Business8 min read
Roofing Estimate Template: 9 Sections Owners Can Copy
A roofing estimate template owners can copy: nine sections for scope, materials, price, payment, schedule, and terms, plus state rules to check first.
In this article
A roofing estimate template is the form your company fills in for every job so each homeowner sees the same clear breakdown: who you are, what you’ll do, what it’s made of, what it costs, and when it gets paid. Most free templates online are a logo, a few blank rows, and a total. That’s an invoice with a different name. A homeowner comparing three bids can’t tell from it why yours costs what it does.
Below is the outline we’d start from, followed by how to fill in each part. It’s general information, not legal advice. Contract rules change from state to state, so have your attorney look over your final version.
The short answer
A good roofing estimate has nine parts: your company details, the customer and job address, the scope of work, named materials, itemized pricing, a payment schedule, estimated dates, written terms, and a signature block. The FTC says a written estimate should include a description of the work, materials, a completion date, and the price, so those are your minimum.
Why the estimate does more selling than your rep
The Federal Trade Commission tells homeowners what to expect from you. Its advice says “a written estimate should include a description of the work to be done, materials, completion date, and the price,” and it warns them not to pick the cheapest bid automatically (FTC: how to avoid a home improvement scam (opens in a new tab)). California’s contractor board tells homeowners to compare at least three bids and to get all promises in writing (CSLB tips for hiring a roofing contractor (opens in a new tab)).
So your estimate is going to sit on a kitchen table next to two others. Whichever one answers the most questions without a phone call has an edge. We walked through the rest of that process in our roofing sales guide. This article is about the paper itself.
The roofing estimate template
Copy this into Word, Google Docs, or your roofing CRM, and replace the brackets.
| Section | What to fill in |
|---|---|
| Company | [Legal business name], [address], [phone], [license number], [website] |
| Customer | [Name], [job address], [email], [estimate number], [estimate date], [valid until] |
| Scope of work | [Tear-off or overlay], [layers removed], [decking plan], [underlayment], [flashing], [ventilation], [cleanup and disposal] |
| Materials | [Manufacturer], [product line], [color], [quantity] |
| Pricing | [Line items], [allowances], [optional upgrades], [tax if it applies], [total] |
| Payment | [Deposit], [progress payments], [final payment], [accepted methods] |
| Schedule | [Estimated start], [estimated completion], [what could change the dates] |
| Terms | [Permits], [change orders], [warranties], [right to cancel], [lien release if used] |
| Acceptance | [Customer signature and date], [company signature and date] |
How to fill in each section
1. Company details
Use the same legal name that’s on your license and insurance. The FTC tells homeowners a contract should show “the contractor’s name, address, phone number, and license number” (FTC (opens in a new tab)). Ask your state licensing board whether it sets rules for how your license appears on paperwork.
2. Customer and job
Add the job address even when it matches the billing address, since rentals and second homes happen. Give every estimate a number and a “valid until” date. That date is an honest reason to follow up, and it protects you when supplier prices move.
3. Scope of work
This is the section most templates skimp on, and it’s where disputes start. Write what you’ll do in the order the crew will do it:
- Remove [number] layers of existing roofing down to the deck, or install over the existing layer if local code and the roof allow it
- Inspect the decking and replace damaged sheets as described under pricing
- Install [underlayment type] and [ice barrier, if used]
- Replace [drip edge, valley metal, step flashing, pipe boots]
- Install [ridge vent or other ventilation]
- Haul away debris and run a magnet sweep for nails
Then add a line for what’s not included. Skylight replacement, gutter work, or interior drywall repair are the usual ones. The CSLB’s advice to spell out “what the contractor will and will not do” is written for homeowners, but it protects you just as much.
4. Materials
“Architectural shingles” tells a homeowner nothing, and it lets a competitor look cheaper by quoting a lesser product. Name the manufacturer, product line, and color. New York’s Attorney General says home improvement contracts there need “a specific description of the work and materials, including brands, model numbers and other identifying information” (New York AG home improvement fact sheet (opens in a new tab)). Even if your state doesn’t ask for that, it’s a sensible habit.
5. Pricing
Itemize enough that the homeowner can see where the money goes, without handing out your cost sheet. Here’s a layout that does that, plus the line that saves the most arguments:
| Line | Example wording | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | Tear-off and install as scoped above, [number] squares | [price] |
| Decking allowance | [Number] sheets included. Extra sheets at [price] each | Included |
| Option: ridge vent upgrade | Add [product] along [length] feet of ridge | [price] |
| Total | Before any optional items | [price] |
The decking line matters because nobody can see the deck until the old roof comes off. A per-sheet price agreed up front turns a bad surprise into simple math.
6. Payment schedule
Write out every payment, what triggers it, and how you accept it. The FTC tells homeowners “don’t pay the full amount for the project up front,” and it says some states limit down payments.
Check your state’s deposit rules
These differ a lot. California’s contractor board says “the down payment cannot be more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less,” and that progress payments can’t exceed the value of completed work (CSLB on home improvement contracts (opens in a new tab)). New York requires payments received before substantial completion to go into a trust account, or a bond in its place (New York AG (opens in a new tab)). Look up your own state before you print a deposit percentage on a template.
7. Schedule
Give an estimated start and completion date, and say what can move them. The FTC lists “an estimated start and completion date” as a contract item, and New York’s fact sheet asks for contingencies that would change the completion date. For a roofer, those are mostly weather, material delivery, and permit timing. Saying so in writing beats explaining it on the phone during a rainy week.
8. Terms
Keep these short and readable. Four belong on nearly every roofing estimate:
Permits. Say who pulls them. California’s board says the contract “needs written direction as to who will get the necessary permits.” The FTC lists a contractor who asks the homeowner to get building permits as a warning sign, so your default should be that you handle it where a permit is required.
Change orders. Say that changes to price or scope need a signed change order before the work happens. California’s board (opens in a new tab) requires that, and it’s good practice anywhere.
Warranties. Separate the manufacturer’s warranty from your workmanship warranty, and say how long each lasts and what it covers. The FTC’s guide says federal law doesn’t require you to offer a written warranty, but if you offer one on a consumer product, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act’s rules apply (FTC warranty guide (opens in a new tab)). Have your attorney check the wording.
Right to cancel. See the caution box below. If you use a release of lien clause, list it here too. The CSLB describes one as a way for homeowners to protect themselves if subcontractors or suppliers go unpaid.
Three-day cancellation rules
The FTC’s Cooling-Off Rule gives buyers until midnight of the third business day to cancel certain sales made at home, and the seller must supply cancellation forms. It has exceptions, including sales needed to meet an emergency and home repairs the customer requested (FTC Cooling-Off Rule (opens in a new tab)). State law can go further: New York requires a three-day notice in home improvement contracts. Ask your attorney which language your estimates need.
9. Acceptance
Leave a place for both signatures and dates. Then make sure the form can’t be signed half-finished. The FTC tells homeowners to check that “all blank spaces are filled in,” so remove the optional lines that don’t apply. Decide with your attorney whether your signed estimate is the contract, or whether a separate contract follows. The FTC notes that contract requirements vary by state.
What to leave off a roofing estimate
Some lines cause more trouble than they’re worth:
- Vague promises. “Top quality” and “best materials” don’t mean anything to a homeowner, and they can come back to you. If it matters, make it a named product or a written term.
- Expiring pressure. A real “valid until” date is fine. A price that’s only good if they sign tonight isn’t, and the CSLB tells homeowners not to be pressured into an immediate decision.
- Anything about deductibles. Don’t offer to absorb or waive a deductible, and don’t tell a homeowner what their policy will pay. The rules on contractors and insurance claims vary by state, so have your attorney review any claim-related language before it goes on a form.
- Blank lines. Every empty space is a question the homeowner has to call you about.
Sending it
An estimate that arrives quickly, as a clean PDF with photos of their own roof attached, looks like the work of a company that has its act together. Attach three to five photos of the damage or wear you’re describing, labeled so they match the scope. Once it’s sent, put a follow-up date on it right away. Plenty of estimates are lost to silence, and our sales guide has a simple rhythm for that.
The template gets you a better close on the leads you already have. If you need more of those coming in, a site that shows real job photos and clear services is the place to start, and that’s what our roofing website design work is built for. Every plan includes one.
Questions roofers ask about estimates
What should be included in a roofing estimate?
At minimum, the work to be done, the materials, a completion date, and the price, which is the FTC’s own list. A stronger estimate adds your license number, named products, a payment schedule, permit responsibility, warranty details, and a signature block.
How do you write a roofing estimate?
Start from a saved template, measure the roof, and write the scope in the order the crew will do the work. Name every product, itemize the price, add a decking allowance and a payment schedule, and set a “valid until” date. Send it with photos of the roof.
What should a roofing estimate look like?
One or two clean pages with your logo, the customer’s details, the scope as a short list, an itemized price table, and terms in plain English. A homeowner should be able to find the total, the products, and the start date in under a minute.
Is a roofing estimate the same as a contract?
Not automatically. An estimate can become a binding agreement once it’s signed, depending on its wording and your state’s law. Ask your attorney whether your form should double as the contract or lead to a separate one.
