How to read a roof replacement estimate in Richmond, VA: what to compare before you sign

We are an information site, not a roofing contractor.

Why we do not quote a price

Roof prices in Virginia are market estimates. No state or city agency publishes a price list, so we have no official figure we can responsibly give you. Numbers you find online come from cost guides and estimating sites, are averages over very different jobs, and age quickly. Instead of a number to anchor on, use the estimates themselves: get at least two in writing and compare them line by line.

What to line up in two estimates

• The roof surface. Ask each company to state the roof area and how it was measured, so both bids price the same surface.
• Tear-off. Does the old roof come off, how many layers, and who hauls it away?
• Materials. The shingle, slate or metal product by name, plus the underlayment, flashing and vents that are included.
• Decking. How rotted or damaged boards will be priced, who approves that cost before the work is done, and whether you get photos.
• The extras. Gutters, chimney flashing, porch roofs and rear additions: included, or priced separately?
• Permits and approvals. Who applies for them, and whether the price changes if one is required.
• Payment and dates. The start and finish dates, the payment schedule and the exact down payment. Virginia requires these in a written contract; see below.

An estimate that leaves out one of these is not necessarily wrong, but you cannot compare it with one that includes it. Ask the company to add the missing line in writing.

Why two Richmond estimates for "the same roof" can differ

The median house in Richmond was built in 1959, compared with 1980 for the median American home. U.S. Census Bureau Older houses are more likely to have older flashing, older gutters and older decking, and a fair estimate says in writing what happens if hidden damage turns up once the old roof comes off. Ask: how will you price rotted decking, who approves it before the work is done, and will you show me photos?

Richmond also has fewer detached houses than most cities. About 45% of homes are detached, against roughly 61% nationally, and townhouses and large apartment buildings make up a bigger share. U.S. Census Bureau If you live in a rowhouse in Church Hill, the Fan or Jackson Ward, the roof may be low-slope and may meet your neighbor's at the party wall. Make sure each estimate states where its work stops and which surfaces, such as a porch roof or rear addition, are included.

If your home sits in one of the city's historic districts, the roofing material and color may also need approval from the Commission of Architectural Review before any estimate is meaningful. Our guide to re-roofing in a historic district explains how to check.

Do you need a permit?

Under the state building code (Virginia USBC section 108.2, item 14.5), replacing the roof covering on a house or townhouse generally does not require a permit, provided the area's design wind speed is no more than 100 miles per hour. The exceptions that matter here: locally designated historic districts and special flood hazard areas, where the building official may require one. Virginia regulations

We could not verify Richmond's design wind speed, and we did not find a City page devoted to re-roofing permits, so do not rely on a contractor's "you don't need one" or "I'll handle it." Ask the City directly. The phone number for Richmond's Permits and Inspections office is 804-646-4169, answered Monday to Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., and permit applications are filed online. City of Richmond Permits and Inspections Whatever the answer, have the estimate say who is responsible for any permit and who pays.

Is the person quoting you allowed to?

Virginia requires a state contractor license for most work or bids over $1,000, roofing work is covered by the ROC specialty and also by the RBC and CBC classes and the HIC and CIC specialties, and a local business license does not count. Virginia DPOR

License classes depend on dollar amounts. Class C covers a single contract above $1,000 and below $30,000, as long as the contractor's contracts add up to less than $250,000 in twelve months. Class B starts at $30,000 per contract, and Class A at $150,000. Code of Virginia A single contract inside the statewide range above is under the $30,000 line, which is the per-contract limit for Class C. You can look up a company's license, class and specialty by name or license number on the DPOR license lookup page. Virginia DPOR Do the lookup before you sign, using the exact company name on the estimate.

What the written contract has to say

Virginia's contractor regulations require a written contract for residential work, signed by both sides before work begins or money is collected, with a signed copy handed to you before work starts. It must state, among other items: start and completion dates; the total price; the payment schedule and the specific amount of any down payment; the materials and work you asked for; the contractor's name, address, license number, class and specialty; and that any change must be in writing and signed by everyone. Work that stops for more than 30 days without good reason counts as abandonment. Virginia regulations

The regulation requires the down payment to be written down; it does not set a cap on it. So the protection is yours to supply: ask how much is due up front and why, and tie later payments to finished stages of the work.

After a storm, knocks on the door

Storms bring out crews that go door to door. In Virginia, a home solicitation sale can be canceled in writing until midnight of the third business day after you sign. A mailed notice counts once it is in the mailbox. The exception: if you asked for emergency work to start right away and signed a dated, written waiver of your right to cancel. Code of Virginia Be careful with any waiver form that arrives with a deadline.

DPOR advises staying away from anyone who demands cash or a payment-app transfer, refuses a written contract, or will not give references or proof of credentials. Virginia DPOR

Questions? Call (804) 764-9710 — we are a local roofing information service, not a contractor.