Why are some roofing quotes so much cheaper than others?

Greater Victoria quotes vary more than mainland quotes because the housing stock varies more. A crew that mostly re-roofs 1970s Gordon Head and Broadmead gables will quote a Fairfield or Fernwood house with three dormers and a brick chimney the same simple way, and the price will look great until tear-off reveals plank sheathing and rotten valleys. The cheaper quote is not dishonest; it just never priced the roof you actually own.

Disposal is a real local cost. Old shingles from the core municipalities go to Hartland landfill in Saanich, and a moss-laden double layer weighs far more than a clean single layer. Some quotes bury the bin and tipping fees in the price, some list them, and a few leave them as an extra. The same is true of the deposit and the payment schedule, which is where the cheapest quote is sometimes the riskiest one.

Put the quotes side by side and tick off each item: layers removed, disposal, underlayment brand, ice-and-water coverage, flashing (new or re-used), pipe boots, vents, the exact shingle line and colour, decking allowance, cleanup, and both warranties. A quote that names all of those and lands in the middle is usually the safest buy. A quote missing three or more is not a lower price; it is a smaller job.

Ask each roofer for the roof area in squares. Without it you cannot see whether one estimator measured 18 squares and another guessed 15, which alone explains a 15 to 20 percent difference.

Not every low quote is a trap. A smaller company with lower overhead, a crew that already has a job on your street, a shoulder-season booking in October or March, or a shingle line the supplier is clearing can all shave real money without cutting scope. The tell is that the cheaper quote still lists the same materials and steps as the others; only the number changed.

• Off-peak timing (late fall, early spring)
• Lower overhead, owner on the crew
• Bulk shingle purchasing or a discontinued colour
• Simple gable roof with easy driveway access

Treat a quote with caution if it is more than a third below the others, asks for a large cash deposit, does not name the shingle product, has no WorkSafeBC or liability insurance details, or says flashing will be sealed rather than replaced. RCABC member contractors can offer RoofStar third-party guarantees, and the cheapest quote is rarely from one of them; that is not proof of a problem, but it is a reason to ask what warranty you are actually getting.