Free roofing estimate template with real line items

By Gavin Harris, Staxen. Updated 2026-09-08.

This free roofing estimate template is organized by the square, 100 sf per square, the way every roofer measures. It covers tear-off, decking replacement priced per sheet, underlayment and flashing, shingles and ventilation, and labor with the steep-slope adder. A PDF version you can download is included on this page.

Tear-off and deck

Underlayment and flashing

Shingles and ventilation

Labor

Example scope

Tear off one layer on a 28 square hip roof and re-roof with architectural shingles: synthetic underlayment throughout, ice and water shield at eaves and both valleys, new drip edge, step flashing, and two pipe boots, ridge vent across 42 lf. Decking replacement beyond two sheets billed at the written per-sheet price. Dumpster, magnet sweep, and haul-off included.

What a roofing estimate must include

Measured squares with the waste factor shown

State the measured roof area and the waste you applied: 10 percent is typical on a simple gable, 15 percent or more on a cut-up hip roof with valleys. Showing the waste math is what separates your bid from the guy who measured from the driveway.

A per-sheet price for decking replacement

You cannot see rot until tear-off. Put a unit price in the estimate now: replacement per 4x8 sheet, which is about $34 in OSB material plus labor, with the first sheet or two included if you like. This single line prevents the worst argument in roofing.

Code items on their own lines

Ice and water shield at eaves and valleys is code in cold climates, and drip edge is now required in most jurisdictions. Line them out separately so the client sees code cost, not padding, and so your bid survives comparison with one that quietly omits them.

Ventilation math

Say how the roof will breathe: ridge vent by the foot or box vents by the each, with intake checked. Shingle warranties lean on ventilation, and an unvented attic cooks shingles from below. Two lines on the estimate cover it.

Disposal, access, and steep charges

The dumpster, the drive protection, and the second-story or steep-slope labor adder are real costs. Carry them as visible lines. A 28 square tear-off generates several tons of debris, and eating the disposal fee because it was not written down is a self-inflicted wound.

Payment schedule and expiration

Typical structure is a deposit at signing, a draw at material delivery, and the balance on completion. Shingle prices move seasonally, so cap the estimate at 30 days. State that concealed decking and fascia rot bill at the written unit prices via change order.

Estimating mistakes that cost roofers money

No unit price for rotten decking

Tear-off reveals the rot, and without a written per-sheet price you are negotiating from the roof. Put the number in the estimate before you win the job, when it costs the client nothing to agree to it.

One waste factor for every roof

A simple gable wastes 10 percent. A hip roof with three valleys and two dormers can waste 15 to 18. Applying the gable number to the cut-up roof means buying the difference out of your own pocket, a square at a time.

Skipping the code lines to look cheaper

Leaving off ice barrier and drip edge wins the comparison and fails the inspection. Bid to code, label the lines as code items, and let the cheap bid explain itself when the inspector shows up.

Flat labor across pitch and height

An 8/12 second-story roof takes materially longer per square than a 4/12 ranch, with staging and harness time on top. Carry the steep and height adder as its own rate instead of averaging it away and losing on every steep job.

Forgetting the small metal

Step flashing at $0.95 a piece, pipe boots at $15, a chimney kit at $96. Individually small, collectively a few hundred dollars, and reusing the old metal is where leaks come from. Count them at the site visit.

Frequently asked questions

What is a roofing square?

One square is 100 square feet of roof area, and the whole trade prices in it: shingles, underlayment, tear-off, and labor. A 2,800 sf roof is a 28 square job before waste. Waste of 10 to 15 percent gets added on top depending on how cut up the roof is.

How should decking replacement be priced?

Per 4x8 sheet, written into the estimate before tear-off. OSB material is around $1.05 per sf, call it $34 a sheet plus labor. Nobody can see the rot in advance, so the honest move is a pre-agreed unit price rather than a mid-job renegotiation.

What does a roofing estimate usually exclude?

Fascia and rafter repair beyond a stated allowance, gutter replacement, interior repairs from pre-existing leaks, and masonry work on deteriorated chimneys. Exclusions in writing protect both sides: the client knows the boundary and you are not eating carpentry you never bid.

Does an insurance job change the estimate?

The structure stays the same but the line items should mirror the adjuster's scope so the carrier can match them. Be aware Staxen does not do insurance supplement processing, so if you work supplements heavily you will run that part of the process yourself or with a dedicated service.

How do I fill this out fast?

Say the job out loud, 28 squares, one layer tear-off, architectural, and Eddie, Staxen's estimator, drafts this structure with priced lines you can adjust and text to the homeowner for e-signature. Eddie is $59 per month, first job free, no card required.

Start free with Staxen: your first job is on us, no card required.