Get three quotes for the same Collingwood roof and the numbers might read $9,800, $12,400, and $15,900. Most homeowners assume the spread is margin. It usually is not. It is scope: the cheap quote is quietly missing things the expensive quote includes, and you will not find out which things until year five.
Before you compare quotes, it is worth being sure the roof actually needs replacing rather than repairing, and our checklist of the signs a roof is genuinely done helps you decide. Once you are getting bids, here are the six lines every legitimate roofing quote should itemize, and what their absence tells you.
1. Tear-off and disposal
The old roof has to come off and go somewhere. Disposal fees are real money. If the quote does not say the existing shingles are being removed, ask directly whether they plan to roof over them. Overlays hide deck rot and void most manufacturer warranties, and in snow country they shorten the new roof’s life. If tear-off is included but disposal is not itemized, it will show up later as an “unforeseen” charge.
2. A deck repair rate, per sheet
Nobody can see through shingles. Every roofer discovers soft or rotten decking after tear-off begins, especially on century homes in Thornbury or Meaford and on converted cottages in Wasaga Beach. The honest way to handle the unknown is a stated price per sheet of plywood replaced, agreed before work starts. The dishonest way is a low quote and a scary phone call mid-job. A quote with no deck-repair rate is not cheaper; it is unpriced. Worth knowing too: if the deck turns out bad enough to need widespread replacement, the job can cross into permit territory, and we cover exactly when a roof job needs a building permit in Collingwood separately.
3. Ice and water membrane, with coverage spelled out
The Ontario Building Code minimum protects the eaves. A Georgian Bay roof should also have membrane in every valley, around chimneys, skylights, and vents, and often doubled at the eaves. This is a few hundred dollars of material that decides whether an ice dam becomes a ceiling stain. Cheap quotes hit code minimum and say nothing more. Make every bidder write down exactly where membrane goes.
4. The exact product, not just a brand
“25-year shingles” is not a product. “Architectural shingle, [manufacturer], [product line], [colour], high-wind nailing per spec” is a product. Product names let you compare quotes honestly and check warranty terms yourself. Vague material lines are where quality gets quietly downgraded between the quote and the truck.
5. Ventilation
If the attic’s intake and exhaust are not balanced, the shingle warranty is typically compromised and the ice-dam cycle keeps running. A proper quote addresses ventilation, even if only to confirm the existing setup is adequate. A quote that never mentions it was written from the driveway.
6. Warranty terms, in writing
Two separate things: the manufacturer’s warranty on materials, and the contractor’s workmanship warranty on the installation. Ask who registers the manufacturer warranty and what the workmanship term is. “We stand behind our work” is not a term.
Red flags that predict a bad job
- A price given without anyone on the roof or in the attic
- Pressure to sign today for a “storm discount”
- No WSIB coverage or liability insurance offered up front
- A deposit demand far ahead of any material order
- A total that is thousands below every other quote, with no scope difference you can identify. The money comes out somewhere, and it is usually the membrane, the deck, or the fastening.
Compare like for like
Take any quote you have, put it beside this list, and the price gaps usually explain themselves in five minutes. Reading the quote is only half the job. The other half is vetting the company behind it, and our guide to choosing a roofer in Collingwood covers the questions that separate a real local roofer from a storm-chaser. Our own quotes itemize all six lines with photos from the inspection, and we are happy to be compared line by line. See what goes into the numbers in our roof cost guide, or book a free inspection and get a quote you can actually read. Questions? (249) 499-0101.