What Should a Roofing Contract Actually Say?

The Scope, in Detail

A price with no scope is not a contract, it is a number. The scope should name:

• Tear off or recover, and how many existing layers are coming off.
• The shingle line and colour, not just the brand. Manufacturers make several tiers.
• Underlayment type and where ice and water shield is being applied, which in our climate should include the eaves and valleys.
• Drip edge at eaves and rakes.
• Flashing, and specifically whether it is being replaced or reused at walls, chimneys, and valleys. This is the most common omission.
• Pipe boots and vents, new or reused.
• Ventilation, what intake and exhaust is being installed.
• Decking allowance, the per sheet price for replacing bad sheathing and how much is already included.

That decking line is the one that prevents the most arguments. Bad decking is found after tear off on a meaningful share of older Central Ohio homes, and if the price per sheet is agreed in advance, there is nothing to dispute when it happens.

Money Terms

• The total price, and what is and is not included.
• The payment schedule. A modest deposit is normal. A demand for most of the money before materials arrive is not.
• What triggers a change order, and that changes require your written approval before the work is done.
• Insurance language, if it is a claim. The contract should state that the final price follows the insurance approved scope and that you are responsible for your deductible. It should not ask you to sign your claim rights away.

Watch for any suggestion that your deductible can be waived, absorbed, or worked around. That is insurance fraud in Ohio, it puts your claim at risk, and a contractor who offers it in writing has told you exactly who they are.

The Two Warranties

These are separate promises from separate parties and both should be written down.

• Manufacturer warranty on the materials, including which specific warranty level and who registers it. Ask for the registration certificate in your name after completion.
• Workmanship warranty from the contractor, with a stated term in years and a clear description of what it covers.

A workmanship warranty is only as good as the company standing behind it, which is a reason to weigh local track record over the length of the number.

Logistics and Property Protection

• Start and completion timeframe, with an understanding of weather delays.
• Where the dump trailer and materials go. Agreeing this up front prevents cracked driveways, which we cover in our article on what happens when a roofer damages your driveway.
• Property protection, covering landscaping, AC units, and windows.
• Cleanup, including magnetic nail sweeps, and who returns if nails turn up later.
• Permit, who pulls it and whether the cost is included.

The Legal Bits Worth Reading

Confirm the contract names the legal business entity, not just a brand name, and that the address is a real one. Look for a right to cancel provision, which applies to contracts signed at your home rather than at a place of business. Check the lien language so you understand what happens if the contractor does not pay their supplier. And ask for lien waivers on final payment, which protect you from a supplier claim on your house for material you already paid for.

Red Flags in the Document Itself

• Blank spaces you are asked to sign around, to be filled in later.
• An open ended authorisation letting the contractor deal with your insurer without your review.
• No total price, only a monthly payment figure.
• A scope that says “as needed” or “if required” on the items that matter.
• Pressure to sign today for a discount that expires tonight.

None of this requires a lawyer. It requires reading the document and asking for the missing items in writing before you sign. A contractor planning to do the work properly has no reason to object, and our list of questions to ask a roofing contractor covers the conversation that should happen alongside it.