Roofing bid: costs people forget
Most thin roofing jobs are not priced wrong on materials. They are missing a line.
Job cost = materials + dumpster and equipment + labor + permit and disposal + overhead
Price = job cost x (1 + markup)
Often-missed lines
- Dumpster and disposal
- Permits
- Equipment or rental
- Weather delay: labor hours that earn nothing.
- Crew travel time
- Change-order handling: time spent pricing, approving and tracking changes.
- Overhead
Illustrative example
Examples use made-up numbers. Education only, not tax, legal or investment advice.
The setup
- Materials: $6,500.00
- Dumpster and equipment: $450.00
- Labor: 48 hours x $34.00 = $1,632.00
- Permit and disposal: $600.00
The math
- Job cost = $6,500.00 + $450.00 + $1,632.00 + $600.00 = $9,182.00.
- Price at 35% markup = $9,182.00 x 1.35 = $12,395.70.
- Profit = $12,395.70 − $9,182.00 = $3,213.70.
- Margin = $3,213.70 divided by $12,395.70 = 25.93%.
What to remember
Compare the estimate with the actual after each job. The gap is the missing line; add it to the next bid.
Questions owners ask
How do I price weather delays?
Track paid hours lost to weather and add a per-job allowance based on your own history.
Is crew travel time a cost?
Yes: paid drive time is labor, even though it is not on the roof.
Why is margin lower than markup?
Margin divides profit by the higher price; markup divides by cost.
Check your next roofing bid
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Educational content, not tax, legal or investment advice.