Three Quotes, Three Very Different Numbers
You did the right thing. You got three estimates for your re-roof. One came back at $14,000, one at $18,500, and one at $23,000 — on the same house, with the same square footage, in the same week.
Most homeowners in Volusia County stare at that spread and conclude one of two things: either somebody is padding the price, or somebody is desperate for work. Usually neither is true. What’s actually happening is that the three roofers priced three different roofs — different underlayment, different allowances for rotten plywood, some including permits and inspections and some not, some tearing off and some going over the top.
The number at the bottom of a roofing estimate is close to meaningless until you know what’s above it. Here’s how to read those lines, in the order they usually show up.
Step One: Confirm They’re Bidding the Same Roof Size
Roofers price by the square — 100 square feet of roof surface. A 2,000-square-foot house does not have a 20-square roof; the pitch, the overhangs, and the hips and valleys all add surface area, so it’s typically more like 25 to 30 squares.
If one estimate says 28 squares and another says 24 for the same house, one of them measured wrong, or one is quietly excluding a section — a lanai roof, a detached garage, a low-slope porch that needs a different material. That four-square gap will not stay theoretical. It shows up as a change order in week one.
What to ask: “How many squares did you measure, and does that include the porch and the garage?”
Tear-Off and Disposal
Removing the old roof and hauling it away is real labor and real dump fees, and on a second layer it’s close to double. Watch for two things here.
First, whether the estimate says tear-off or roof-over. A roof-over — new shingles installed on top of the old ones — is cheaper up front and is legal in limited circumstances, but nobody inspects the decking underneath, and it usually costs you on the insurance side. If one bid is dramatically lower than the other two, check this line first. It’s the single most common reason for a big spread.
Second, whether disposal is included or listed separately. A dumpster is not an optional accessory.
The Decking Allowance — Where Estimates Really Diverge
No honest roofer in Florida can tell you how much rotten plywood is under your shingles until the shingles are off. That means every estimate has to handle this uncertainty somehow, and how they handle it is the difference between a firm number and a surprise.
You’ll see three approaches:
- A per-sheet price — “decking replaced at $X per 4×8 sheet as needed.” Honest and normal. Ask what a typical Volusia County re-roof of your home’s age runs.
- An included allowance — “includes up to 5 sheets.” Better for budgeting, and you know where the line is.
- Silence — no mention of decking at all. This is the one that hurts. It’s not a lower price; it’s an unpriced item that becomes a change order on day two.
Coastal and older homes in Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach and Edgewater tend to need more decking than inland homes of the same age — salt air, humidity and past leaks around the eaves all take a toll. If your estimate is silent on decking, that silence isn’t savings.
What to ask: “What’s your per-sheet price for decking, and how many sheets are included?”
Underlayment: The Line That Separates Cheap From Complete
Underlayment is the water-resistant layer between your decking and your shingles, and it’s where a lot of the price difference lives, because you can’t see it once the roof is done.
- Felt — the old asphalt-saturated paper. Cheapest. It tears and it degrades in Florida heat.
- Synthetic — a woven polymer sheet. Stronger, more heat-stable, more tear-resistant. A meaningful upgrade.
- Self-adhered (peel-and-stick) — a rubberized membrane that bonds to the deck and seals around each fastener. This is what creates a true secondary water barrier, and it’s the layer that keeps rain out of your attic if wind ever takes shingles off.
Two bids can both say “new roof” and one has felt while the other has a fully self-adhered deck. That’s not a small difference in a hurricane, and it’s not a small difference on your insurance paperwork either. Make the estimate name the product.
The Accessories Nobody Talks About Until They’re Missing
A roof is a system, and the small metal and specialty pieces are where a bid gets quietly thinned out. Look for each of these by name:
- Drip edge — the metal at the eaves and rakes. Code-required on new roofs, and the thing that keeps water off your fascia.
- Starter strip at the eaves and rakes — not cut-up field shingles, which is a common shortcut that costs you wind performance at the most vulnerable edge.
- Valley treatment — metal or a specified membrane. Valleys carry the most water on the roof.
- New pipe boots — the rubber collars around plumbing vents. They’re cheap, they’re the number one leak point on Florida roofs, and reusing old ones on a new roof is indefensible.
- Ventilation — ridge vent, off-ridge vents or turbines, plus intake at the soffit. If the estimate reuses whatever’s up there, ask why.
- Ridge cap shingles — purpose-made cap, not field shingles folded over.
- Flashing at walls, skylights and chimneys — new, not reused.
If a bid is $4,000 under the others, it’s often not because the labor is cheaper. It’s because four or five of these lines aren’t in it.
Nailing Pattern and Wind Rating
Ask what fastening pattern they’re using and what wind rating the finished assembly carries. Florida’s high-wind requirements and most manufacturers’ enhanced wind warranties depend on the correct number of nails per shingle, placed in the nail zone, plus proper starter and ridge treatment. A six-nail pattern on an architectural shingle is standard practice here for a reason.
This is one of the few things you genuinely cannot verify after the fact, which is exactly why it belongs in writing.
Permits, Inspections and the Wind Mitigation Report
A re-roof in Volusia County requires a permit and municipal inspections. Some estimates include the permit fee; some list it as “by owner.” Neither is wrong, but you need to know which one you’re reading, because it can be several hundred dollars.
What matters more: an unpermitted roof is a problem you inherit. It surfaces when you sell, when you file a claim, or when your insurer asks for documentation. A contractor who suggests skipping the permit to save you money is telling you something important about how they work.
Also check whether a wind mitigation inspection is included. That one-page form is what your insurance carrier uses to credit your roof’s storm-resistant features, and for many Volusia County homeowners it’s worth real money every year for the life of the roof. We include it with every roof we install, and it’s worth asking every bidder whether they do.
Warranty: Two Different Things Wearing One Word
Every estimate says “warranty.” There are always two, and they cover completely different failures.
The manufacturer warranty covers the shingles themselves — defects in the product. Enhanced manufacturer coverage is generally only available through credentialed contractors and typically requires a full system of that manufacturer’s components, not just their shingles.
The labor (workmanship) warranty covers the installation — the flashing detail, the fastening, the valleys. In practice, this is the one that matters, because the overwhelming majority of roof leaks are installation issues, not shingle defects. A one-year labor warranty and a five-year labor warranty are very different products. Ours is five years.
Get both spelled out in writing, with the length of each.
Payment Schedule and Change Orders
Florida homeowners should be cautious about large up-front deposits. A reasonable schedule ties payments to milestones — a deposit, a draw at material delivery or dry-in, and the balance at completion and final inspection. A contractor asking for most of the job in cash before materials arrive is a risk regardless of how good the price looks.
Also confirm how change orders work. The right answer is that any additional cost gets documented and approved by you in writing before the work happens. “We’ll settle up at the end” is how a $16,000 roof becomes a $21,000 roof.
License and Insurance — Verify, Don’t Assume
Every estimate should carry a license number you can look up on the Florida DBPR website, and the contractor should be able to produce a certificate of general liability and workers’ compensation insurance. If a worker is injured on an uninsured crew on your property, that can become your problem.
Our licenses are CCC 1327602 (roofing) and CGC 1509441 (general contractor). Look them up. Look up everyone you’re considering.
A Quick Comparison Checklist
Print this and put the three estimates side by side. For each one, check whether it names:
- Number of squares, and which structures are included
- Tear-off vs. roof-over, and disposal
- Decking: per-sheet price and included allowance
- Underlayment product by name (felt / synthetic / self-adhered)
- Drip edge, starter strip, valley metal, new pipe boots, new flashing
- Ventilation plan, intake and exhaust
- Shingle brand, line and wind rating; nailing pattern
- Permit and inspections — included or by owner
- Wind mitigation inspection — included or not
- Manufacturer warranty AND labor warranty, with terms in years
- Payment schedule and written change-order process
- License number, liability insurance, workers’ comp
- Cleanup, magnet sweep, and landscaping protection
Once all three bids are filled in on that list, the price spread usually explains itself. More often than not, the cheapest bid isn’t cheaper — it’s shorter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I always go with the lowest roofing estimate?
Only if it’s the lowest price for the same scope. Fill out the checklist above first. A bid that’s low because the crew is efficient and the overhead is lean is a good deal. A bid that’s low because it excludes decking, permits and new flashing isn’t a deal at all — it’s an incomplete price.
Why won’t a roofer give me a firm total including decking?
Because nobody can see under the shingles until they’re off. What a good contractor can give you is a firm per-sheet price and an honest estimate of what homes like yours typically need, so there are no surprises about the rate — only about the quantity.
Is a verbal quote ever acceptable?
For a ballpark over the phone, sure. For the actual job, no. Everything that matters — scope, materials, warranty, payment schedule — needs to be on paper you can hold the contractor to.
How many estimates should I get?
Three is the sweet spot. One gives you no reference point; five turns into a part-time job and the bids start blurring together. Three from licensed, local, insured contractors will show you the real range for your roof.
What if my insurance company is paying for the roof?
You still compare estimates the same way. The carrier’s scope sets what’s covered, but it doesn’t guarantee the workmanship, the labor warranty, or the quality of the underlayment and accessories. Those choices are still yours.
Does a longer warranty mean a better roof?
It means a better-backed roof, which usually correlates. But read which warranty is being extended. A 30-year manufacturer warranty on the shingles paired with a one-year labor warranty tells you where the contractor’s confidence actually sits.
Get an Estimate You Can Actually Compare
When we write an estimate, it names the products, the allowances, the warranty terms and the payment schedule — so you can lay it next to anyone else’s and see exactly what’s different. That’s not a sales tactic; it’s the only way a homeowner can make a real decision.
Affordable Roofing & Construction has served Volusia County for more than 20 years. We’re licensed and insured (CCC 1327602 & CGC 1509441), CertainTeed ShingleMaster credentialed with dual Master Craftsman certifications, and every roof we install includes a wind mitigation inspection and a 5-year labor warranty.
We serve Daytona Beach, Port Orange, New Smyrna Beach, Ormond Beach, DeLand, Deltona, Edgewater, South Daytona, Holly Hill, Orange City and the surrounding Central Florida area.
Call 386-392-8952 for a free, no-pressure estimate — and bring your other two. We’ll walk you through what’s different, line by line.
Leave a Reply