A roofing proposal is the document that closes a re-roof: the scope in plain words, the shingle or panel by brand and line, the underlayment and ventilation, the warranty, the exclusions, the total and the terms. Roofing proposals that win are specific about what is included, because the homeowner is comparing three of them and the vague one is the one they distrust. The roof estimate form is the other half: the sheet the estimator fills on the roof, facets, pitch, layers, decking, flashing, penetrations, that becomes the takeoff and then the price. The estimate template on this site works the price from that form's quantities with waste, labor at a loaded rate, overhead and markup.
The roof estimate form: what to write down on the roof
Each facet's dimensions and pitch, the number of layers to tear off, the decking condition and the sheets likely to need replacement, the drip edge and flashing to replace, the boots, vents and skylights, the chimney, the gutters, the access for the dumpster and the delivery, and photographs of anything that will become a change order. A form filled the same way on every roof is what makes the company's waste factor and hours per square real numbers.
The proposal: specific enough to be trusted
The proposal names the products, the color, the underlayment, the ice barrier where required, the ventilation, the flashing, the fasteners, the disposal of the old roof, the permit, the workmanship warranty alongside the manufacturer's, and what is excluded, with the price per sheet for decking replacement stated in advance. It shows one total and the payment schedule, and the date the price holds until. It does not show the squares, the hours or the markup.
Keep the form and the proposal together
The estimate form is the evidence when a homeowner asks why the decking cost extra, and the proposal is the record of what was promised. Pro on this site keeps every estimate against the customer and the property with the takeoff it was priced from, so a proposal that is signed two months after it was sent can be repriced from the form rather than argued from memory.
Questions people ask about roofing proposal
What should a roofing proposal include?
Scope, products by brand and line, underlayment and ventilation, flashing, disposal, permit, warranties, exclusions with the decking price per sheet, the total, the payment schedule and the validity date.
Should the proposal show the price per square?
Show one total; the squares, the hours and the markup belong to the estimate the company keeps, and a price per square invites the homeowner to shop the roof by the square.
Is a roof estimate form the same as the proposal?
No. The form is filled on the roof and produces the takeoff; the proposal is written from the takeoff and priced, and is what the homeowner signs.