What To Put In A Roofing Service Agreement (And What Happens If You Don't Have One)
A roofing service agreement needs the standard sections — scope, pricing, insurance, termination — plus three that carry more weight in this trade than almost any other: permits, hidden decking damage, and a clear split between the workmanship warranty and the manufacturer warranty. Get those three wrong, or leave them unwritten, and disputes on a roofing job tend to be expensive ones.
A real scenario this actually prevents
Tear-off begins and the decking underneath turns out to be rotted in a section that wasn't visible before the old shingles came off — a common, genuine surprise in this trade, not a sign of anything done wrong. Without a written hidden-decking-damage clause, the homeowner may reasonably assume the original quote should cover it, and the contractor is stuck either eating the cost or having an awkward argument mid-project. With the clause in place — photograph the damage, provide a written change order with cost, get approval before proceeding — it's a normal, expected step instead of a fight.
What actually needs to be in it
1. Scope of work
The inspection, repair, or replacement work described in the quote, with anything outside that scope requiring separate approval.
2. Permits and code compliance
State clearly who files any required building permits — typically the company — and confirm the work will meet local code, including underlayment and ice/water shield requirements where required.
3. Hidden decking damage
The clause described above: photograph it, provide a written change order with cost, get approval before proceeding with that decking.
4. Warranty — two separate ones
Most homeowners don't know a new roof carries two distinct warranties: the company's own workmanship warranty on the installation, and the manufacturer's warranty on the materials themselves, which the company doesn't control. Spelling this out prevents a homeowner from assuming one warranty covers everything.
5. Weather and scheduling
The right to reschedule for rain, high wind, or freezing temperatures that affect sealing or worker safety, with the client notified of the schedule and any changes.
6. Property protection and cleanup
Reasonable care for landscaping, gutters, and siding during tear-off, plus a magnetic sweep of the property — driveway and adjacent lawn included — to collect loose nails before the job is considered complete.
7. Pricing, payment, and insurance claims
The price on file, deposit and progress-payment terms, and a plain statement of whether the company assists with insurance claims — and if so, that the homeowner is responsible for their own claim and no specific settlement is guaranteed.
A template like this is a starting point, not legal advice. Permits, warranty terms, and hidden-damage language matter more in this trade than in most home services, and requirements vary significantly by state and municipality — a licensed attorney's review is worth it here.
Why these three sections carry more weight than the rest
A dispute over a missed spot on a lawn or a streak on a driveway is a minor inconvenience. A dispute over who pays for rotted decking, or which warranty covers a leak two years out, is a five-figure argument. The three clauses above exist specifically because roofing's stakes are high enough that "we'll handle it if it comes up" isn't good enough.