Last reviewed October 31, 2026.
The estimate lands in your inbox as a one-page PDF: a total at the bottom, a short paragraph of scope above it. Before that total can sit beside anyone else’s, you need to know what each line pays for and what is missing. The prices live in our cost guides. This page is about the words.
Tear-off and the layers underneath
The first line should say whether the old roof comes off, and how many layers. Section R908.3 of the 2025 Residential Code of New York State says a replacement takes the existing layers of roof covering off down to the deck, with a few exceptions for ice barrier or self-adhered underlayment stuck to a sound deck. When a roof-over is legal and when it is not is covered on our permit hub.
Haul-away belongs on the same line or the next one. Perfect Pitch Roofing in Suffolk County says permit fees, dumpster rental and debris hauling are real line items that vary by town and village (June 2026). If the estimate never mentions them, ask whether they are buried in the total or showing up later as extras.
The decking clause
Nobody sees the plywood until the shingles are off, so no estimate can price rot as a fixed sum. What it can do is set the terms up front. Perfect Pitch says a proper estimate carries a per-sheet rate for any decking that needs replacing. LI Roofing Co. says it photographs the damage and gets your approval before any extra work. Look for both in writing: a unit price, and a promise that you see the rot before you pay to fix it.
Ask about thickness too. GAF’s April 2023 Timberline instructions call for a deck of at least 3/8 inch plywood or OSB. What rot has actually cost on Long Island jobs is in the roof repair cost guide.
Underlayment, ice barrier and drip edge
These three go down before the first shingle, and they are the easiest to leave vague.
- Underlayment. Section R905.1.1 of the state code requires it under asphalt shingles, one layer on slopes of 4 in 12 or steeper and two layers from 2 in 12 up to 4 in 12. GAF adds that underlayment is needed to keep its shingles’ UL Class A fire rating. The estimate should name the product.
- Ice barrier. The self-adhering membrane at the eaves. GAF’s instructions run it 24 inches past the inside wall line at the eaves and wherever ice dams can be expected. Perfect Pitch notes that many coastal homes need full ice and water shield coverage, so if the quote goes beyond the eaves and valleys it should say where. The code rule is explained in our ice dam guide.
- Drip edge. Section R905.2.8.5 requires drip edge at the eaves and rakes of shingle roofs, with pieces lapped at least 2 inches. GAF puts its leak barrier over the drip edge along the eaves and the drip edge over the underlayment along the rakes. If drip edge is missing from the quote, ask whether it is new metal or the old edge left in place.
Flashing and nailing lines
Section R908.5 says that on a reroof, existing flashings, edgings, vents and similar parts are replaced when they are rusted, damaged or deteriorated. A clear estimate says which flashing is new: step flashing along walls, the chimney, pipe boots, and the valleys. Under Section R905.2.8.3, step flashing against a sidewall has to be at least 4 inches high and 4 inches wide.
Nailing gets its own line too. Section R905.2.6 calls for at least four fasteners per strip shingle. GAF’s instructions show a four-nail standard pattern and a six-nail enhanced pattern, which GAF says some local codes require and some products need for enhanced wind coverage. On a house near the water, ask which pattern the crew will use.
Ventilation, permit and warranty lines
GAF’s instructions say proper ventilation under the deck is essential to reduce moisture and must meet FHA, HUD or local code minimums. Expressway Roofing and Chimney warns that too little intake or exhaust can cut a roof’s lifespan by 30 to 50 percent (July 2026). The estimate should say which vents are new, what kind, and whether intake at the eaves is being added. The code math is on our attic ventilation page.
Not every town or village puts its reroof permit rule in writing, so the estimate should say whether a permit is being pulled, who files it, and whether the fee is in the price. Alec’s Construction puts it bluntly: if a contractor offers to skip the permit, walk away (May 2026).
Warranties take two lines, one for the manufacturer’s coverage of materials and one for the roofer’s coverage of workmanship, each with its years. LI Roofing Co., for one, lists 10 years of workmanship coverage on most tiers of its 2026 pricing and 5 years on its 3-tab tier. How the two promises differ, and what voids them, is in our roof warranty guide.
When the estimate becomes a contract
An estimate is a sales document. Accept it, and the job falls under Article 36-A of the General Business Law, which covers home improvement contracts above $500 and names roofing as a home improvement (Section 770). Section 771 then requires a signed written contract that describes the work and lists the materials by make, model number or other identifying information, along with the agreed price. That is the practical reason to push for product names now. Every vague line on the estimate becomes a vague line in the contract unless someone fixes it before signing.
Roofers also carry rules of their own under Section 771-b, which says a roofing contractor shall not require a deposit and may not offer to pay or rebate your insurance deductible. The full list of what the signed pages must contain, from the license number to the cancellation notice, is in our roofing contract checklist. How the payment rules work with a loan is on the roof financing page. To check the square count behind the price, see how roofers measure a roof.
