Ask Each Roofer for a Blank Contract Before You Book

A roofing contract is usually written by the roofer, and most homeowners see it for the first time after they have already picked a company. That is backwards. Before you book a measuring visit, ask each roofer for a blank copy of the contract they use for jobs like yours. A blank copy costs them nothing to send, and it shows you the terms you will be agreeing to before anyone has walked your roof.

Why the blank copy comes before the visit

A roofing bid is built around a proposal, but the contract is what governs the work. The proposal lists the shingles, the number of squares and the price. The contract says when payment is due, what happens if the start date slips, who can change the scope, and where a dispute would be heard. Those clauses rarely come up in the sales conversation, and a homeowner comparing three bids at the kitchen table is unlikely to turn to the back page and read them. Asking for the blank form at the start puts the contract into the same comparison as the price.

Ask for the blank copy by name and by version. A roofer who uses a form from a supplier, a template from software and a hand-written addendum for certain jobs should be able to send all three. If the answer is that the contract is only available after the estimate, write that down and note which roofer said it. That is a fact you can compare, not a judgment about the company.

What to look for on each blank form

Start with the payment schedule. Some contracts tie each payment to a finished step, such as materials delivered to the lot, tear-off complete, or dry-in complete. Others tie payments to calendar dates, which can leave you paying for work that has not started. Check the deposit amount too, and whether the deposit is refundable if the job is cancelled before materials are ordered.

Next, read the start date clause. A contract that says the work will begin on or about a certain date is different from one that says the work will begin within a number of business days after materials arrive. In St. Louis that difference matters. A spring start can slide when the weather turns cold or wet, and the wording decides whether the slide is the roofer's problem or yours. Compare how each form handles weather days, supplier delays and crew scheduling, and whether the roofer has to tell you in writing when a date moves.

Then find the change order clause. Almost every roofing job changes a little after tear-off. Decking may need replacing, a valley may need more flashing, or a vent may turn out to be in the wrong place. The change order clause should say how the new work is priced, how you approve it and how long the roofer waits for your answer before the crew stops. A form with no change order clause is not a form with no changes. It only means the changes will be handled somewhere else, usually in a conversation nobody wrote down.

Where the contract should name the materials

The shingle line should be named in the contract, not only in the proposal. Keys installs Atlas and Malarkey shingles only, so a Keys contract should show those product names, the profile and the color you chose. For any roofer, check whether the form lets them substitute a different product without asking you first. Some forms say "or equal," which leaves the choice to the roofer after you have signed. If you see that phrase, ask what it means and get the answer attached to the contract.

Check the ice and water shield, underlayment and ventilation lines the same way. If the form says the roofer will install these items but does not name them, you cannot compare two contracts on those points. With a blank copy from each roofer, you can lay the three side by side and see which company has named the parts of the roof and which has left them as a general phrase.

Read the warranty and the cancellation terms

The contract should say what warranty the roofer offers, who provides it, and whether it is in writing separate from the contract. The length of the coverage and its exclusions belong in the document you receive, not in a verbal summary. Compare these terms exactly as they are written. Do not assume two warranties are the same because both use the word "lifetime." The form should explain what the warranty covers, what it excludes, and whom you call if something goes wrong.

Cancellation terms matter just as much. Look for the number of days you have to cancel after signing, whether the cancellation has to be in writing, and what you owe if you cancel after materials are ordered. A contract that charges a restocking fee or keeps a non-refundable deposit should say so in plain words. If the form says nothing about cancellation, ask the roofer what happens, then ask them to put the answer on the form.

What the blank copy will not tell you

A blank contract does not tell you whether the crew will show up on time, whether the foreman answers the phone, or whether the company stands behind its work after the final payment. Those questions need their own answers. Missouri does not license roofers, so the contract is one of the few documents you can compare directly, and it is worth reading closely for that reason. It does not replace asking who will be on your roof, but it does show what each company has agreed to put in writing.

Missouri also limits what a roofer can say about your insurance. Under RSMo 407.725, a roofing contractor may not represent or negotiate a homeowner's insurance claim, and may not say anything about paying, waiving or covering a deductible. If a blank form includes language about handling your claim or absorbing a deductible, stop and ask the roofer to explain it. The contractor can document damage, provide a written scope with photos and measurements, and attend the job as the contractor while you deal with your own insurer.

How to compare three blank forms

Lay the three blank contracts next to the three proposals. Mark each place where the contract and the proposal disagree. A disagreement is not automatically a problem, but it is a question to ask before you sign. Write down the page count of each form as well. A short form is not better because it is short, and a long form is not worse because it is long, but a short form often leaves more to verbal promises you cannot check later.

Keep the marked copies with your notes. When you call each roofer, refer to the exact clause by its section number. That keeps the conversation short and gives you a record of what each roofer agreed to explain.

If you want to see a Keys contract before you book a visit, call the office at (314) 220-2333 and ask whether a blank copy can be sent to you ahead of the appointment.