A Homeowner Grilled Me About a $42,000 Tile Roof Quote. Here Are My Answers.

Does the $42,000 include all new flashing around roof penetrations, walls, and the chimney, including the chimney cricket if needed?

Yes, all of it. On a full tile replacement we replace every flashing on the roof: the tile pan, the chimney cricket, the metal drip edge, the step flashings along the walls, the tile risers and birdstops sized for the standard weight tile going on, and every pipe flashing. Reusing old flashings on a new roof is one of the most common corners cheap bids cut, and it is where the leaks come back first. New roof means new flashings, period.

The proposal includes up to 300 square feet of OSB replacement. Does that cover the deck repairs you would normally expect on a job like mine?

Yes. Three hundred square feet of deck replacement covers what we typically find on a house that size once the old roof comes off. In our experience we usually do not need that much, but it is written into the contract so you know exactly where you stand before anyone climbs a ladder. If your deck turns out cleaner than expected, great. If it needs work, it is already covered instead of becoming a surprise change order.

Does the price include my choice of any standard Westlake concrete tile profile and color, or do certain styles cost more?

The price includes your choice from the standard Westlake tile catalog, any profile, any color, with no price adjustment for style. Pick what looks right on your home, not what fits a budget line.

One thing we hold firm on: we only install standard weight tile. We do not install lightweight tile, because in our experience it is brittle. It cracks underfoot during future maintenance, it chips in handling, and it does not earn its discount over the decades your roof has to live. Standard weight concrete tile is the honest product, so that is what we quote.

Approximately how much should I expect the permit reimbursement to be?

In Rancho Cucamonga, expect the permit to run between $600 and $750 for a home this size. We pull the permit, you get the receipt, and it comes back to you as a reimbursement, documented on paper like everything else on the job. If a bid does not mention a permit at all, ask why. I wrote a whole post on what skipping the permit really costs you.

Does the 10-year labor warranty cover leaks or other problems caused by installation or workmanship during that period?

Yes. The labor warranty covers leaks caused by the installation for the full 10 years. There is no fine-print dance here: if the roof leaks because of something we did, you call us and we take care of you. That warranty sits on top of the manufacturer's coverage on the materials themselves.

Ask Every Bidder These Five Questions

Notice what these questions have in common: they all pin the bid down on paper. What exactly is included, how much deck repair, which tile, who pulls the permit, and what the warranty actually covers. An educated homeowner is our best customer, because our answers do not change when someone reads the contract closely.

Take these same five questions to every contractor bidding your roof. The ones with good answers will not mind. If you want the deeper version of how to read a roofing bid, start with how to compare roofing bids and what the permit really means, then look at how we do tile roofs.