Compare roofing quotes side by side
Three roofing bids are almost never three prices for the same job. This tool puts them in one table so the differences are visible before you sign — no email, no signup, and nothing you type is sent anywhere.
Roofing quotes are written in whatever format each company prefers. One lists ice-and-water membrane and a per-sheet decking price; another says “complete tear-off and re-roof” for a round number. Compared as totals, the second looks cheaper. Compared as scope, they may not be the same project at all.
Enter what each quote actually says below. The table flags two things only: scope items one bid states and another does not, and items all bids mention but describe differently. It does not score contractors, rank them, or judge anyone by price — that is your call once the scope is level.
Enter what each quote says
Copy each line straight off the written quote. Leave a box empty if the quote genuinely does not mention it — an empty box is a finding, not a mistake.
Bid A
Anything you'll recognise — "Bid A", initials, company name.
The bottom-line contract price as written.
Optional. 1 square = 100 sq ft of roof surface.
e.g. laminated asphalt, specific product line if named.
How many existing layers come off, or "roof-over".
Sheets included and the price per extra sheet.
Type and coverage.
Where it's applied — eaves, valleys, penetrations.
New or reused; chimney, wall, valley, pipe boots.
Ridge vent, intake, any existing vents replaced.
Included or not, and on which edges.
Who pulls it, who pays, is inspection included.
Dumpster, magnet sweep, gutter clearing, haul-away.
Exactly as written on the quote.
The contractor's own labor coverage.
Deposit, progress payments, final payment trigger.
Start window, expected days on site.
Bid B
Anything you'll recognise — "Bid A", initials, company name.
The bottom-line contract price as written.
Optional. 1 square = 100 sq ft of roof surface.
e.g. laminated asphalt, specific product line if named.
How many existing layers come off, or "roof-over".
Sheets included and the price per extra sheet.
Type and coverage.
Where it's applied — eaves, valleys, penetrations.
New or reused; chimney, wall, valley, pipe boots.
Ridge vent, intake, any existing vents replaced.
Included or not, and on which edges.
Who pulls it, who pays, is inspection included.
Dumpster, magnet sweep, gutter clearing, haul-away.
Exactly as written on the quote.
The contractor's own labor coverage.
Deposit, progress payments, final payment trigger.
Start window, expected days on site.
Why price per square is the fairer comparison
Contractors price by the roofing square — 100 square feet of roof surface. If you know your roof area, dividing each total by the number of squares turns three unrelated numbers into one comparable rate. The tool shows this calculation only when you supply the squares, and the maths is exactly total ÷ squares, nothing hidden. If you do not know your roof area, the roof size calculator derives it from footprint and pitch.
Two honest bids can still carry different per-square rates — a steeper, more cut-up roof, a heavier material, better flashing detail, a longer workmanship warranty or a crew that is simply busier all move it legitimately. The rate tells you where to ask the question, not who to hire.
What to do with the flags
- Missing. Ask the contractor to confirm in writing whether it is included in the stated price or excluded. Silence in a quote usually becomes a change order later.
- Differs. Ask each contractor to restate the item using the same terms as the others, then re-enter it here. Most “differences” are wording; the ones that are not are the ones worth knowing.
- Decking. A frequent source of mid-job price changes, because nobody can see the deck until the covering comes off. You want a number of sheets included and a per-sheet price for anything beyond that.
Privacy
Everything you type stays in your browser for as long as the page is open. Contractor names, bid totals and notes are never transmitted, stored or published, and nothing here requires an account. Use the print button to save a comparison as a PDF for your own records.
Once the scope is level, test each total against an independent range in the quote checker, build your own baseline in the roof cost calculator, and read the full method in the guide to comparing roofing quotes.
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