Compare roof replacement proposals layer by layer

Roof check

Begin with why replacement is being considered: documented leaks, widespread material condition, repeated repairs, planned building work, insurer communication, or another stated goal. Gather prior roof contracts, permits, product records, repair maps, attic observations, and safe ground photographs. Age estimates and neighborhood appearance do not prove remaining life or number of layers. Ask each bidder to state the evidence behind the recommended boundary.

Season planner

Season affects logistics rather than creating a guarantee. Discuss temperature and moisture limits for the selected system, daylight, wind, heat, snow, occupied-space protection, delivery, and daily dry-in. Define the forecast decision time, who may stop work, how an open area is protected, and who checks protection after crews leave. A promised start date should include the conditions that can legitimately change it.

Visible warning signs

Require roof areas and quantities, tear-off, disposal, deck inspection and unit pricing or authorization, underlayment, ice or water layers where required, covering, fasteners or adhesion, flashings, valleys, penetrations, edges, ventilation, gutters, equipment interfaces, protection, permits, inspections, cleanup, and restoration. Identify exclusions such as masonry, mechanical, electrical, insulation, interior finish, or hazardous-material work.

Roof system choices

Compare product specifications only after confirming the assembly. A brand line alone does not describe deck, underlayment, fastening, ventilation, flashings, warranty eligibility, color, and accessories. Ask which manufacturer instructions control installation and which warranty comes from manufacturer or contractor. Do not accept a marketing duration as a promise of actual service life for the property.

Project path

Plan staging, parking, dumpster or trailer location, pedestrian control, landscaping, siding and window protection, neighboring property, interior vibration-sensitive items, pets, tenants, work hours, and daily cleanup. Identify public-way, historic, condominium, or building-management approvals where the actual property requires them. Let qualified workers handle roof access and material handling.

Questions before work

Before authorizing, match the company and responsible qualifier information through Wisconsin DSPS as applicable, verify insurance requirements, identify the permit applicant, review the full contract, and understand payment, changes, lien waivers, warranty, and cancellation rights from current official guidance. Ask how subcontractors and material suppliers appear in the project record.

Closeout record

Closeout should include approved changes, permit and inspection records, delivery or product identifiers when provided, deck replacements, concealed-layer photos, flashings, ventilation, gutters, cleanup, warranty documents, maintenance guidance, final payment, and lien records. Mark retained structures or excluded roof areas. A final aerial photograph cannot replace the layer-by-layer record collected before covering.

Decision notes

Ask bidders to state whether measurements come from plans, aerial tools, field work, or a combination, and how waste, laps, starter, ridge, hips, valleys, flashings, and accessories appear in quantity. The purpose is not to audit a contractor formula remotely. It is to understand why proposals differ and which items could create a change when the roof is opened.

A replacement calendar also needs a decision path for rain, wind, unexpected deck condition, unavailable material, delayed inspection, and another trade that cannot complete its interface. Identify who informs occupants, who protects the open area, and whether payment follows installed work or scheduled dates. These project controls are part of the roof outcome even though they are not visible in a product sample.

Before delivery, reconcile selected color, product line, quantities, accessory colors, edge and flashing finish, storage conditions, and substitution rules. Photograph labels when materials arrive without turning packaging into proof of installation. If the selected product changes, obtain the technical, visual, price, schedule, and warranty effect in writing before crews install it.