Roof Replacement Bid Teardown: Line by Line, With the Red Flags
A tear-off and re-roof of a single-story home with ~20 squares (2,000 sq ft) of architectural asphalt shingle in Orange County. The quote was $24,800.
Representative, anonymized example built from common 2026 Southern California bid patterns — not a specific client's project. Ranges reflect current market pricing.
An average asphalt re-roof of this size should land around $16,000. This bid marks up the tear-off and inflates the per-sheet decking price, then leaves the permit and warranty vague.
The bid, line by line
| Line item | Quoted | Fair | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|
Tear-off + disposal (1 layer) 20 squares, one layer. Tear-off runs ~$1.50–$2.50/sq ft including disposal — this is well above that. | $4,800 | $2,000–$3,500 | Red flag |
Underlayment (synthetic) Reasonable product, high price. Ask which underlayment and whether ice-and-water is included at valleys. | $2,400 | $1,000–$1,800 | Check it |
Architectural shingles + labor Installed architectural shingles run ~$4.50–$6/sq ft. Get the brand and the manufacturer warranty tier. | $11,000 | $8,000–$10,000 | Check it |
Flashing, vents & boots Fine to itemize — but confirm it's all-new flashing, not reused, and that it covers every penetration. | $2,600 | $1,200–$2,000 | Check it |
Plywood / decking replacement Decking is a legitimate unknown until tear-off — but $95/sheet is roughly 2× material cost. Cap the per-sheet price in the contract. | $95/sheet (qty TBD) | itemized, ~$55–$70/sheet | Check it |
Permit Pass-through cost with no figure — ask for the city fee and the permit number. | "included" | $300–$700 | Red flag |
Overhead & profit No O&P line; margin is hidden in the inflated tear-off and decking pricing. | not listed | 10–15% | Red flag |
Warranty Get both the manufacturer warranty tier and the contractor's workmanship warranty (in years), in writing. | vague | manufacturer + workmanship, in years | Check it |
The red flags, summarized
- Tear-off priced roughly 50% over fair market.
- Decking at $95/sheet — about double material cost — with quantity left open.
- 'Permit included' with no figure.
- No overhead-and-profit line.
- Vague warranty with no manufacturer tier or workmanship years.
What to do before you sign
- Cap the per-sheet decking price so an open quantity can't be marked up.
- Get the shingle brand plus both the manufacturer and workmanship warranties in writing.
- Require the permit number, not 'included.'
- Confirm the tear-off price per square foot against fair market.
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