Your Roofing Quotes Do Not Agree on Roof Size

You have three roof replacement quotes, but each one lists a different number of roofing squares. That does not necessarily mean somebody measured your house incorrectly. Roofers can start with the same roof dimensions and reach different totals because they handle waste, starter shingles, ridge material, dormers, valleys, and steep sections differently. Before comparing the final prices, find out what each square count represents.

Roofer comparison

A roofing square is 100 square feet of roof surface. It does not mean 100 square feet of floor space inside the house. A 1,600 square foot ranch can have substantially more than 1,600 square feet of roofing because of overhangs and roof pitch. A two story house may have less roof area than a sprawling one story house with the same finished living area.

The first number to identify is the measured roof area. This is the surface area of the roof before waste is added. A contractor may measure it by hand, use aerial measurements, or combine digital measurements with an inspection from the roof. Small differences are normal. Larger differences deserve an explanation.

The second number is the order quantity. Shingles must be cut where roof sections meet, around vents, beside walls, and along rakes. Some cut pieces cannot be reused. That extra material is commonly called waste, although much of it is necessary for the installation. A simple gable roof may need a lower waste allowance than a roof with several valleys, dormers, hips, and short intersecting sections.

Ask each roofer whether the square count shown is measured area, installed area, or total material ordered. A quote for 30 measured squares plus waste cannot be compared directly with a quote listing 33 squares as one combined quantity. The numbers may describe almost the same job.

Bundled accessories create another difference. One roofer may include starter shingles and ridge cap in the total square count. Another may list them separately. Starter material runs along the eaves and rakes. Ridge cap covers hips and ridges. These products have different purposes from the field shingles covering the roof planes, so a clear quote identifies them instead of leaving you to guess.

Look at the roof drawing or measurement report if one is available. Confirm that it includes every porch, garage section, rear addition, low slope transition, and small roof over a bay window. A detached garage should be clearly included or excluded. The same applies to a shed, covered patio, and any flat or nearly flat section that requires a different roofing material.

Pitch also matters. Roof pitch does not change the measured surface once the slope is properly calculated, but it changes access and labor. A steep roof may require additional setup, staging, and fall protection. Two contractors can agree on the number of squares while pricing the labor differently because they made different judgments about access.

Material choice should be held constant during the comparison. Keys Roofing installs Atlas and Malarkey shingles. If you are considering products from either manufacturer, ask every bidder to identify the exact shingle line, underlayment, starter product, ridge product, and ventilation components included. Comparing one complete system with a quote that says only "architectural shingles" leaves too many unanswered questions.

Repair recommendations can change the comparison

One contractor may quote a repair while another recommends replacement. That difference can be reasonable if the roof is near the end of its useful service life. A localized repair makes more sense when the surrounding shingles remain flexible, granules are still present, and replacement shingles can be integrated without breaking nearby tabs.

A three tab roof around 18 to 20 years old often reaches the point where repeated repairs stop making financial sense, especially after years of St. Louis heat, hail, and freeze thaw cycles. Age alone does not decide the issue, but brittle tabs, exposed fiberglass, widespread granule loss, and several previous repairs change the calculation. Ask each roofer to show which conditions support the recommendation.

Do not let a photograph of one missing shingle stand in for an evaluation of the full roof. Ask for close photographs of the affected slope, the surrounding field, penetrations, valleys, flashing, and eaves. Ice damming at the eave can produce interior symptoms that look like a simple shingle leak, while the actual problem involves ventilation, insulation, drainage, or membrane placement.

What it costs

The square count affects several parts of the price. More field shingles mean more bundles, underlayment, fasteners, labor, and disposal. It may also mean more starter or ridge material, although those quantities depend on linear feet rather than roof area. A lower number of squares does not automatically produce the lower complete price.

Convert each proposal into categories before comparing totals. Separate the field shingles, tear off, underlayment, starter, ridge cap, flashing, ventilation, disposal, permit responsibility, and any deck replacement allowance. This exposes differences that a single price per square can hide.

Decking is a common source of uncertainty because damaged wood may not be visible until the old roofing is removed. A useful quote states the price basis for replacing deteriorated sheathing. That might be a price per sheet or a stated labor and material rate. If one quote includes an allowance and another leaves the issue open, adjust your comparison before deciding which total is lower.

Tear off quantities can differ from installation quantities. A roof may have one layer, two layers, or roofing installed over older material. Additional layers increase labor and disposal weight. Ask how the contractor determined the number of layers and whether the quoted disposal charge covers what is presently on the house.

Flashing deserves its own line of discussion. Chimneys, walls, skylights, plumbing vents, and roof transitions require more work than an uninterrupted shingle field. One quote may include new flashing in the base price. Another may plan to reuse existing metal unless damage is visible. Those are different scopes even if the square counts match.

Municipal requirements also affect the total. St. Louis County contains many separate cities, each with its own permit desk and procedures. A property may be in an incorporated municipality, an unincorporated part of the county, or the City of St. Louis. The quote should state who confirms the permit requirement, who obtains any required permit, and whether the fee is included.

For a cleaner comparison, divide the total only after aligning the scopes. A price per square is useful when the material system, number of layers, flashing work, ventilation, disposal, access, and permit responsibility are substantially the same. Without that alignment, the calculation creates a precise looking number that does not describe equal work.

What to ask

Put the three proposals beside one another and ask each contractor the same questions. Written answers are easier to compare than notes from separate conversations.

1. Is this the measured roof area or the total order quantity? Ask for both numbers and the waste percentage or additional quantity used.
2. What makes the waste allowance necessary on this roof? The answer should point to hips, valleys, dormers, cut sections, or another visible feature.
3. Are starter shingles and ridge cap counted separately? Confirm the products and quantities rather than assuming field shingles will be adapted for every location.
4. Which roof sections are included? Name the house, attached garage, porch, addition, and any detached structure individually.
5. How many existing layers are being removed? Ask how that number affects labor and disposal.
6. What happens if damaged decking is uncovered? Get the unit price and approval process in writing before work begins.
7. Which flashing will be replaced? Discuss chimneys, sidewalls, headwalls, valleys, skylights, and plumbing penetrations separately.
8. Is ventilation work included? Ask what will be added, removed, or left in place and why it fits the attic layout.
9. Who checks the permit requirement? The answer should identify the municipality or county office responsible for the property address.
10. What exact Atlas or Malarkey system is quoted? Record the shingle line and the related starter, ridge, and underlayment products.

If the square totals still differ after these questions, ask each roofer to mark the disputed roof section on a drawing. A contractor should be able to explain whether the gap comes from geometry, waste, accessories, or an omitted structure. For a measurement and written scope from Keys Roofing, call the St. Louis office at (314) 220-2333.