Roof replacement quote checklist: from first inspection to final payment

To get a roof replacement quote you can rely on, do four things in order: prepare (know your roof area, house age, site ratings and whether the job follows storm damage), get three written quotes from licensed contractors who inspect in person, check before you sign (licence, home warranty insurance certificate, deposit within the legal cap, a complete written contract), and manage the job (stage payments only for completed work, variations in writing, final inspection after the first heavy rain). This checklist walks through each step and links to the detailed guides and calculators in this section.

You can tick items off in the interactive roof quote checklist.

Step 1: prepare before you call anyone

Task	Why it matters	Guide or tool
Estimate the roof surface area	Lets you check per-m² pricing and spot quotes that measure differently	Measuring roof area
Find the year of construction	Pre-1990 roofs, eaves and walls may contain asbestos	Asbestos roof guide
Check heritage, bushfire and wind ratings	Changes materials, approvals and cost	Bushfire and wind
Decide your options	Restoration, re-sheet, tile to steel or new tiles	Tile vs Colorbond
Rough budget	So you know what you can afford before the sales pitch	Re-roof cost estimator
Storm damage?	Contact your insurer first and keep evidence	Storm vs wear and tear

Write a one-page job brief: address, roof type, approximate area, what you want done, colour or tile preferences, gutter and downpipe plans, and access notes. Give the same brief to each contractor so the quotes are comparable.

Step 2: get three quotes from licensed contractors

Find contractors yourself rather than accepting door-knockers. See storm-chaser scams.
Ask each to inspect the roof, including from inside the ceiling space, and to send photos of problems they find.
Ask for a written, itemised quote listing:
removal and disposal, including asbestos if present
battens: retained, refixed, replaced or added
sarking or insulation blanket, by product type
roof covering: material, profile or tile model, colour, thickness or grade
flashings, ridges, hips, valleys and penetrations
gutters, fascia, downpipes and leaf guards
edge protection or scaffold
approvals, certificates and fees
GST
start date, expected duration and payment stages
Ask what BAL and wind classification the price assumes.
Ask how unforeseen work, such as rotten timber, will be priced, ideally as a unit rate.

Then line the quotes up using the quote comparison guide, and see the tile-to-Colorbond worked example for a full quote built up line by line.

Step 3: check before you sign

Licence or registration. Check the number on the regulator's register and that the entity on the quote matches. See licence thresholds by state.
Home warranty insurance. If the job is above the threshold for your state, get the certificate before paying anything. See home warranty insurance thresholds.
Deposit. Check it is within the legal cap with the deposit limit check.
Contract. Read the whole contract. See deposits, progress payments and contract terms.
Cooling-off. Note any cooling-off period. In NSW, contracts over $20,000 have five clear business days; unsolicited agreements made at your door have 10 business days under the Australian Consumer Law.
Finance. If you are borrowing, compare the total cost with the roof finance calculator and read paying for a new roof.
Insurance during works. Tell your home insurer that major roof work is happening, and ask the contractor for evidence of their public liability insurance.

Step 4: manage the job

Photograph the roof before, during and after each stage.
Agree any variation in writing with the price before the extra work is done.
Pay progress payments only when the stage is complete.
Ask for the asbestos clearance certificate and disposal receipts if asbestos was removed.
Ask for the plumbing compliance certificate where your state issues one, and the product warranties for the roof material.
Do not make the final payment until the job is complete and you have inspected it, ideally after rain or with a hose test.
Check the ceiling space for daylight and damp after the first heavy rain, and report defects in writing.

Worked example: checking one quote (illustrative)

A quote for a Sydney house reads: "Remove tiles, supply and install steel roof, 220 m², $26,400 including GST. 30% deposit." Checks:

Rate. $26,400 ÷ 220 = $120 per m², inside the illustrative tile-to-steel range.
Missing lines. No mention of battens, sarking, flashings, gutters or edge protection. Ask for an itemised quote.
Deposit. 30% of $26,400 is $7,920. The NSW cap is 10%, so the maximum deposit is $2,640. The quote breaches the cap.
Insurance. The job is over $20,000, so home building compensation cover is needed before any deposit.

On these checks the quote should not be signed as written.

Frequently asked questions

How many quotes should I get?

Three is a common rule of thumb. More can help where prices vary widely, but make sure each contractor quotes the same scope.

Should I pay for a quote?

Most roofers quote free. A paid independent inspection by a building consultant can be worthwhile when contractors disagree about whether the roof needs replacing.

How long is a quote valid?

The quote should say. Material prices change, so a quote valid for 30 days may be re-priced after that.

Can I negotiate?

Yes, but negotiate scope and payment terms as much as price. A cheaper price achieved by dropping sarking or edge protection is not a saving.

Sources

NSW Government building and renovating — Building Commission NSW contract, deposit and cooling-off rules
Consumer Affairs Victoria — getting quotes and building contracts in Victoria
Queensland Building and Construction Commission — contracts, deposits and licence checks in Queensland
ACCC — unsolicited consumer agreements and door-to-door sales under the Australian Consumer Law