FAQ

It depends entirely on what the $30,000 buys. An Elk Grove Village cost guide estimates a 20-square architectural roof with tear-off at about $9,000 to $15,000 and up, so for an ordinary house that total deserves questions. Statewide estimates run $12,620 to $73,040, so for a large, steep or complicated roof it can be fair. Ask for the square count, the layers off, the decking rate and the permit as separate lines; the total alone cannot settle it.

Published Illinois estimates run from about $12,620 to $73,040 depending on size, pitch and materials. Closer to home, an Elk Grove Village cost guide estimates a 20-square three-tab roof at about $4,000 to $10,000 and a 20-square architectural roof with tear-off at about $9,000 to $15,000 and up. Your own figure is a written quote once the roof has been measured.

Expect to. A full tear-off and re-roof needs a permit in essentially every jurisdiction that issues building permits, and in Elk Grove Village the question goes to the Village. The contractor doing the work normally pulls it, and it should appear on the quote as its own line. If one quote has no permit line, ask why.

Nationally, roof repairs run from about $300 to $3,000 and up, with an average of around $900. In Elk Grove Village, a local cost table estimates leak repair at $500 to $1,600 and storm repair at $550 to $2,400. A few lifted shingles sit at the low end; a valley rebuilt or a chimney reflashed sits higher.

Look at the quote as much as the company. A good one shows the roof was measured (a square count), the layers were counted, the decking is priced per sheet, and the license number, permit and both warranties are written down. It should read the same way as the other quotes you have, so you can compare them line by line.

Leaks in more than one place at once; shingles curling, cupping or bare of granules across whole slopes; a sag you can see from the street; daylight through the deck in the attic; and repairs needed every season. Asphalt shingles are generally rated at 15 to 30 years, so age is a prompt to have the roof looked at, not a verdict. One sign on its own is usually a repair.

Usually the labor on a large or complicated roof, and the decking nobody could see until the old roof came off. The square count drives the labor and the materials together, and extra layers add to tear-off and disposal. That is why those lines should be priced separately on every quote you compare.

There are usually two. The manufacturer's warranty covers the materials; the roofer's workmanship warranty covers the installation. Terms differ by product and by installer, and some makers' longest terms apply only to certain homes: one major maker's lifetime limited warranty applies only to single-family detached homes owned by individuals. Ask every roofer to name both warranties in writing.