A roofer just handed you a $14k, $22k, or $38k quote. Before you sign, get an independent second opinion. I audit the exact scope in front of you — line by line, on the roof — and tell you what's real, what's padding, and what's missing.
Line-by-line audit of the contractor's scope of work
On-roof verification: does the roof actually need what the bid says?
Missing-scope check: is anything real being left out for a lowball number?
Independent NM market pricing for every line item
Repair-vs-replace second opinion (contractors trend toward replace)
Written report you can hand back to the contractor or use to competitively bid
You email me the contractor's written quote (PDF or photo). I walk the roof independently and audit every line item on that quote against what the roof actually shows. Decking replacement: is it real? I probe and photograph every soft-decking claim. Tear-off vs overlay: is a tear-off actually required, or would a targeted repair or overlay work? Flashing scope: are they replacing flashing that's fine, or leaving flashing that's failed? Material spec: is the upgrade to premium shingles necessary or just margin? Missing scope: are they leaving out drip edge, ice/water, valley metal, or code upgrades? Written report with the contractor's scope on the left, my findings on the right, and a corrected scope + independent price range you can use to competitively bid 2–3 roofers on the RIGHT job.
Homeowners with a written roofing quote they aren't sure about. Owners being told they need a full replacement but suspect it's a repair. Owners being pressured to sign quickly ('storm chaser' contractors after any hail event). Buyers negotiating a real estate deal where the seller is offering a specific credit or repair. Insurance claim owners who want to verify the contractor's supplement matches the actual damage.
Standard Second Opinion Inspection — $299 With line-item Xactimate comparison — $399 24-hour rush — +$100 Most second opinions are $299–$399 and land within 48 hours. Average savings when scope adjustments are found: $3,400 on residential, $11,000+ on commercial.
Another roofer will give you their own scope — which is also incentivized to be big. My second opinion audits the specific scope in front of you: is that decking replacement real, is a full tear-off justified, is the flashing scope excessive, is the material bump necessary. Then you can competitively bid the RIGHT scope with 2–3 roofers.
I'll tell you that — half the second opinions I do confirm the original scope is fair. You get peace of mind and can move forward. The other half find $2k–$18k of unnecessary scope or missing scope that would've bit you at year 5.
48 hours standard, 24 hours rush. Most quotes give you 7–14 days to decide, so 48h is fine. If you're being pressured to sign today, that's the biggest red flag of all — and a reason to book a second opinion, not skip it.
Vigas, canales, parapet caps — NM specialty.
Manufacturer + workmanship defect audit.
Yearly punch-list + service-life estimate.
Pre-listing & buyer due-diligence reports.
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.