A roof replacement quote can run to a page of trade terms, and two quotes for the same Plano house rarely list the same items. This guide explains a roof replacement quote line by line: what each item means, why it matters on a North Texas roof, and what to ask before you sign.
It contains no prices. Costs depend on your roof, the materials and the contractor, so the useful skill is reading the scope, not comparing one total against another. Every line below is something you can check from the paperwork, the ground or the attic hatch.
What should a written roofing estimate include at a minimum?
A written estimate should describe the work, the materials, the completion date and the price. That is the Federal Trade Commission’s own list. If any of those four is missing, the document is a sales sheet rather than a quote, and you cannot compare it fairly with a competing bid for the same roof.
The FTC’s guide to avoiding home improvement scams also advises getting several written estimates, not automatically choosing the lowest bidder, and asking for an explanation when estimates differ widely. That last point is the heart of this article. A big gap between two quotes usually means the two contractors are pricing different jobs.
Before you compare totals, lay the quotes side by side and tick off each line item below. Where one quote names an item and the other is silent, ask the silent contractor whether it is included. Get the answer in writing, not on the phone.
What does the scope of work on a roof replacement quote say?
The scope of work is the paragraph or list that says what the crew will physically do. It should state whether the old roof is torn off or covered over, which roof areas are included, and what happens to the materials removed. A vague scope such as “replace roof” gives you nothing to hold the contractor to.
Look for these points in the scope:
- Tear-off or recover. Tear-off removes the existing covering down to the deck. A recover, sometimes called an overlay, installs new shingles over the old layer. Ask which one is quoted and why.
- Which roofs. A detached garage, a porch roof or a low-slope section over a patio may or may not be included. Ask the contractor to list every roof surface by location.
- Number of existing layers. If the contractor has not checked how many layers are already on the house, the tear-off line is a guess.
- Debris and disposal. The quote should say who hauls away the old roofing and whether the crew will sweep the yard and driveway for nails.
A tear-off also lets the crew see the deck, which is the only way to find hidden rot before new shingles go on. That leads to the line item most likely to change mid-job.
How is roof decking handled on a quote?
Decking is the layer of boards or sheet panels the roof is nailed to. Nobody can see its full condition until the old roof comes off, so honest quotes handle it as a conditional item: they state how damaged decking will be identified, measured, approved and charged if the crew finds it.
That conditional line is where surprise charges come from. Ask three questions:
- How is it measured? By the sheet, by the board foot, or some other unit? The unit should be written on the quote.
- Who approves it? Ask to be called, or sent photos, before extra decking is replaced, so you see the damage before it is covered.
- Is there a cap? Some homeowners ask for a written limit above which work stops until they agree.
Plano’s housing is older than many people assume. The U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates, table B25034 for Plano, put 70.6 percent of the city’s housing units as built before 2000. On an older house, a clear decking line matters more. Our guide to rotten roof decking found mid-job explains what crews look for and how to check the claim.
What are underlayment, starter strip and ridge cap on a quote?
These are the parts of the roof system you will never see once the job is done. Underlayment sits between the deck and the shingles, starter strips form the first course at the eaves, and hip and ridge products cap the peaks. A quote that lists only “shingles” leaves all three undefined.
The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association describes these components in its guide to the asphalt shingle roofing system:
| Line item | What it is, per ARMA | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Underlayment | Water-resistant sheets between the deck and shingles that give secondary protection from water intrusion | Which product, and does it cover the whole deck? |
| Ice and water barrier | Self-adhered underlayment that helps prevent leaks from wind-driven rain in areas such as eaves, valleys and flashings | Where will it be installed on this roof? |
| Starter strip | The first row of specially sized shingles at the eaves, needed to help prevent blow-offs | Is a starter product used, or cut shingles? |
| Hip and ridge | Shingles designed specifically to cap the hips and ridges | Is a matching ridge product included? |
ARMA also calls a roof built from all of these parts “highly recommended” for performance and longevity, and says roof system function should be discussed in detail with your contractor. A quote that names each component by product makes that conversation possible.
Which shingle line items matter most for hail and wind?
The shingle line should name the manufacturer, the product line, the colour and any test ratings. In North Texas the two ratings worth reading are wind resistance and impact resistance. A quote that says “architectural shingles” without a product name cannot be checked against either rating.
ARMA’s guide explains the main ratings. Wind resistance is tested under ASTM D3161, where Class F is the highest rating, or ASTM D7158, where Class H is the highest. Impact resistance is tested under UL 2218, which rates shingles from Class 1 to Class 4, with Class 4 the highest.
Hail is a real line-item question here. According to NOAA’s Storm Events Database, the Plano area logged 310 hail reports on 62 separate days between 2016 and 2025, with hail of 2 inches or larger on 17 of those days. The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety publishes hail impact-resistant shingle ratings that compare how different impact-resistant products perform, which is useful when two quotes name different Class 4 shingles.
If a quote offers an impact-resistant upgrade on the strength of an insurance saving, ask your insurer directly. Whether any discount applies is set by your policy and your insurer, not by the contractor.
What should the flashing and ventilation lines say?
Flashing is the metal that seals the roof where it meets walls, chimneys, skylights and pipes. Ventilation is the intake and exhaust that moves hot air out of the attic. Both are often lumped into a single “accessories” line, and both are common sources of leaks and early shingle wear when they are reused or skipped.
For flashing, ask the quote to say whether each piece will be replaced or reused:
- Step and wall flashing where the roof meets a vertical wall.
- Chimney flashing, including whether the counter-flashing in the masonry is touched.
- Pipe boots around plumbing vents.
- Valley metal or valley treatment where two roof planes meet.
- Drip edge along the eaves and rakes.
For ventilation, ARMA says proper ventilation, consisting of balanced intake and exhaust, helps extend the service life of an asphalt shingle roof by reducing attic temperature and removing condensation. Ask how many intake and exhaust vents the roof has now, whether the quote changes that, and why. A contractor should be able to explain the reasoning from your attic, not just a brochure.
Flashing problems are covered in more depth in our roof damage guide, including how leaks around chimneys and skylights show up indoors.
How should permits and inspections appear on a Plano quote?
A Plano quote should say who obtains any required permit and who arranges inspections. Under Plano Ordinance 2025-6-15, the applicant for a permit must be registered with the city as a contractor, although homeowners may obtain permits for work at their own residence without registering. Confirm with Plano Building Inspections what your job requires.
The ordinance, Plano Ordinance No. 2025-6-15, adopts the 2024 International Residential Code, with local amendments, as Plano’s Residential Code. Its amended section R105.3 sets out the registration rule and says a contractor’s registration may be suspended if the contractor fails to finalise permits by obtaining the required approved inspections.
That gives you three things to check on the quote:
- Whose name goes on the permit. If the contractor asks you to pull it as the homeowner, ask why. The FTC lists a contractor asking you to get the required building permits among its warning signs.
- Registration. Ask the contractor to confirm it is registered with the City of Plano, and check with the city.
- Inspections. Ask who schedules them and whether final payment waits for the inspection to pass.
The city lists its adopted codes on its Building Codes and Ordinances page.
What do the payment, schedule and warranty lines need to say?
The commercial lines of a quote matter as much as the materials. Look for the payment schedule, the estimated start and completion dates, the cancellation terms and the warranty wording. The FTC advises against paying the full amount up front and says to make sure all blank spaces are filled in before signing.
According to the FTC, a contract should include:
- the contractor’s name, address and phone number;
- an estimated start and completion date;
- any promises made in conversation, such as the scope of work and the cost of labour and materials;
- a written statement of your right to cancel within three business days, if you signed in your home or somewhere other than the seller’s permanent place of business.
Warranties usually come in two parts. A manufacturer’s warranty covers the materials and often depends on how they were installed. A workmanship warranty covers the contractor’s installation. Ask for both in writing, ask how long each lasts, and ask what voids them. If a quote mentions an “upgraded” or “system” warranty, ask which components it requires. That is often why a quote lists named starter, underlayment and ridge products.
Why do two roofing quotes for the same house differ?
Two quotes differ mainly because they price different scopes: tear-off against recover, named products against unnamed ones, replaced flashing against reused, and different ways of handling decking. Once each line is matched, the remaining gap usually reflects real differences in materials, crew, warranty and overhead, which you can then ask about directly.
A simple way to compare is a one-page grid. List every line item from this article down the left, and put each contractor across the top. Mark each cell “included”, “excluded” or “not stated”. The “not stated” cells are your list of questions.
| Line item | Quote A | Quote B |
|---|---|---|
| Tear-off to deck | ||
| Decking: unit, approval, cap | ||
| Underlayment product | ||
| Starter and ridge products | ||
| Shingle product and ratings | ||
| Flashing replaced or reused | ||
| Ventilation changes | ||
| Permit, registration, inspection | ||
| Payment schedule and cancellation | ||
| Workmanship and material warranty |
If you have not yet decided whether to replace at all, our repair or replace framework walks through age, damage and cost before you collect quotes.
When you are ready for a quote built line by line, Roofing Repair Plano’s roof replacement service in Plano starts with an inspection and a written scope you can compare item by item against any other bid.
Frequently asked questions
What should a roof replacement quote include?
A roof replacement quote should describe the work, list the materials by product name, give an estimated start and completion date, and state the price, which is the FTC’s minimum list. It should also cover tear-off, decking, underlayment, flashing, ventilation, permits, payment terms, cancellation rights and both warranties in writing.
Why do roofing quotes differ so much for the same house?
Quotes differ mostly because contractors price different scopes. One may include full tear-off, named underlayment and new flashing, while another reuses flashing or leaves decking undefined. Match each line item across the quotes first. Then ask each contractor to explain any gap that remains, as the FTC recommends when estimates differ widely.
Who pulls the roofing permit in Plano?
Under Plano Ordinance 2025-6-15, a permit applicant must be registered with the city as a contractor, but homeowners may pull permits for work at their own home without registering. The FTC lists a contractor asking you to get the permits as a warning sign. Confirm your job’s requirements with Plano Building Inspections.
How should rotten decking be priced on a quote?
Decking cannot be fully assessed until the old roof is removed, so it should appear as a conditional line. The quote should state the unit of measure, require your approval with photos before boards are replaced, and ideally set a written limit. Without those terms, mid-job decking charges are hard to check.
Should I pay a roofer in full before the job starts?
The FTC advises against paying the full amount for a home improvement project up front. Ask for a written payment schedule tied to stages of the work, such as delivery and completion, and consider holding the final payment until the job passes any required city inspection and you have both warranties.
