Scope normalizer
Tear-off, deck, underlayment, flashing, ventilation, edges, penetrations, disposal, permits, and inspection.
Not published yet
Hiring & quotes
The lowest total is not always the same job.
Turn proposals into an apples-to-apples comparison of scope, materials, quantities, details, allowances, responsibilities, warranties, and price.
30-second answer
How do I compare roofing quotes fairly?
Compare the work before the total. A bid that omits deck allowances, flashing replacement, ventilation, permits, disposal, or warranty responsibilities can look cheaper because it defines less.
Read the proposal
Six words that quietly shrink a scope.
Most bid gaps are not price differences. They are definition differences, and they hide behind familiar words. Ask the follow-up before you compare totals.
- “As needed”
- Ask insteadHow many square feet of deck replacement are included before it becomes a change order, and at what unit price after that?
- “Standard”
- Ask insteadStandard by whose definition? Name the product, the thickness or weight, and the fastening pattern.
- “Per code”
- Ask insteadWhich adopted code edition, and which local amendments? That answer belongs to the jurisdiction, not to the bidder.
- “Allowance”
- Ask insteadWhat quantity does the allowance cover, and what is the price per unit once it runs out?
- “Lifetime warranty”
- Ask insteadWhose lifetime, whose warranty, what is prorated, what voids it, and who answers a claim in year twelve?
- “Includes cleanup”
- Ask insteadMagnet sweep, gutters, landscaping—and who pays if something is damaged during the work?
A contractor who answers all six in writing has not raised their price. They have described the job every other bidder was going to have to do anyway.
Use it now
The checklist is published. Use it before the bids arrive.
The deeper hiring guides below are unwritten. The scope checklist is not—it is an ungated preview you can work from today.
Open the quote checklist
The scope lines a proposal has to define before two bids can be compared line for line.
Check a total against a planning range
A national range will not tell you which bid is complete, but it will tell you when every bid sits far from typical.
Hiring roadmap
Everything a proposal has to survive before you sign.
These guides are not published yet. The published checklist covers the scope column; credentials, warranties, allowances, and contract terms are still to be written.
Credential checks
State and local requirements, insurance, references, manufacturer credentials, and who will actually perform the work.
Not published yet
Material details
Exact products, tested assembly, compatible accessories, fastening, color, substitutions, and delivery.
Not published yet
Allowances & exclusions
Deck replacement, hidden conditions, masonry, hazardous materials, interior damage, landscaping, and weather delays.
Not published yet
Warranty decoder
Material versus workmanship coverage, proration, transferability, exclusions, registration, and claim steps.
Not published yet
Contract & payment
Schedule, deposits, change orders, permits, lien releases, cleanup, closeout, and final inspection.
Not published yet
Before you sign
Compare the same work on one page.
The kit’s quote checklist is published now. The contractor interview scorecard and the bid comparison worksheet are planned and are not part of it yet.
Preview the full buying kit