Get three roofing quotes and you will usually get three very different prices — and no obvious way to tell what you are actually comparing. After years on roofs, here is our honest advice: ignore the sales pitch and ask every roofer these four questions.
1. Is your workmanship warranty in writing?
Material warranties come from the manufacturer — the steel or shingle maker. But almost every roof failure we see comes from installation, not materials. A roofer who stands behind their work will put a workmanship warranty in writing (ours is 10 years). If they will not, that tells you something.
2. Is the quote fixed and itemised?
A one-line price hides substitutions: cheaper underlay, lighter-gauge steel, fixings that do not match the coating. An itemised quote shows underlay, fixings, flashings, spouting, edge protection and rubbish removal as line items — so you can compare like with like, and nothing changes halfway through.
3. Will my home be weathertight overnight during the job?
This one question exposes more corner-cutting than any other. A careful crew strips and re-lays your roof in stages, closing it up before the end of every day. Ask how they stage the work — a vague answer means your ceiling is one southerly change away from a very bad week.
4. Who is actually doing the work?
Is the person quoting your job the one who will be on your roof, or is it subcontracted to whoever is available? One crew from quote to cleanup means the person who made you promises is the person keeping them.
How Southern Roofing does it
We don’t hand your job to subcontractors. The crew that quotes your roof is our own crew — the same faces from first visit to final sweep — and we carry full responsibility for the job from start to end, backed by our 10-year workmanship warranty in writing.
The bottom line
Price matters — but a cheap roof that leaks is the most expensive roof you can buy. Ask the four questions above and the right roofer becomes obvious quickly.
Want a quote you can actually compare? We will inspect your roof, explain what it needs in plain English, and give you a fixed, itemised, written quote — free and without obligation. Request your free quote here or call us.
Talk to us about your roof
Free written quotes, straight answers, and a 10-year workmanship warranty on every job — no pressure, no obligation.