Lindon, UT · Serving Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, Summit and Wasatch counties
(385) 438-3591
Lindon, UT · Serving Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, Summit and Wasatch counties
(385) 438-3591
The line items on a roofing estimate worth paying for are the ones that keep water out. That means ice and water shield, ventilation, drip edge and starter strip. Upgraded nails and premium underlayment are where you can save. Every item is padding if the crew installs it badly, so I'd pick the better company and the cheaper shingle.
Pay for ice and water shield, ventilation, drip edge and starter strip, and save on nails and top-tier underlayment.
Those four protect the edges, valleys and attic, where a Utah roof takes the most water, wind and heat.
Ask each roofer to show you these line items on their estimate, by name.
On a Utah roof, pay for the ice and water shield, the ventilation and the edges. Then hire the company that will put them on right.
Mattie Tueller, Master Roofing
The roofer matters more than any single line item, because good materials still leak when a crew puts them on wrong. You can buy the best products made and still get a leak if the contractor does a bad job.
So before you compare line items, compare who will install them:
Every item on an estimate is padding if the company installing it does poor work. The questions to ask before you hire a roofer have their own answer.
The line items worth paying for are the ones that protect the roof's edges, valleys and attic. These four change how long a roof lasts:
You can save on the line items that do not change how long the roof lasts. Two stand out:
The shingle tier is another place to give ground, as long as a good company installs it. How to get a roof that won't fail without paying the highest price has the full answer.
To read a roofing estimate, go through it in three steps:
| Line item | What to ask |
|---|---|
| Ice and water shield | Where does it go, and what grade is it? |
| Ventilation | How much does my attic need by code, and which vents meet it? |
| Drip edge | Is it bent to my roof's pitch? |
| Starter strip | Is it real starter strip at the eaves and rakes? |
| Underlayment | Which synthetic is it, and how heavy? |
A bid that leaves these out can look cheaper for the wrong reason, which is one way roofing quotes land thousands of dollars apart.
As a roofing company owner in Utah, I get asked which upgrades are worth it all the time. If it were my own house and money were tight, I would spend extra on the ice and water shield, 100 percent. That's because it seals the edges and valleys, where the most water runs.
A line item only helps if it goes on right, though. Plenty of roofers buy good products and still install them wrong, because nobody ever trained them on the specs. That's why at Master Roofing, a Utah roofing company, we train our people every month. We check their work, so each product does what it should.
So spend where water and wind hit hardest: ice and water shield, ventilation, drip edge and starter strip. Save on the nails and the fanciest underlayment. A better company with a lower-priced shingle will give you a better roof than the reverse. You end up paying for the parts that keep your house dry.
This article is general information about Utah roofs, not an assessment of yours. Every roof is different, and no article can tell you what is actually happening on your specific house. Have a licensed roofing contractor look at it in person before you act on anything here.
Ice and water shield is worth paying more for, especially on a lower-slope Utah roof. It goes at the lowest edge and in the valleys, where the most water runs, and it seals around every nail. Better grades seal better. If you are on a budget, it is one of the first places to spend.
Ridge vent is not an upsell when your roof needs it, because ventilation is required by code. The real question is which vent fits your house. Ridge vent works well on long ridges, since it spreads air evenly and sits where little water runs. On other roof shapes, other vents can do the job better.
You need custom drip edge if your roof is steeper than 9/12. Stock drip edge is bent at 90 degrees, and on a steep roof it pulls its nails and sends water sideways along the edge. That water rots the wood at the bottom of the roof. Drip edge bent to your pitch lets the water run straight off.
Upgraded roofing nails are worth it only when the shingle maker requires them. Most nail problems come from how long the nails are and how the crew sets its nail guns. Code requires nails long enough to go 3/4 inch into the roof deck, or all the way through a thinner one. A good crew also checks its gun pressure.
We're here to see what's going on with your roof. A real assessment starts with your history and your attic, not a number from the driveway. You'll get a straight answer about what's up there, what it needs, and what it costs. Sometimes the honest answer is: your roof looks great.