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A roofing estimate is where you win or lose the job before you ever set foot on a ladder. A vague, hand-scrawled quote tells the homeowner you’re guessing. A clear, itemized estimate tells them you’re a professional who knows exactly what the job requires — and exactly what it costs.
More important than winning the bid: a well-built estimate protects your margin. Underbid a job because you forgot to account for decking repairs, disposal fees, or two layers of old shingles, and you’re working for free. Get it right upfront, and every job you close is profitable.
This guide walks you through how to write a roofing estimate from scratch — what to include, how to measure and price, and a free template you can start using today.
What to Include in Every Roofing Estimate
Before you price anything, you need a consistent list of what belongs in the document. Missing one line item costs you money. Missing your company information makes you look unprofessional.
Every roofing estimate should include:
- Your company information — name, address, phone, license number, and insurance certificate number
- Customer information — name, address, and contact details
- Job address — may differ from billing address
- Date of estimate and expiration date — quotes go stale; set a 30-day window
- Scope of work — what you are replacing, repairing, or adding (be specific)
- Roofing system specifications — manufacturer, product line, color, warranty grade
- Tear-off details — number of layers being removed, disposal method
- Decking condition clause — what happens if you find rot or damage once you’re up there
- Flashing, valleys, and penetrations — list every area covered
- Drip edge and ice and water shield — do not let these get swallowed into “labor”
- Material costs (itemized)
- Labor costs
- Overhead and profit
- Payment terms
- Warranty terms — both manufacturer and workmanship
- Signature lines — yours and the customer’s
Skip any of these and you are setting yourself up for disputes, unpaid extras, or margin erosion.
How to Write a Roofing Estimate: Step-by-Step Pricing
Step 1 — Measure the Roof
You cannot estimate what you have not measured. Get on the roof, or use satellite measurement tools like EagleView or Hover if you are pricing from the office.
Roof area is measured in squares (one square = 100 square feet). For a simple gable roof:
- Measure the length and width of each roof plane
- Multiply to get square footage
- Divide by 100 to get squares
- Add 10-15% for waste on a simple roof; 15-20% for complex cuts, valleys, and dormers
Also note:
- Pitch — steeper roofs cost more to work on; factor in a pitch multiplier above 6/12
- Layers — how many layers are currently on the roof? Each additional layer adds tear-off cost
- Penetrations — count every pipe boot, vent, skylight, and chimney
Step 2 — Price Materials
Contact your supplier for current pricing. Material costs shift, so use today’s prices, not last month’s.
Build your material list:
- Shingles (calculate squares needed including waste factor)
- Underlayment (synthetic or felt, by the roll)
- Ice and water shield (required at eaves and valleys per code in most markets)
- Drip edge (linear feet)
- Ridge cap (linear feet)
- Starter course (linear feet)
- Flashing (step, counter, pipe boots — itemize each)
- Nails, screws, and fasteners
- Roofing cement and caulk
- Dumpster rental or dump fees
Add all material costs and apply your material markup (typically 15-25% depending on your market).
Step 3 — Price Labor
Labor is where most roofers either win or lose their margin.
Start with your base production rate. A crew of three experienced roofers can typically install 20-30 squares per day on a standard pitch. Adjust for:
- Steep pitch (add time)
- Complex cuts, dormers, valleys (add time)
- Tear-off layers (add per square for each additional layer)
- Drive time and setup
Calculate your labor cost as: number of hours x fully-burdened hourly rate
Fully-burdened rate means your worker’s pay, plus payroll taxes, workers’ comp, and any benefits. If you are not including workers’ comp in your labor rate, you are misquoting your jobs.
For a straightforward replacement on a 25-square gable roof, you might budget 2 crew-days. Run your numbers based on your actual costs, not a figure you heard from another roofer.
Step 4 — Add Overhead and Profit
This step is where most small roofers undercharge.
Overhead includes every cost that is not directly tied to this job: your truck payment, phone bill, insurance, office costs, marketing, and your own time managing the business. Divide your annual overhead by the number of jobs you plan to do this year to get a per-job overhead allocation.
Profit is on top of overhead. Many roofers target 10-20% net profit margin after overhead. If you are not explicitly adding a profit line, you are probably not actually earning one.
Your estimate total = materials + labor + overhead allocation + profit
Free Roofing Estimate Template
Here is a simple structure you can copy into Word, Google Docs, or your estimating software:
[Your Company Name]
License: [#] | Insurance: [Policy #] | Phone: [###]
Customer: [Name]
Job Address: [Address]
Estimate Date: [Date] | Valid Through: [Date + 30 days]
Scope of Work
- Remove [X] layer(s) of existing roofing; dispose off-site
- Install [manufacturer] [product] shingles in [color]
- Install synthetic underlayment over entire deck
- Install ice and water shield at all eaves ([X] linear feet) and valleys
- Install drip edge (aluminum, [color]) at all eaves and rakes
- Install [X] pipe boots
- Replace all step flashing at [walls/dormers]
- Install ridge cap: [product]
- Clean job site and haul all debris
| Line Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Materials | $______ |
| Labor | $______ |
| Overhead | $______ |
| Subtotal | $______ |
| Profit | $______ |
| Total | $______ |
Decking Clause: If deteriorated decking is discovered during tear-off, replacement will be billed at $[X] per sheet, to be authorized by customer before installation.
Payment Terms: [X]% deposit on signing; balance due on completion.
Warranty: [X]-year manufacturer warranty on materials; [X]-year workmanship warranty from [Company Name].
Customer Signature: ________________ Date: ______
This is the minimum. Once you have this structure dialed in, the question becomes: how long is it taking you to fill it out for every job?
Doing This With Software
Writing estimates by hand or in Excel works — until it does not. You miss a line item, transpose a number, or send a PDF that looks amateur next to the competitor who showed up with a tablet and a branded proposal.
Roofing estimating and field service software solves three problems at once:
- Speed — prebuilt material libraries and labor templates mean you are building an estimate in 10 minutes, not an hour
- Accuracy — formulas calculate totals automatically; no transposition errors
- Presentation — send a branded, professional PDF from your phone before you leave the driveway
Tools like Jobber let you build estimates on-site, get digital signatures, convert accepted estimates into jobs automatically, and invoice when the work is done. That means less admin time chasing paperwork and more time on the tools.
For a full comparison of the top options — including pricing, integrations, and which works best for solo roofers versus growing crews — see our guide to the best roofing software.
The Easier Way
If you are spending more than 20 minutes building each estimate, or if you have ever had a customer question a number you could not quickly back up, it is time to look at software built for this.
Jobber is one of the most popular field service platforms for roofing and contracting businesses. It handles estimates, scheduling, invoicing, and payments in one place. Most roofers using it report that estimates that used to take 45 minutes now take under 10 — and win rates go up because the proposal looks professional.
For a side-by-side comparison of Jobber and other top platforms, visit our best roofing software guide. We have reviewed the leading options so you can pick the one that fits your business size and workflow.
Stop leaving money on the table with estimates that do not hold up. Get the process right — then let software make it faster.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is a roofing estimate valid?
Most roofing estimates are valid for 30 days. Material prices shift, especially on shingles and oriented strand board (OSB) decking, and labor availability changes seasonally. Always print an expiration date directly on the estimate so there is no ambiguity if the homeowner sits on it for two months.
Do roofers charge for estimates?
Standard replacement and repair estimates for residential jobs are almost always free — charging for a basic estimate is a fast way to lose the bid. Complex commercial projects, engineering-review work, or insurance claim documentation may warrant a paid inspection fee, but state that upfront.
How much should I charge per square for a roofing job?
Do not price per square from a rule of thumb. Build the estimate from your actual material costs, your fully-burdened labor rate, and your overhead allocation, then divide by squares only as a sanity check. National averages range from $350–$700 per square installed for asphalt shingles, but that varies enormously by region, pitch, and access.
What is the biggest mistake in a roofing estimate?
Not accounting for what you cannot see. Rotted decking, multiple layers of old shingles, damaged flashing behind siding — every one of these becomes a change order or a margin hit if you have not written a decking clause and layer-based tear-off pricing into the estimate.
Should I include a warranty on my roofing estimate?
Yes. State the manufacturer’s warranty (product-specific — typically 25 to 50 years on architectural shingles) and your own workmanship warranty (commonly 2 to 10 years) as separate line items. This closes deals by making the homeowner feel protected on both fronts.