Every contractor bid you collect quotes a slightly different job — which is exactly why you can't compare them. Independent scope of work writing gives you a line-item spec every contractor bids against. Same materials, same quantities, same code upgrades, same cleanup. Now you're comparing labor and install quality — not guesswork.
Full line-item scope: tear-off, decking, underlayment, ice/water, flashing, ridge
Material tier defined (bid against 3 equivalent brands, not one contractor's pet supplier)
Code upgrades separated as required vs optional so you can compare both
Quantities specified in linear feet, squares, sheets — no hand-waved 'as needed'
Cleanup, dumpster, permit, magnetic sweep included so nothing gets added later
Send to 3 contractors and watch the bids finally make sense
Full roof measurement + condition assessment. Written scope of work formatted for contractor bidding: • Tear-off scope (layer count, dumpster, hauling) • Decking replacement allowance in sheets (with per-sheet pricing so overrun is transparent) • Ice/water shield linear footage at eaves per NM 2021 IRC R905.1.2 • Underlayment type + brand tier (synthetic, tier equivalents) • Valley metal + drip edge material, gauge, color • All flashing replacement: step, counter, headwall, sidewall, chimney, skylight, pipe boots • Ventilation scope: existing + additions to meet 1:150 or 1:300 NFA • Roofing material tier (3 equivalent brand options — Timberline HDZ / Duration / Landmark, or equivalent tile / metal spec) • Starter course, ridge/hip cap, fastener count, exposure spec • Cleanup + magnetic sweep + permit + dumpster + disposal • Warranty type required from contractor Code upgrades separated (required vs optional) so you can compare bids with and without. Delivered as PDF you send directly to 2–3 contractors for competitive bidding.
Homeowners preparing to solicit roofing bids. Owners who received wildly different bids and want to figure out what's actually being quoted. Insurance claim owners whose Xactimate scope needs to match contractor bids apples-to-apples. HOA and commercial owners bidding out large or multi-building replacements. Investors bidding out multiple rental property reroofs. Anyone burned by 'change orders' on a previous roof job — the scope is what prevents that.
Standard Scope of Work Writing — $349 With site measurement + inspection — $499 Commercial / multi-building — quoted per square footage Bid review after scope is written — $199 add-on Most scope-of-work packages are $349–$499. Owners who bid against a written scope typically save $2k–$8k vs bidding without one, plus eliminate change-order surprises.
That's the problem — when the contractor writes the scope, every bid is different, and you can't compare apples-to-apples. Contractor A bids $18k with 15# felt underlayment and no ice/water. Contractor B bids $24k with synthetic underlayment, ice/water at eaves, and new drip edge. They look wildly different but might be the same job priced honestly. An independent scope tells everyone what to bid so YOU control the comparison.
Tear-off count (single vs double layer), decking replacement allowance in sheets, underlayment type + brand tier, ice/water shield linear footage, valley metal size + gauge, drip edge material + gauge, all flashing replacement scope, ventilation type + count, ridge/hip product, starter course, fastener spec, cleanup + magnetic sweep + dumpster + permit. Every line-item, every material spec, every quantity.
The scope is written to the roof's actual needs — not to favor any material brand, contractor, or price point. I specify GAF Timberline HDZ OR Owens Corning Duration OR CertainTeed Landmark at equivalent tier so contractors compete on labor + install quality, not on whose material they're stuck with. If a code upgrade or repair is genuinely needed, it's in the scope; if it's optional, it's marked optional so you can compare with and without.
RTU flashing and vibration leak source audit.
Tarp placement + permanent repair scope.
Signed 2/3/5-year cert for lenders & insurers.
FLIR moisture scan + core verification.
I've watched too many neighbors sign contracts they didn't understand for roofs they didn't need. That stops with a written report they own.