How the planning range is calculated.

1. Property measurement

When available, the platform uses third-party aerial building data to estimate whole-roof surface area. The customer confirms the property location before the measurement is used. A contractor must verify dimensions before issuing a proposal.

2. Roofing squares

One roofing square equals 100 square feet of roof surface. Material and transition allowances vary by system. Tile lift-and-re-lay uses a smaller handling allowance because usable tile is reused, while complete tile replacement includes new-tile waste.

3. Comparable live pricing

Live ZIP pricing is separated by the actual roofing system. Architectural shingles are not mixed with tile, foam, TPO, or metal. Tile re-lay is not mixed with complete tile replacement. Foam recoats, new foam, modified bitumen, TPO, standing seam, exposed-fastener metal, metal shingles, and stone-coated metal each use their own pricing group.

A ZIP-specific live range appears only after at least five comparable sealed bids from at least three verified roofers are available. Each roofer is normalized to one median rate before the market range is calculated, so a high-volume roofer cannot dominate the result. With insufficient comparable data, the estimator uses an eligible contractor schedule, broader regional data, or a clearly labeled Arizona planning range.

4. Standardized price comparisons

The platform normalizes contractor pricing internally so bids for different roof sizes can be compared fairly. Homeowners are shown a total estimated project range rather than a technical per-square rate. Standard roofing labor, normal tear-off, permit, disposal, underlayment, and standard flashing are included. Solar, HVAC, unexpected decking replacement, drainage repairs, and unrelated extras are separated so they are not counted twice.

5. Project details

Stories, pitch, roof geometry, extra layers, tile condition, solar panels, rooftop HVAC, probable decking work, ponding, and optional upgrades are shown separately. Selecting “Not sure” produces a broader preliminary range instead of pretending unlike systems have the same price.