Roofers Near Me With Free Estimates: A Guide to Finding Reliable Roofing Quotes

We break down everything you need to know about getting a roofing estimate, helping you understand why quotes vary, how to negotiate prices and what you should look out for when working with roofing contractors. 

To get started, get a roofing quote from local professionals who understand your needs. 

Now, let’s dive into the essentials.

What Is the Formula for Estimate of Roofing?

When obtaining an estimate for a new roof, searching the internet for ‘residential roofers near me’ and ‘commercial roofers near me’ can give you a good list of professional roofing contractors to start with. Then we recommend diving a little deeper into each company listed in your search to understand which could be the best option for you and your home.

Each contractor likely uses various factors to determine pricing. The primary formula for estimating the cost of a roofing project involves:

• Roof Size: Most estimates are given in square feet, with roofing materials calculated by the square, where one square equals 100 square feet.
• Material: The type of roofing material (asphalt, metal, tile, etc.) significantly affects the cost. The style of shingle can also have an impact, where architectural shingles are often more expensive than 3-tab shingles. A company could use different types of underlayment, like tar paper or roofing felt, which can also make a difference. 
• Labor Costs: The complexity of the job and the skill required can influence labor costs. For example, roofs with multiple slopes or those that require special equipment will typically cost more. Another factor is if the team needs to remove more than one layer of shingles.  We’ve seen older houses that have four layers of shingles on their roof that need to be removed. While that’s currently against code, if you live out in rural areas or have an older home, this might be an unexpected hit to your roofing budget.
• Permit Fees and Inspection Costs: Local municipalities often require permits for roofing jobs, adding to the overall estimate.

By comparing quotes and knowing what each contractor would use for materials and what you can expect from their service, you’ll gain a clearer idea of what your specific home project requires. 

Read our blog to find out what goes into a Heartland roof inspection and estimate. 

How Many Quotes Should You Get for a New Roof?

A good rule of thumb is to get at least three quotes from different contractors. With that, you want to look at more than just the cost of the roof. This will give you a broad understanding of the pricing range and help you avoid overpaying. Additionally, it will allow you to spot outliers — whether a price seems too high or suspiciously low.

Here are some tips on how to deal with roofing contractors:

• Request Referrals: Contractors should provide references from past clients. If you’re just looking at the most recent Google reviews, you may not be getting the full picture. Look to customers from the past five years or so to see if this contractor has a longer history of good customer service.
• Verify Insurance and Licensing: Always confirm that contractors are licensed and insured in your state. Storm chasing contracting companies are out there, and when we have storms in the Midwest, it’s especially good to see if the company you’re looking into has a local office. This can help you determine if the company will be here to take care of any issue you may have in the future. You should also check that the company has workers’ compensation and liability insurance; if not, you’ll want to research what that could mean for you as the homeowner. 
• Warranty Information: What type of workmanship warranty do they have? What type of manufacturing warranty comes with the new roof? Those are two separate warranties, where the workmanship warranty will come from the roofing or install company, and the manufacturing warranty will be from the product material company. The National Roofing Contractors Association has a variety of resources available for homeowners seeking more information on warranties and other FAQs.

In addition to these tips, make sure to explore other online reviews and third-party platforms to confirm the legitimacy and quality of each contractor. 

Why Do Roofing Quotes Vary So Much?

The variation in roofing quotes can be frustrating, but understanding why they differ is essential to being confident in your choice for likely one of the largest investments you’ll make in your home. 

Some of the common variables include:

• Material Quality: Higher-quality materials, like Class 4 or steel shingles, can dramatically increase the cost.
• Labor Costs: Skilled labor is worth the investment. Labor costs can also vary based on the pitch and height of the roof, the size of the roof and other conditions. 
• Roof Condition: If a roof has significant structural damage or requires extra preparation, like removing multiple layers of old shingles, costs will increase.
• Technology: New tools like the instant roof quote tool on our website can streamline the process but may not always account for complex repairs. We always ensure a Heartland team member comes to your home and performs a thorough inspection to provide an accurate quote.

These factors, combined with regional labor rates and material availability, can cause pricing discrepancies between contractors. For example, the cost of labor in an urban area may be higher than in rural areas due to demand.

Is $30,000 Too Much for a Roof?

The price of a new roof can vary significantly based on several factors. According to HomeAdvisor the national average cost of a new roof is $9,462, but when using premium materials on a complicated roof structure prices can reach upwards of $47,000. 

So, is $30,000 too much for a roof? It’s hard to say. It could be a terrible price or a great price depending on the size and complexity of the roof. If you're buying a house with a 20-year-old roof, you should factor in the potential for higher costs due to extensive repairs or a complete replacement.

In some cases, particularly for large homes or commercial properties with several peaks or a roof with a high pitch, a $30,000 estimate may be reasonable — especially when using high-end materials, like steel, Class 4 or standing seam metal roofs. 

Always work with the Heartland team member helping you with your project to weigh the costs of premium materials versus standard options, like asphalt shingles, and to understand the warranties available to you.

What Is the Most Expensive Part of a New Roof?

The most expensive part of a new roof can vary; however, the total expense is typically divided into three major buckets — materials, labor and running a successful and customer-service oriented business. 

While many homeowners can understand the expense of high-quality materials and qualified skilled labor, the cost of running a business is often overlooked and undervalued. 

At Heartland, we have a full production department — which is uncommon for a lot of contractors. Included on our staff are production managers, who ensure we have the right partnerships and enough product for all of our projects; site supervisors who oversee one to three jobs every day to ensure everything's getting installed correctly and meets code. 

We have a service department, which includes a service manager and our service technicians. With them on our team, we’re able to take on smaller repair work, like leaks or other smaller jobs many other contractors might not have the resources for.

With the team we have in place, Heartland is able to provide a higher level of service — and that’s something every person on our team takes a lot of pride in.

How To Negotiate the Price of a New Roof

At Heartland, we have set prices. We don’t want your experience of investing in a new roof for your home to feel like you’re buying a used car. You can rest easy knowing that we are not going to charge you a higher price than your neighbor because they feel more comfortable asking for a lower price — or that we would charge you one price when we would be able to do the job for less. 

While negotiating a roofing contract isn’t something we do at Heartland, it is essential for you to be prepared for your conversation around the cost of your roofing project. Being prepared helps you feel more comfortable and confident. Here are some topics we are excited to talk to our homeowners about: 

• Variety of Materials: When having discussions about shingle style and material, know you have options. Ask about the materials performance aspects, like solar reflectance or impact resistance, and how that can impact their durability and maintenance. 
• Warranty Options: Some materials come with different warranties. Heartland is a platinum preferred contractor through Owens Corning, so we're able to offer additional or extended warranties, which could alter the investment cost.
• Financing Options: Heartland offers Veridian and Service Finance. To learn more about our financing options, check out our Financing page.

What Is the Biggest Problem Roofers Face?

One of the biggest challenges facing the roofing industry is its lag in adopting modern technology and data-driven practices compared to other home service industries.

A large percentage of the industry really doesn't have good enough stats to know their numbers. Many small contractors are focused on day-to-day operations rather than analyzing crucial business metrics such as pricing and employee compensation.

Without tracking vital business metrics, many roofing businesses may:

• Underestimate Costs: This can lead to underpricing their services, which affects profitability and sustainability in the long run.
• Pay Employees Inadequately: Without clear data, contractors might struggle to offer competitive wages, leading to employee dissatisfaction, high turnover rates, or difficulty attracting skilled labor.
• Provide Inconsistent Quality: By focusing solely on moving from one job to the next without understanding their numbers, contractors may compromise on quality or cut corners to make ends meet, further hurting their reputation.
• Miss Opportunities for Growth: Small contractors who don’t leverage data can't identify trends, inefficiencies, or areas for improvement, limiting their ability to scale and adapt to market changes.

Ultimately, the lack of technology and data usage makes it hard for roofing businesses to compete effectively, provide quality service and maintain financial health. This issue can lead to industry-wide inefficiencies, reinforcing negative stereotypes about roofing contractors being unreliable or inconsistent.

Why Do Roofers Have a Bad Reputation?

Unfortunately, the roofing industry can suffer from a bad reputation due to bad roofing contractors. Some common issues include:

• Lack of Communication: Contractors who fail to communicate effectively with clients can cause confusion and frustration. We believe in having open lines of communication throughout the entire process. We’ll ensure you know what’s happening with materials, timing expectations, installation and anything else that’s important to you. At Heartland, we have the staff in place where you can call our team and get an answer to any of your questions or concerns. 
• Subpar Workmanship: According to the Better Business Bureau, consumers report that nearly 50% of roofing complaints are related to substandard installations or poor customer service. When contractors are rushing through jobs due to money and time constraints, it leads to poor-quality installations. What does this mean for you? You can expect leaks and other roofing failures. 
• Unlicensed or Uninsured Contractors: Always ensure the contractor you hire is properly licensed and insured to avoid potential legal and financial issues. One thing you want to be aware of is if the company or their subcontracting company provides workman’s compensation and liability insurance. 
• Storm-chasing Contractors: After a devastating storm, like a derecho, roofing and siding companies will travel from outside of the Midwest to capitalize on the damage Iowa homeowners have endured on their houses. The problem is that these companies often install quickly and won’t be around to fix any issues that occur because of their focus on speed rather than quality. 

By thoroughly researching contractors, verifying their credentials and checking references, you can avoid these pitfalls.

When it comes to finding ‘roofers near me with free estimates,’ doing your research, comparing multiple quotes, and understanding the factors that influence pricing will help you make an informed decision. We encourage you to prioritize quality over cost to ensure your investment lasts for years to come.