your own workmanship warranty and price a reserve for it. Lengths vary: "I am a VA roofing contractor, I also issue a 10 year workmanship warranty as well," one wrote.³² The template's warranty reserve is a line you size from what your callbacks cost.

13. Crew pay, comp, overhead and margin

Across 31 pros who stated it, crew or sub pay ran a median of $98 a square, with the middle half between $84 and $106. The all-in sell price ran a median of $536 a square across 86 pros, middle half $443 to $670, so a sell price lands around five to six times crew pay.¹² What homeowners see from the other side: Angi's 2026 national average for a roof replacement is $9,610 across 32,999 projects.³³ (Setting your own price per square is its own article.)

If the crew is on your payroll, workers comp is figured on their pay, and roofing is rated far above other trades. The official rate per $100 of payroll is $31.21 in Massachusetts (class 5545, July 2024, against $1.47 for electrical work) and $25.33 in New Jersey (class 5551, 2026).^{34, 35} At $98 a square of crew pay, that's about $31 and $25 a square (my arithmetic). One owner's price gap fits: "100/sq for an insured sub and 75-80 if I'm having to cover WC for them."³⁶ A sub with its own comp keeps that cost off your books, but keep their certificate on file. The template has a comp rate setting and a comp line figured on the crew rows.

Then margin. Owners state 35 to 50% gross margin on reroofs.¹² Watch the difference between markup and margin: "Cost + 50% works out to roughly a 32% margin. Margin for full replacements should be a MINIMUM of 40% (cost x 1.67)," one owner wrote.³⁷ The template asks for your target margin and works out the markup (40% margin is a 66.7% markup on cost). Overhead is your yearly overhead divided by your yearly direct job cost, and the sheet shows what's left after it. More on the math is on the markup vs margin page.

14. Exclusions and the payment schedule

Write down what isn't included: gutters, fascia and soffit, framing and rafters, interior repairs, solar or dish detach and reset if you didn't price it, and decking and layers past what the price covers (billed at the prices shown). For the deposit, check your state. Massachusetts caps a deposit before work starts at the greater of one-third of the contract price or the cost of special-order materials (MGL c.142A s.2).³⁸ The Massachusetts contract page has the rest of that law. Owners elsewhere run from "Yep we do 50%. I tried it 1 year [2020] without deposits and regretted it" to "I collect payment after we pass the final."^{39, 40} The template flags a deposit over one-third.

A roof estimate sample, filled in

The Example tab prices a made-up two-story colonial: an 8/12 main roof over the second story, a 6/12 hip roof on the attached garage and a 4/12 porch roof, two layers on, one chimney, ice barrier two courses deep. Every cost and crew rate in it is an example to show the math, except where it uses the owners' medians ($98 a square crew pay, $85 a sheet). Measured: 1,380 square feet of plan at 8/12 is 1,658.8 square feet of roof, 576 at 6/12 is 644.0, and 192 at 4/12 is 202.4, for 25.05 squares. With 12% waste that's 28.06 squares, 85 bundles, 3 rolls of underlayment, 5 rolls of ice barrier and 24 pieces of drip edge. Settings: 40% target margin (a 66.7% markup), 20% overhead, the permit passed through at cost, the crew a sub with its own comp.

That's $705.88 a square, above the owners' $536 median and just past the top of their middle half. The line items show why: the second layer, the steep and height charges, the chimney and the ice barrier add $2,760.25 to the price. Take them out and it's about $596 a square. A per-square price copied from a competitor misses all of that. Gross margin comes out at 39.4%, a touch under target because the permit passes through at cost, and after 20% overhead ($2,141.86) the job leaves $4,831.02. The schedule is 30% at signing ($5,304.65) and $12,377.53 when the roof is done, inspected and swept. The customer copy shows the scope, 25.05 squares, two layers, two sheets included, the price, $85 a sheet and $25 a square for anything found, and the schedule. No costs, no markup.

The roofing repair estimate and the repair minimum

Repairs run on a minimum, because the drive, the ladder and the risk cost the same on a small fix. Across 20 pros who stated one, the median repair minimum was $525, with the middle half between $431 and $750, and owners state 50 to 70% gross margin on repairs.¹² "We have a $750 minimum for roof repairs," one wrote.⁴¹ Another explained his to a customer: "I'm paying my crew to drive out there, set up, and $400 to get up there and risk his life to fix it."⁴²

The Repair tab is short: what you found, a minimum, a target margin, the lines (trip and setup, crew hours, shingles, boot, flashing and sealant), and the price to charge, which is the larger of the lines' price and the minimum. In the example, a cracked pipe boot and three exposed nail heads cost $185.00 in trip, crew time and parts. At a 60% target margin the lines come to $462.50, so the $525 minimum applies and the margin is 64.8%. There's also a line for the slope price, because a repair that won't hold needs a second number. One owner's script: "When I sell a repair, I explain fully that if the repair is not viable, a full replacement of the slope will be required. I provide a price for both the repair and the cost of the slope."⁴³

How to use the roofing estimate template in Excel or Google Sheets

1. Copy the Google Sheet or open the .xlsx. Fill in your company block once and set the yellow settings: target margin, overhead, comp rate if the crew is on your payroll, sales tax, and your decking and extra-layer prices. The numbers in the file are examples; the Notes tab shows how to work out your own.
2. Print the roof and attic sheet and walk the job.
3. Type the roof sections (or a report's area), the edges and the counts. Squares, waste, bundles, rolls and pieces fill in.
4. Type your unit costs and your crew's rates. Type over any quantity the formula gets wrong, and over the markup on any line (0% passes a cost through).
5. Check the bottom (gross margin, profit after overhead, price per square, crew pay per square), fill in the scope, exclusions, terms and payment schedule, and print the Customer copy tab or save it as a PDF.
6. Use the Repair tab for repairs. Delete the example tabs before your first real job.

Selling siding or a remodel with the roof? The construction estimate template handles those trades.

More for new roofing companies

• Roofing price per square: what to charge, crew pay and your real margin, with a free rate sheet.
• Roofing contract template: the decking and extra-layer clauses that stop you eating the cost.
• Roofing insurance and workers comp: what it costs in your state, the official comp rates and what can sink you, with a free checklist.
• Your roofing license, whether gutters and siding are included, and your first 30 days: Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Utah, Virginia.
• Insurance claims, what a roofer may and may not say, and the notice your contract needs: Colorado, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nebraska.

When the spreadsheet stops being enough

The measurements and the cost build-up stay in a sheet like this one: Deepsel has no roof measurements, aerial reports, pitch or waste math, permit tracking or insurance claim tools. What gets old is retyping the customer's version, chasing the signature and asking for the deposit, and that part can go out as a quote in Deepsel. Price book items take any unit you type ("square", "sheet", "ft") and keep a cost and a price, with the markup and gross margin shown between them. Quote lines take quantities to two decimals (25.05 squares) and an internal cost the customer never sees. The unit isn't printed on the customer's line, so put it in the item's name. You can send two or three options (two shingle lines, say) with one marked recommended, plus optional lines the customer can tick. Your shop-wide terms, where the decking and layer prices belong, copy onto every quote. The customer signs on screen and, if you've turned on card payments, pays a deposit that shows as a credit on the final invoice. Photos you attach to a quote stay internal, and saving a standard reroof as an estimate template is on Pro.

Free covers 30 estimates and 30 invoices a month for your whole team, with no card to start; Pro is $29 a month for unlimited estimates and invoices. Every plan is on the pricing page.

More free sheets for the field are on the checklists page.

Frequently asked questions

What should a roofing estimate include?

The customer's copy needs your company and license number, the job address, an estimate number and valid-until date, the roof as measured (squares, pitch, layers), the scope, what's not included, one price, the prices for decking and layers found at tear-off, the warranty, the payment schedule and signature lines. Your own copy carries the cost lines behind that price: tear-off per layer, decking, underlayment and ice barrier, drip edge, starter, ridge cap, flashing, boots and vents, chimney and skylights, dumpster, permit, delivery, steep and height charges, cleanup, a warranty reserve, crew pay and comp, then your margin.

How do you write up a roofing estimate?

Walk the roof and the attic first: each plane and its pitch, the edges, the layers at the rake, the boots, vents, chimneys and skylights, and the deck from below. Turn the area into squares, add waste, and work out bundles, rolls and pieces. Price each line, add crew pay, comp if the crew is on your payroll, and your margin, then check the price per square against your own floor. Send the customer one price with the scope, the per-sheet and per-layer prices, the warranty and the payment schedule.

How do you calculate a roof estimate?

Roof area is plan area times the pitch multiplier: the square root of 1 plus (rise / 12) squared, so 1.118 for a 6/12 roof and 1.202 for an 8/12. Divide by 100 for squares. Add waste, 10% on a simple gable and 15% on a hip by CertainTeed's rule of thumb, and multiply by the bundles per square on the wrapper (3 for GAF's Timberline line). Starter and drip edge run the eaves and rakes, ridge cap the ridges and hips. Price every line, add your markup, then divide the price by the measured squares to see your price per square.

How much should a 2,000 sq ft roof cost?

If 2,000 square feet is the roof area, that's 20 squares. At the $536-a-square median that 86 US roofing pros stated on Reddit for a plain asphalt reroof, it's about $10,720, and their middle half ($443 to $670) puts it between about $8,860 and $13,400. Angi's 2026 national average for a roof replacement is $9,610, with most homeowners paying $5,903 to $13,378. If 2,000 square feet is the house's floor area, the roof is bigger once you add overhangs and pitch, and two layers, a steep pitch, a second story or a chimney all push the price up.

Is there a roofing estimate template in Excel, or a roofing estimate calculator?

Yes. This workbook opens in Excel as an .xlsx file or copies into Google Drive as a Sheet. The Estimate tab works as a roofing estimate calculator: type the roof sections, pitch and edges, and it works out squares with waste, bundles, rolls, pieces, crew pay, gross margin, price per square and the payment schedule. A Customer copy tab shows the price without your costs, a Repair tab applies your minimum, and there's a filled-in two-story example. The printable roof and attic sheet comes as a PDF, a Word file or a Google Doc.

What's the difference between a roofing estimate, a quote and a proposal?

Roofers use the words loosely. An estimate is usually your price after you've walked the roof, a quote is a price you'll hold until a set date, and a proposal is often the same price with options (two shingle lines, say), photos and your warranty. What matters more is what the paper says: whether the price is fixed, how many sheets of decking and layers it covers, what you charge for more, and when it expires. The same template works for all three.

Sources

1. r/Roofing - "Pricing per square is for the birds. You need to make a spreadsheet that calculates your expected cost based off of an eagle view or other measurement software and should include ALL costs of goods sold (COGS)." reddit.com, February 6, 2025.
2. r/Roofing - "a google form with like 50 questions (dimensions, angles, styles, penetrations etc.)" reddit.com, April 25, 2025.
3. Smartsheet, "Roofing Estimate Template" (IC-Roofing-Estimate-9256-PDF.pdf) - fields for roof size, roof height, roof shape, number of layers, deck and skylights; a Materials table with rows for shingles, underlayment/interlayment, flashing and installation (QTY, COST, AMOUNT); a Labor table of HOURS x RATE. smartsheet.com, downloaded November 3, 2026.
4. Invoice Fly, "Roofing Estimate Templates" - "Step 4: Calculate labor. Estimate the crew hours or days required for installation, repairs, tear-off, and cleanup." invoicefly.com, read November 3, 2026.
5. CertainTeed, Master Craftsman Shingle Applicator's Manual, Sixteenth Edition, chapter 3 - "Area = (Area on plan view) x (5 inch rise slope factor) = (2 Y x A) x (1.083)"; "38 ft x 28 ft x 1.118"; "RULE OF THUMB: One way to avoid detailed calculations is to add 10% to the quantity of shingles for a gable roof and 15% for a hip roof. However, since the waste varies with size of the roof, 10% (or 15%) will be too high for larger roofs." certainteed.widen.net, read November 3, 2026.
6. GAF, Timberline HDZ, UHDZ, AS II, CS installation instructions (RESTL622) - "3 bundles (1 bundle of 20 and 2 bundles of 22), when applied according to instructions, will cover 98.4 square feet"; deck: "minimum 3/8" (10 mm) plywood or OSB"; wood decks "having a maximum 1/8" (3 mm) spacing using a minimum nominal 1" (25 mm) thick lumber and a maximum 6" (152 mm) width"; "Ventilation must be designed to meet or exceed current F.H.A., H.U.D., or local code minimum requirements"; "At eaves and where ice dams can be expected, use one layer of GAF Leak Barrier. Eave flashing must extend 24" (610 mm) beyond the inside wall line"; "Along eaves, put GAF Leak Barrier on top of non-corrosive metal drip edge"; "GAF starter strip shingles are recommended at the rakes for best performance and required for enhanced warranty coverage on certain products"; "2 nails per step flashing." gaf.com, read November 3, 2026.
7. City and County of Denver, "Roofing Guide and Checklist" (updated April 11, 2024) - repairs need a permit "If repairs are more than 10% of the roof square footage or two roof squares (whichever is smaller)"; ice and water shield "is NOT required"; "Existing roofs must be removed to deck and replaced where two or more layers of any roof covering exist"; "No continuous opening between boards can be greater than ½" regardless of manufacturer's recommendations"; "Venting is not inspected on re-roof projects but must meet the building code requirements in effect at the time of original construction"; "Venting can be added to meet manufacturer's warranty requirements." denvergov.org, read November 3, 2026.
8. International Code Council, 2021 International Residential Code, R806.2 Minimum vent area - "The minimum net free ventilating area shall be 1/150 of the area of the vented space," or 1/300 where, in Climate Zones 6, 7 and 8, a Class I or II vapor retarder is installed and 40 to 50% of the required area is in the upper portion of the attic. codes.iccsafe.org, read November 3, 2026.
9. r/Roofing, replies in a homeowner's decking thread - "inspecting under tge roof deck/attic is something I always did prior to quoting"; "Should it have been caught on the front end? Yeah. Does that change the fact its needed? No." reddit.com, October 7, 2026.
10. International Code Council, 2021 International Residential Code, Chapter 9 Roof Assemblies - R903.2.2 (cricket "on the ridge side of any chimney or penetration more than 30 inches (762 mm) wide"); R905.1.2 Ice barriers; Table R905.1.1(2) (two layers of underlayment from 2:12 up to 4:12, one layer at 4:12 or greater); R905.2.2 Slope; R905.2.8.2 Valleys; R905.2.8.3 Sidewall flashing; R905.2.8.5 Drip edge; R908.3 ("Roof replacement shall include the removal of existing layers of roof coverings down to the roof deck"); R908.3.1.1 (no recover "Where the existing roof has two or more applications of any type of roof covering"); R908.5 ("Any existing flashings, edgings, outlets, vents or similar devices that are a part of the assembly shall be replaced where rusted, damaged or deteriorated"). codes.iccsafe.org, read November 3, 2026.
11. r/Roofing - "I've missed layers jobs before and had to eat the cost. Now my contract mentions any additional layers are $25/sq" reddit.com, December 4, 2025.
12. Deepsel's count of price statements by US roofing pros on Reddit, August 2024 to October 2026, one figure per author: plain asphalt reroof all-in, median $536 a square, middle half $443 to $670 (86 authors); crew or sub pay median $98 a square, middle half $84 to $106 (31); decking median $85 a 4x8 sheet, middle half $70 to $100 (55); extra layer sold at $15 to $40 a square (5), crew pay $5 to $15; repair minimum median $525, middle half $431 to $750 (20); gross margin 35 to 50% on reroofs and 50 to 70% on repairs (11). Most authors are pros who say "we charge"; these are statements, not a survey.
13. r/Roofing - "I always include 2 to 3 boards in my quote." reddit.com, April 23, 2026 (read in an archive; the comment is no longer live).
14. r/Roofing - "I charge 85 a sheet for plywood and will do volume discount to 60 a sheet for full re-deck." reddit.com, February 7, 2025.
15. 2021 International Residential Code with Massachusetts Amendments (780 CMR 51.00), Table R301.2(1) Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria - "ICE BARRIER UNDERLAYMENT REQUIRED: YES". codes.iccsafe.org, read November 3, 2026.
16. 2022 Connecticut State Building Code, 2021 IRC portion, Table R301.2 - ice barrier underlayment required: YES. codes.iccsafe.org, read November 3, 2026.
17. Minnesota Rules, chapter 1309 (Minnesota Residential Code, adopting the 2018 IRC) - 1309.0301, Table R301.2(1): "ICE BARRIER UNDERLAYMENT REQUIRED: Yes"; 1309.0905 subpart 2: "Section R905.2.8.5 is deleted in its entirety." revisor.mn.gov, read November 3, 2026.
18. 2021 International Residential Code, New Jersey Edition, Table R301.2 (ice barrier underlayment required: "see Bulletin 07-3"), codes.iccsafe.org; and New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Bulletin 07-3, "Ice Dam Membrane/Ice Barrier" (revised June 2015) - required "in areas where the average daily temperature in January is 25°F or less. For the State of New Jersey, this area is Sussex County." nj.gov. Both read November 3, 2026.
19. State editions of the 2021 IRC on ICC Digital Codes: Virginia Residential Code, Table R301.2 left blank for the local jurisdiction and R905.2.8.5 Drip edge "(Section deleted.)" (codes.iccsafe.org); Utah, Table R301.2 left blank and R905.2.8.5 kept (codes.iccsafe.org); Louisiana, R905.2.8.5 kept (codes.iccsafe.org); Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Jersey, R905.2.8.5 kept (MA, CT, NJ). Read November 3, 2026.
20. r/Roofing, a Kansas City roofer - "Ice and water is required on the edge. Some city's require 2 rows." reddit.com, March 22, 2025.
21. Prince William County, Virginia, Building Development Division, "Residential Roof Replacements" (version 2021-06-24) - "The VUSBC (Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code) does not prescriptively require "drip edge", but per the VUSBC, if the shingle manufacture requires "drip edge", then it would be required to be installed." pwcva.gov, read November 3, 2026.
22. r/Roofing - "The most common leaks are at the pipes. I plan to hold true to my warranty so im never coming back for pipe leaks." reddit.com, April 5, 2026.
23. r/Roofing - "A chimney flashing job should be atleast 1000$. That is my minimum for a block built 2'x2'." reddit.com, January 16, 2025.
24. r/Roofing - "We charge around 1K per skylight, reality is Velux skylights run around 600-700 typically, flashing kits around 100 bucks, install team we pay 100 per skylight" reddit.com, September 1, 2026.
25. Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors, memo "Licensure Requirements/Permits/Inspections" (August 12, 2025) - "Act 239 requires permitting and inspection of roof construction and reroofing of residential and commercial structures for any projects beginning on or after August 1, 2025"; Act 422 "makes it a violation of the law for contractors to fail to obtain a permit to perform work." lslbc.gov, read November 3, 2026.
26. r/Roofing - "We have a 50% markup on permits, so if the permit costs me $50, we charge $75" reddit.com, July 30, 2025.
27. r/RoofingSales, a Virginia owner on crew pay - "100 per square, plus steep charges (20-40 a square from 8 to 12 pitch), and $1 a foot for dnr gutter guard, step flashing, ridge vent. Usually comes out to something between 110 and 130" reddit.com, February 8, 2025.
28. r/Roofing - "I will run a magnet each day if I know the customer has dogs or small children, but otherwise I wait until the end of the job." reddit.com, November 11, 2025.
29. r/Roofing - "The contractor should have told you to cover everything in the attic." reddit.com, October 10, 2026.
30. GAF, "Roof Warranty Comparison Guide for GAF Shingles" - the Shingle & Accessory Limited Warranty has no eligibility requirements and lists workmanship as "Not covered"; "The Golden Pledge Limited Warranty and Silver Pledge Limited Warranty both offer coverage for misapplication of your GAF Products and flashings ... This coverage is also commonly referred to as "workmanship" coverage, and is only available through GAF Master Elite Roofing Contractors for the Golden Pledge Limited Warranty, and only through GAF Certified Plus or Master Elite Roofing Contractors for the Silver Pledge Limited Warranty"; workmanship terms of 10 years (Silver Pledge) and 25 years non-prorated (Golden Pledge) on Timberline HDZ. gaf.com, read November 3, 2026.
31. r/Roofing, a roofing salesman on denied warranty claims - "Most common way is by finding one or two spots the nails are outside of the nail zone strip. I've also seen denials because the underlayment wasn't the same brand as the shingle." reddit.com, August 25, 2026.
32. r/Roofing - "I am a VA roofing contractor, I also issue a 10 year workmanship warranty as well." reddit.com, July 15, 2025.
33. Angi, "How Much Does Roof Replacement Cost?" (updated October 22, 2026) - "In 2026, the national average cost to replace a roof is $9,610, based on 32,999 verified projects from Angi Pros. Most homeowners pay between $5,903 and $13,378." angi.com, read November 3, 2026.
34. Workers' Compensation Rating and Inspection Bureau of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Workers Compensation Rates, effective July 1, 2024 - class 5545, rate 31.21 per $100 of payroll (electrical, class 5190: 1.47). wcribma.org, read November 3, 2026.
35. New Jersey Compensation Rating & Inspection Bureau, Rate & Classification Handbook, effective January 1, 2026 - class 5551 "ROOFING - ALL KINDS & DRIVERS," rate 25.334 per $100 of payroll. njcrib.com, read November 3, 2026.
36. r/Roofing - "100/sq for an insured sub and 75-80 if I'm having to cover WC for them." reddit.com, July 12, 2025.
37. r/Roofing - "Cost + 50% works out to roughly a 32% margin. Margin for full replacements should be a MINIMUM of 40% (cost x 1.67) and hopefully closer to 50% (cost x 2). Repairs should be priced with 60%+ margins (cost x 2.5)." reddit.com, August 19, 2024.
38. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 142A, Section 2 - "Any deposit required under the contract to be paid in advance of the commencement of work under said contract shall not exceed the greater of one-third of the total contract price or the actual cost of any materials or equipment of a special order or custom made nature." malegislature.gov, read November 3, 2026.
39. r/Roofing - "Yep we do 50%. I tried it 1 year [2020] without deposits and regretted it." reddit.com, March 14, 2026.
40. r/Roofing - "I collect payment after we pass the final." reddit.com, October 17, 2024.
41. r/Roofing - "We have a $750 minimum for roof repairs." reddit.com, August 12, 2024 (read in an archive; the comment is no longer live).
42. r/Roofing - "I'm paying my crew to drive out there, set up, and $400 to get up there and risk his life to fix it." reddit.com, October 8, 2026.
43. r/Roofing - "When I sell a repair, I explain fully that if the repair is not viable, a full replacement of the slope will be required. I provide a price for both the repair and the cost of the slope" reddit.com, January 13, 2026.