Why Roofing Quotes Look So Different From Each Other

Two quotes for the same roof look completely different mostly because of what has been left out. Scaffolding is the line most often missing, and it is a real and unavoidable cost on almost every re-roof. Timber repairs are the other, because nobody can see the rafters until the covering comes off, so a vague quote leaves it open and a good one states a rate up front. When you compare quotes, you are usually not comparing the price of the same job, you are comparing how honestly each one is written.

You are rarely comparing the same job

When quotes for one roof come back thousands apart, the instinct is that someone is overcharging. Sometimes that is true, but far more often the cheap one has simply left things out that will reappear as extras once the work is under way. So the real skill is not spotting the lowest number, it is working out which quotes describe the whole job and which ones describe part of it and hope you will not notice until the invoice.

Scaffolding is the usual missing line

Scaffolding is a significant part of the cost of most re-roofs, and it is the line most commonly left off the cheaper quote. Leaving it out makes the headline figure look smaller, but the scaffolding still has to go up and still has to be paid for. Either it appears later as an extra, or the firm intends to work off ladders in a way that is neither safe nor thorough. A quote that includes the access is not more expensive, it is just complete.

Timber repairs are the other one

Nobody can see the condition of the rafters and battens until the old covering is stripped off. So there is always some uncertainty about how much timber will need replacing. A vague quote leaves this open, which means an open cheque book once the roof is exposed. A good quote states a clear rate for timber repairs up front, so you know what it costs if some is needed and you are not at the mercy of a number invented on the day.

The other things that move a price

- The materials specified, from basic concrete tile up to natural slate, which is a genuine and large difference rather than a trick. - Whether the membrane is a modern breathable one or the cheapest available. - Whether dry ridge and dry verge are fitted, which cost more than mortar but do not crack and let water in later. - Whether guttering, fascias and soffits are included while the scaffolding is up, or quoted separately. - The guarantee behind the work, and whether it is insurance backed or just a promise from the firm.

How to compare quotes properly

- Put them side by side and check each one includes scaffolding, states a timber repair rate, and names the actual materials. - Be suspicious of the outlier. A quote much lower than the rest is usually missing something that will come back as an extra. - Ask each firm to show you the roof. If the quote is based on evidence you have both seen, the numbers start to make sense. - Weigh the guarantee. Ten years insurance backed is worth more than a longer sounding promise from a firm with nothing standing behind it.

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