“double-check what’s included in writing—cleanup, haul-away, even nails in the yard. All those “extras” add up fast.”
Couldn’t agree more about the fine print. One thing I’d add—when you’re budgeting for CertainTeed or any brand, break out every line: materials, labor, tear-off, wood replacement (per sheet), and disposal. I’ve seen contracts where “minor repairs” turn into a big bill. If your contractor balks at documenting rot or sending photos, that’s a red flag. Midwest weather is unpredictable for sure, but try to pin down a start date and ask how rain delays are handled cost-wise. That saved me some headaches last spring when storms hit mid-project.
That’s a good point about the “minor repairs” line—my uncle got burned on that a couple years back. His estimate looked solid, but once they started tearing off, suddenly there was “hidden rot” everywhere and the price shot up. They did send photos, but it was after the fact, so not much he could do. Has anyone had luck getting a fixed price for wood replacement, or is it always just “per sheet as needed”? I’m curious if that’s negotiable or just standard practice.
That “minor repairs” line is a classic headache. I’ve seen it catch folks off guard more times than I can count. The thing is, until you actually pull those shingles up, there’s just no way to know what’s lurking underneath—especially on older homes or places that have had a few leaks over the years. I get why people feel burned when the price jumps, even with photos after the fact. It feels like you’re stuck.
Now, about getting a fixed price for wood replacement—honestly, it’s pretty rare in my experience. Most roofers (myself included) will quote “per sheet as needed” for plywood or OSB because the amount of rot or damage is just too unpredictable. I’ve had jobs where we thought we’d need maybe two sheets and ended up replacing half the deck. Other times, it looked rough from below but was solid once we got up there.
That said, I’ve seen some homeowners negotiate a cap or at least get a ballpark range written into the contract. Like, “not to exceed X sheets without prior approval.” It’s not standard practice everywhere, but if you’re worried about budget surprises, it doesn’t hurt to ask. Some contractors are open to it if they think the risk is low.
One thing I always recommend: ask for photos before any wood gets replaced and make sure you see them before they start charging extra. A reputable crew should be willing to pause and show you what they found—especially if you’re on-site or reachable by phone.
If your roof’s got a lot of age or history of leaks, maybe budget a little extra just in case. But yeah, that “hidden rot” line item is one of those necessary evils in roofing... nobody likes it, but sometimes there’s just no way around it unless you want to gamble with skipping repairs.
Curious if anyone here has actually gotten a true fixed price deal on decking? I haven’t seen it much except on new builds or full tear-downs where everything’s exposed from the start.
I’ve seen plenty of contracts where “minor repairs” turned into a major wallet drain, especially on homes older than 30 years. Folks are always surprised, but honestly, you can’t tell what’s going on under those shingles until you’re in the thick of it. I’ve had clients swear their decking was fine, only for us to find whole sections rotted out from some slow leak nobody noticed. I do wish more contractors would offer a not-to-exceed clause, but I get why they’re hesitant—it’s a gamble for both sides. Best advice I can give is to budget for the worst, hope for the best, and get as many photos as you can during the tear-off.
Best advice I can give is to budget for the worst, hope for the best, and get as many photos as you can during the tear-off.
That’s solid advice—photos saved my bacon when a previous roofer tried to claim my decking was “all bad.” Turned out only a couple spots were sketchy. If you’re going CertainTeed, I’d also ask about their recycling program for old shingles (not every contractor bothers). Might cost a smidge more but feels better than dumping it all in a landfill. Just my two cents.