Thomas RoofingBy Thomas Construction (opens in a new tab)

For Connecticut homeowners with a roofing quote in hand

Before you sign that roofing quote, check these 7 things.

When two quotes for the same house are thousands apart, it’s usually because they cover different work. Here’s how to read yours line by line, and how to get a second price without sitting through another sales visit.

Zach Thomas Caldwell, OwnerYann Luc Sylvester, Head of Sales & MarketingFrom the Thomas Roofing team · October 2026

Why we ask: your address lets us find your roof in aerial imagery and town records and measure it. No one comes to your house unless you ask, and we never sell your information.

Rather talk to someone first? Call (860) 710-5862

If you’re reading this, it probably sounds like this

  • “Is this a fair price, or am I getting taken?”
  • “The two quotes don’t even list the same things.”
  • “The salesman said the discount was only good if I signed that night.”
  • “I don’t want to sit through another two-hour presentation just to get a second number.”

You’re right to check. A roof is one of the biggest repairs a house gets, and a quote is only as good as what it actually includes.

7 things to check before you sign

Put your quote next to this list. Anything it doesn’t answer in writing is a question to ask before you sign.

  1. Is it a full tear-off?

    Every layer of old roofing removed down to the deck, with the dumpster and disposal in the price. Shingling over an old layer is cheaper now and hides problems you’ll pay for later.

    Ask them: Are you removing every layer, and is disposal included?

  2. What happens if the decking is rotten?

    Every older roof has some. A good quote says how many damaged sheets are included and what each extra sheet costs. Ours lists both before you sign, and an extra sheet is about $135.

    Ask them: How many sheets are included, and what’s the price per extra sheet?

  3. Exactly which shingles?

    The manufacturer, the product line and the color, by name. “Architectural shingles” on its own could mean several products at very different prices.

    Ask them: Which shingle line, exactly?

    Ready to see your number?

    See what a new roof costs on your house, from aerial measurement, before anyone comes out.

    Get My Roofing Estimate

  4. Where does the ice and water shield go?

    Code requires it at the eaves. Better installs also run it through the valleys and around chimneys and vents, or over the whole roof. It’s the layer that stops ice dams from becoming leaks.

    Ask them: How far up from the eaves does it run, and where else does it go?

  5. Is the flashing new or reused?

    Chimney, wall and skylight flashing is where many leaks start. Reusing old flashing saves time on the job. Replacing it is the durable fix.

    Ask them: Is the chimney flashing replaced or reused? Are all the pipe boots new?

  6. How will the attic breathe?

    Ventilation affects how long shingles last and whether you get ice dams. A ridge vent, or a plan for the existing vents, should be written in.

    Ask them: How will the attic be ventilated?

  7. Is the paperwork right?

    Connecticut requires a written contract with the contractor’s registration number, start and completion dates, and your right to cancel. The permit and a written workmanship warranty belong in it too.

    Ask them: What’s your Connecticut registration number? Then look it up online.

The full checklist, with every line item →

Quote checker

Check your quote in two minutes

Go down the list with your quote in hand. For each line, does your quote say it in writing?

  1. 1.Full tear-off down to the deck, with disposal included

  2. 2.The exact shingle manufacturer and product line

  3. 3.Synthetic underlayment over the whole roof

  4. 4.Where the ice and water shield goes

  5. 5.New chimney and wall flashing, not reused

  6. 6.Pipe boots and vents replaced

  7. 7.A plan for attic ventilation

  8. 8.Damaged decking sheets included, and the price per extra sheet

  9. 9.What a second layer of shingles would add

  10. 10.The building permit and the town’s sign-off

  11. 11.Cleanup and a magnetic nail sweep

  12. 12.A written workmanship warranty, separate from the manufacturer’s

  13. 13.A start date and a completion date

  14. 14.The contractor’s Connecticut registration number

0 of 14 checked

Answer a line to see what to ask about.

What signing too fast can cost

about $135

is what we charge per sheet of rotted decking beyond what your option includes, written into your contract before you sign. Ask what yours charges.

  • Surprise decking bills

    If a quote doesn’t say how many sheets are included or what extras cost, every sheet found during tear-off becomes a new charge, priced after the old roof is already off.

  • An open-ended second layer

    A roof with two layers costs more to tear off. A quote that doesn’t say what happens if a second layer turns up leaves that number open.

  • Corners cut where you can’t see them

    Reused flashing, ice and water shield only where code demands it, no plan for ventilation. None of it shows on day one. All of it shows in a few winters.

  • A deadline that isn’t real

    A price that vanishes if you don’t sign tonight is a sales technique, not a cost. A fair quote is still fair next week.

None of this means your quote is bad. It means you should know exactly what you’re comparing before you sign.

How it works

How to get a second price, without a second pitch

  1. 1

    Check your quote with the tool above

    Go through it item by item and see what’s covered, what’s missing, and what to ask.

  2. 2

    See our price on your actual roof

    Enter your address. We measure your roof from aerial imagery and town records and show three options with every scope item listed, so you can compare line by line.

  3. 3

    No visit, no pitch

    Nobody comes to the house to show you a price. If you go ahead, a technician confirms the final price before you sign anything.

  4. 4

    Talk it through if you’d like

    Call (860) 710-5862 with your quote in hand. We’ll tell you what we’d ask about, even if you end up going with them.

Who you’ll be dealing with

The people behind your roof

Thomas Roofing is run by Thomas Construction, a veteran-owned Connecticut contractor. These are the people behind it.

  • Zach Thomas Caldwell, Owner

    Zach Thomas Caldwell

    Owner

    A veteran and lifelong builder, Zach founded Thomas Construction and sets the standard for every roof we put on: done correctly, communicated honestly, and finished clean.

  • Yann Luc Sylvester, Head of Sales & Marketing

    Yann Luc Sylvester

    Head of Sales & Marketing

    Yann answers homeowners’ questions by phone and email and makes sure your price, your options and your next step are clear, so nobody has to come to your house to explain them.

Rather talk to someone first? Call (860) 710-5862

Questions people ask

Should I just pick the lowest quote?+

Only if it covers the same work. Check the tear-off, flashing, ice and water shield, decking and warranty first. A lower total often means less is included.

Will you match another company’s price?+

No. Our price comes from your roof’s measurements and the option you choose, the same way for everyone, so it doesn’t move to match a number. What we can do is show you exactly what’s included, so you can see whether the two quotes cover the same work.

Is the online price the real price?+

It’s a range based on your actual roof, measured from aerial imagery and town records. What aerial data can’t see, like a second layer of shingles or damaged decking, is why it’s a range. A technician confirms the final price before you sign.

Get a second number before you sign.

Your roof, three options and every scope item spelled out, in minutes. No visit, no pitch.

Rather talk to someone first? Call (860) 710-5862

Not quite your situation?

Get My Roofing Estimate