How to quote a roofing job in Australia

Quoting a roofing job accurately starts with a thorough site inspection, measuring roof area and pitch, identifying access and safety requirements, and factoring materials, labour, waste and compliance costs. Australian roofers who quote fast, itemise clearly, and follow up once consistently win more work than those who undercut on price alone. This guide walks through each step so you can quote with confidence and protect your margin.

Start with a proper site inspection

The difference between a profitable roofing job and one that costs you money almost always comes down to what you found, or missed, at the site inspection. Before you put a single number on paper, you need to walk the property and answer a few questions.

Measure the roof area. Most roofers work in square metres and factor in the roof pitch, because a steeper pitch means more material and more labour. A simple gable roof is straightforward. A hip roof with multiple valleys, box gutters, and penetrations for vents and skylights takes longer and costs more.

Check the existing roof condition. If it is a re-roof, are there signs of asbestos in the old sheeting? In most Australian states, asbestos removal requires a licensed removalist and a separate scope of work. Missing this at the quote stage means absorbing a cost you did not price for.

Look at the battens and sarking underneath, if you can access them. Rotten or undersized battens on an older home can add a full day of carpentry before a single sheet goes on. Factor it in or note it as a provisional allowance so the customer is not surprised.

Assess access and safety. Does the house need scaffolding? Is there a two storey drop on one side? Are there power lines close to the roof edge? Each of these adds cost, and each has a compliance requirement under state WHS regulations. Quote it explicitly, because if you absorb it silently, it comes straight off your margin.

What to include in your roofing quote

A clear, itemised quote builds trust and reduces the chance the homeowner gets three more quotes to compare. Here is what a professional roofing quote in Australia should cover.

• Materials. List the roofing material (Colorbond, concrete tiles, terracotta, slate), the profile or colour, and the quantity. Include flashing, ridge capping, valley irons, screws, sarking, and any accessories. Where possible, note the manufacturer and warranty period for the materials.
• Labour. Break labour into the main tasks: strip and remove existing roof (if applicable), install battens or purlins, lay new roofing, fit flashings and gutters, and clean up. A day rate or a total labour line is fine, but a single lump sum with no breakdown makes customers nervous.
• Waste removal. Old roofing material has to go somewhere. Include skip bin or tip fees as a line item. If asbestos is present, the disposal cost is significantly higher and must comply with state EPA requirements.
• Scaffolding and safety. If the job needs scaffolding, edge protection, or a roof harness system, quote it as a visible line. This is not a place to hide cost, it is a place to show the homeowner you take safety seriously.
• Compliance and licensing. Every state has different rules. In NSW, residential building work over $5,000 requires a licence under the Home Building Act. In Queensland, work above $3,300 requires a QBCC licence. In several other states roofing is not separately licensed but may fall under domestic building thresholds. Check your state's building authority for the current requirements for your trade class. Include your licence number and insurance details on every quote. It is not optional, and it is one of the easiest trust signals for a homeowner comparing three roofers.
• Warranty and terms. State what you warrant (workmanship for a defined period, manufacturer warranties passed through) and what you do not. Include your payment terms: a deposit amount, progress payments if applicable, and the balance on completion. Clear terms up front prevent disputes later.

Follow up or lose the job

Industry benchmarks suggest that up to 40% of residential trade quotes never receive a response either way. The homeowner gets busy, puts it in a drawer, or forgets who quoted what. A single polite follow up within three to five days of sending the quote recovers a meaningful share of that silent pipeline.

The follow up does not need to be pushy. A short call or text message asking whether they had any questions, or whether they would like to go ahead, is enough. If they have gone with someone else, you know and you can move on. If they have not decided yet, you are the roofer who cared enough to check in.

Roofers who use quoting software or job management apps can automate this step. The quote goes out, the app waits three days, and a follow up message sends automatically. No sticky notes, no forgetting.

Pricing structures that protect your margin

There are two common ways to price a roofing job in Australia, and each has trade offs.

Fixed price (lump sum). The homeowner gets one number for the whole job. This is the norm for straightforward re-roofs and gutter replacements. The risk sits with you: if the job takes longer or materials cost more, you absorb it. The upside is that customers prefer the certainty and are more likely to say yes.

Cost plus (time and materials). You charge for actual materials plus an hourly or daily labour rate. This protects you on complex or uncertain jobs (storm damage, heritage restorations, commercial roofing with unknown substrate). The customer carries the risk, so you need to give them a clear estimate range and keep them updated as the job progresses.

Many experienced roofers use a hybrid approach. Quote a fixed price for the defined scope, with provisional allowances for anything uncertain (batten replacement, asbestos removal, structural repairs). If the provisional item is not needed, the customer pays less. If it is needed, the cost was already flagged and agreed.

Common roofing jobs and what shapes the price

Every roof is different, but the variables that move the price are consistent across most jobs.

• Re-roof (full replacement). The biggest variables are roof area, pitch, material choice, and whether the old roof contains asbestos. A simple single storey re-roof in Colorbond on a home with an area of 150 to 250 square metres will cost less per square metre than a steep, multi-level hip roof with complex penetrations.
• Roof repairs. Leak repairs, replacing cracked tiles, re-bedding and re-pointing ridge caps, and patching flashing. These are smaller jobs but they carry a minimum call out and access cost that means the per hour effective rate needs to be higher to make them worthwhile.
• Gutter replacement. Gutters, downpipes, and fascia. Material (Colorbond, aluminium, PVC), linear metres, number of corners and joins, and whether old gutters need removal.
• Roof restoration. Clean, re-point, seal, and repaint an existing tile roof. Popular in Melbourne and Sydney where terracotta and concrete tile roofs from the 1970s to 1990s are still structurally sound but look tired. Quote per square metre with allowances for broken tiles and valley replacement.

Speed wins more work than price

Research across Australian trades consistently shows that speed to quote is a stronger predictor of winning the job than being the lowest price. The homeowner with a leaking roof or a re-roof project is often anxious. The roofer who inspects promptly, sends a clear quote within 24 to 48 hours, and follows up once is the one they book.

If you are still writing quotes by hand or in a spreadsheet, quoting tips for tradies covers practical ways to speed up your turnaround. Templating your most common roofing jobs (re-roof Colorbond, re-roof tiles, gutter replace, repair call out) so you only fill in the measurements and specifics saves hours every week.

Job management platforms like ServiceM8, Tradify, simPRO, and AroFlo let you build a quote on site from your phone, attach photos from the inspection, and send it as a branded PDF before you have driven home. That kind of responsiveness is rare enough in roofing that it becomes a competitive advantage on its own.

Mistakes that cost roofers money on quotes

A few patterns show up repeatedly when roofers lose money on quoted jobs.

• Not measuring the roof properly. Estimating area by eye or from a satellite image without accounting for pitch, overhangs, and penetrations leads to under-quoting. Measure it, or use a roof measurement tool that calculates from aerial imagery with pitch correction.
• Forgetting access costs. Scaffolding, traffic management on busy roads, and crane hire for material delivery on multi-storey jobs are real costs. If they are not in the quote, they come off your profit.
• Ignoring compliance costs. Asbestos testing and removal, building permits for structural changes, and engineer certification for roof trusses are all costs that belong in the quote, not discovered halfway through the job.
• Quoting too slow. If your quote arrives a week after the site visit, the homeowner has likely already booked someone else. Aim for 24 to 48 hours, maximum.
• No follow up. Sending the quote and waiting is passive. One follow up call or message within a few days recovers a significant share of otherwise lost work. This guide on following up quotes covers the approach without being pushy.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a licence to do roofing work in Australia?

It depends on your state and the value of the work. In NSW, residential building work over $5,000 requires a licence under the Home Building Act. In Queensland, work above $3,300 requires a QBCC licence. In several other states roofing is not separately licensed but may fall under domestic building thresholds. Check your state's building authority for the current requirements for your trade class.

Should I quote a fixed price or cost plus?

Fixed price is the norm for straightforward residential re-roofs and repairs. Cost plus is better for complex, uncertain, or commercial jobs where the full scope is not known at quoting time. Many roofers use a hybrid: fixed price with provisional allowances for uncertain items.

How fast should I send a roofing quote?

Within 24 to 48 hours of the site inspection. Speed to quote is one of the strongest factors in winning residential roofing work. Templating common job types in your quoting software makes this achievable without rushing the numbers.

What if the homeowner asks me to match a lower quote?

Do not race to the bottom. If your quote is higher, explain why: better materials, included warranties, proper scaffolding, licensed and insured. Homeowners who choose on price alone are often not the customers you want. Getting more of the right leads is a better strategy than discounting every job.

How do I handle asbestos in a roofing quote?

If the roof was built before 1990 and contains fibro or certain sheet products, assume asbestos until tested. Include asbestos testing as a line item. If confirmed, removal must be done by a licensed asbestos removalist and quoted separately. Never include asbestos removal in your own scope unless you hold the relevant licence.