How to Compare Roof Repair Quotes

Most of the gap between two repair quotes comes from a different opinion about why the roof is leaking. One roofer sees a stain below a chimney and assumes the chimney. Another goes into the attic, finds the water trail starting at a plumbing vent six feet uphill and quotes a pipe boot. Neither price means anything until you know which diagnosis is right.

Ask each roofer to put the cause in writing in one or two sentences, with photos: where the water gets in, why it fails there, and how they confirmed it (attic inspection, lifting shingles, a water test). A quote that only lists a fix, with no stated cause, cannot be compared to anything.

If the two diagnoses disagree, that is useful information, not a reason to pick the cheaper one. Ask each roofer why they ruled out the other's explanation. A good answer refers to something they saw, not something they assume.

Roofing on a house is licensed work in Michigan under Article 24 of the Occupational Code. The Administrative Code rules for residential builders and maintenance and alteration contractors set the basics of the paperwork. Rule 33 (R 338.1533) says all agreements and changes to agreements between the contractor and the customer must be in writing and signed, with copies given to the customer, and that the written agreement must clearly state the terms, including specifications, the cost, the type and amount of work to be done, and the type and quality of materials.

Rule 32 (R 338.1532) requires a licensee to include its name, license number and actual business address in all advertising; a phone number or post office box alone is not allowed. The Construction Lien Act adds that a contractor has no lien right on a home unless the work was done under a written contract that states the licensing requirement and, if a license is required, the contractor's license number (MCL 570.1114).

Two other rules matter when quotes come from a knock on the door. Under the Home Solicitation Sales Act, a buyer can cancel a home solicitation sale until midnight of the third business day after signing (MCL 445.112), with a narrow exception for emergencies that requires the buyer's own handwritten statement. And the Consumer Protection Act lists gross discrepancies between a seller's oral representations and the written agreement as an unfair practice (MCL 445.903(1)(y)). If a salesperson promised something, get it on the quote.

This is a summary of the rules, not legal advice. For a contract dispute, talk to a Michigan attorney.

Sometimes it is. If both roofers agree on the cause, both remove and replace the failed part, and the products and warranty are similar, a lower price may simply reflect a smaller company, a lighter schedule or a route that already passes your street. Bundling also lowers the per-item cost: one visit that handles three small problems costs less than three visits.

The cheaper quote is the wrong one when the gap comes from a smaller scope you did not notice, from reusing worn flashing, from leaving out the hidden-damage plan, or from a warranty that covers nothing that matters. LARA's own consumer advice is not to choose the lowest bidder automatically, and to get written estimates with detailed specifications on materials, labor, timeline and total charges.

Repairs also have a floor. Every Stellar repair starts at $500, because a trip, safe access, tools and a company behind the work cost the same whether the fix takes an hour or four. Minor repairs run $500 to about $1,500, moderate repairs about $1,500 to $4,000, and major work $4,000 and up.