Overview
A roofing quote that doesn't explain itself is one the customer ignores
Roofs are expensive and roofers compete with cowboys, so the quote does a lot of the convincing. Two thousand quid for a tile replacement sounds outrageous until the customer sees scaffolding hire, eight square metres of replacement tiles, breathable membrane, battens, ridge mortar, flashing around the chimney, and the disposal cost of the old tiles broken on the ground. Without that breakdown the customer's eye lands on the total, decides it sounds high, and they go ringing around for a number that ignores half the work.
QuoteGenio gives roofers room to itemise every part of that. Scaffold by week, tiles by square metre with the brand named, membrane and battens by length, labour by day, and waste skip as its own line. Send the quote via WhatsApp from the customer's drive, attach a few photos of the existing roof, and the customer can see exactly what they're paying for. Take a deposit on materials when they accept, raise progress invoices against the same quote, and the moment the last ridge is bedded, the final invoice is one tap away.
Who it is for
Who uses QuoteGenio
Built for every type of roofing and waterproofing business.
The problem
The quoting headaches every roofer knows
Roof jobs are quoted under pressure, usually with a leak in play and the client chasing three other roofers for prices.
Measuring a roof from the ground is slow
Working out roof area from plan dimensions and pitch, then pricing tiles, battens, underlay, and flashings takes half a day.
The first quote in usually wins
A leaking roof is an emergency. Clients accept whoever responds fastest with a clear number, not whoever quotes cheapest next week.
Verbal quotes on repairs lead to fights
You promise to sort the ridge and flash the chimney for a number, then the client says you agreed to do the valleys too. No paper, no proof.
The fix
QuoteGenio makes it simple
A faster, cleaner workflow built around how roofers really work, up a ladder and on a deadline, often with rain on the way.
The payoff
What you get with QuoteGenio
The everyday wins that add up across a year of quoting and invoicing.
Built for roofing
Line items for tiles, sheeting, battens, underlay, flashings, ridges, and labour. Structure your quote the way the roof is actually built.
Quote from the site visit
Measure up, key the dimensions in, and send the quote before you drive off. No office trip, no evening admin.
Protect yourself on repairs
A written quote with scope, exclusions, and a validity period is the only way to stop a small repair turning into a disputed replacement.
Track payments easily
Know which invoices are outstanding and follow up with one tap. Useful when you've paid upfront for tiles and sheeting.
Built for your trade
Quoting calibrated to how roofers actually work
Pick your trade in Settings and the entire quote flow switches to fit. Line item presets, compliance fields, on-the-quote calculators, and per-m² / after-hours pricing all change to match your industry.
Trade-specific line items
Quick add picker pre-fills the common items your trade quotes. Skip the blank rows.
Brand-specific catalogues
Pylontech, Hikvision, Canadian Solar, Sunsynk and others pre-named. Pick the brand, the description writes itself.
Compliance fields built in
IOPSA, ECASA, PIRB, PSIRA, NHBRC, SAQCC. Set once. Every quote prints them under FROM.
Registration expiry alerts
Dashboard notification 60 days before your PSIRA, CoC or any dated registration lapses.
Per-m² / hour / day billing
Unit selector on every line item: m², hr, linear m, days. Stop doing the maths externally.
After-hours and emergency
1.5× and 2× multipliers as a one-tap toggle. Customer sees the breakdown on the quote.
Quote-flow calculators
Solar size, battery backup, cable run cost. Compute on the spot, drop straight onto the quote.
Staged payments
Deposit on acceptance + balance on completion as two separate amounts on the quote PDF.
Scope-of-work checklist
Structured Included / Not included lists. Client acceptance = signing the scope.
Site-survey mode
Log a location per line item: camera positions, fixtures by room, sensors by zone.
Regional rate hints
Pricing ranges per item per currency shown as you quote.
Free on every plan
All of the above included on the free plan. Premium is for capacity, not the trade tooling.
Why QuoteGenio
Why Roofers choose QuoteGenio
The tools that matter most when you are quoting on-site, under pressure, and between jobs.
Quote from your phone
Most Roofers build and send quotes directly from the job site. No laptop, no office, no delays.
Win more jobs, faster
The first professional quote a client receives usually wins. Respond in minutes, not hours.
Quote to invoice in one click
When the job is accepted, convert to an invoice instantly. No retyping, no double entry.
Pricing guide
Typical Roofers job pricing
A rough guide to what roofers charge for common jobs. Pricing depends heavily on pitch, access, height above ground, scaffold requirements, and the tile or sheet profile. Use these as a sanity check when setting your rates, not as fixed numbers.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Roof inspection and written report | R1,570 - R4,628 |
| Concrete tile roof replacement (per sq m) | R628 - R1,240 / sq m |
| IBR sheeting supply and install (per sq m) | R529 - R1,025 / sq m |
| Ridge and hip re-bedding (per m) | R364 - R909 / m |
| Flat roof torch-on waterproofing (per sq m) | R628 - R1,405 / sq m |
| Gutter replacement (per m) | R463 - R1,240 / m |
| Emergency leak repair call-out | R2,975 - R7,933 |
Pricing converted from USD to ZAR at indicative rates. Rates vary significantly by country, region, currency, and market.
Call-out fees
A proper roof inspection and written report takes two to three hours on-site plus write-up. Most roofers charge R1,570 to R4,628 and refund it against a booked repair. It protects your time and gives you a paid foot in the door for bigger work down the line.
Hourly vs fixed pricing
Use fixed pricing per square metre for known-scope jobs like full re-roofs or new waterproofing installs. Use hourly or half-day rates (typically R1,074 to R1,570 per hour per roofer) for leak tracing, flashings, and repair work where you can't see the full problem until you're on the roof. State clearly which lines are fixed and which are time and material.
See it in action
Example quote breakdown
Here's what a clean itemised quote for a full re-roof looks like. Every layer of the system, from strip-out to ridge capping, is priced on its own line. Clients can see where the money goes and there's no argument when scope changes or a flashing upgrade is added.
Try it yourself
Job size
Region
Sample quote
Roof replacement, 140 sq m concrete tile over timber trusses
Strip existing tiles and remove from site
Supply and install 38x38 timber battens
Alu-zinc foil underlay with tape and clips
Supply concrete tiles (charcoal, 10 per sq m)
Tile install labour
Ridge tiles bedded in flexible pointing
Chimney, valley, and wall flashings
Scaffold hire (2 weeks, one elevation)
Site clean and skip hire
| Description | Qty | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strip existing tiles and remove from site | 140 | R132 / sq m | R18,510 |
| Supply and install 38x38 timber battens | 140 | R198 / sq m | R27,765 |
| Alu-zinc foil underlay with tape and clips | 140 | R149 / sq m | R20,824 |
| Supply concrete tiles (charcoal, 10 per sq m) | 1470 | R31 | R44,953 |
| Tile install labour | 140 | R364 / sq m | R50,903 |
| Ridge tiles bedded in flexible pointing | 18 | R628 / m | R11,304 |
| Chimney, valley, and wall flashings | 1 | R10,247 | R10,247 |
| Scaffold hire (2 weeks, one elevation) | 1 | R12,891 | R12,891 |
| Site clean and skip hire | 1 | R6,941 | R6,941 |
| Subtotal | R204,340 | ||
| Tax (10%) | R20,427 | ||
| Total incl. tax | R224,767 | ||
Totals recalculate as you change the controls above. Tax rate inferred from the sample quote.
Items often forgotten
Skip hire and tile disposal (old concrete tiles are heavy), scaffold for elevations above 3m, a provisional sum for rotten battens or truss damage only visible once the roof is stripped, temporary weatherproofing if it rains mid-job, and a snag-list allowance for slipped tiles in the first 30 days. Put these on your template and stop absorbing them.
Peer snapshot
How Roofers actually use QuoteGenio
Indicative activity for Roofers on the platform. Use it as a benchmark for how often to quote and how fast to respond.
18
Quotes sent per month
60%
Average quote acceptance
4 min
Median time to send quote
R224,767
Typical quote value
Figures are indicative platform averages for this trade segment.
Start quoting Roofer jobs like this, free
Build your first quote in under 2 minutes. No credit card, no setup fee, no contract.
Avoid these
Common quoting mistakes
We talk to a lot of roofers. The same mistakes come up on re-roofs, waterproofing, and repair call-outs. Fixing these will protect your margin and your Monday morning.
Mistake: Quoting a re-roof without a provisional for rot
Better: Until the tiles are off, you can't see battens, underlay, or truss damage. Add a provisional sum line like 'R14,048 provisional for rotten batten replacement, billed on actual metres'. Clients accept this because it's honest, and you avoid eating the cost of a nasty surprise.
Mistake: Forgetting scaffold on two-storey jobs
Better: A two-storey roof without scaffold is a daywork and safety nightmare. Quote scaffold as a separate line (R8,264 to R24,791 depending on elevations and duration) so it's paid and you work safe.
Mistake: Not specifying the tile or sheet profile
Better: Concrete, clay, slate, IBR, corrugated, and chromadek are wildly different prices. Specify the product, colour, and gauge in the description. Clients often assume 'the roof' and you wear the spec surprise on your margin.
Mistake: Quoting repairs without a scope inclusion list
Better: Say explicitly what's included: 'Includes ridge re-bedding on main ridge only, excludes hip ridges and valleys'. Repair scope fights happen because the client imagined the whole roof and you quoted one section.
Mistake: No weather contingency on waterproofing
Better: Torch-on and liquid waterproofing need dry conditions. State 'pricing assumes two consecutive dry days; stand-down days charged at daywork rate'. This protects your crew's time when the weather turns.
Mistake: Quoting without a validity date
Better: Tile, sheeting, and bitumen prices move. Put a 14 to 30 day validity on every quote. Don't honour a three-month-old quote at a loss because you forgot to add the clause.
Mistake: Lumping waterproofing in with tile work
Better: Torch-on flat sections and tile pitched sections are different trades, different materials, and different guarantees. Price them as separate sections on the quote so the client sees each system and the warranty that comes with it.
Mistake: No follow-up after sending the quote
Better: Most quotes that don't close, don't close because nobody followed up. Send a polite check-in 48 hours after the quote lands, and a second nudge at day 7. Two of every three accepted quotes get there because someone followed up.
Step by step
How to quote roofing jobs
Walk the roof before you price anything, even if it means putting a ladder up on the first visit. Measure the pitched area on the slope (not the plan footprint), count ridges, hips, and valleys, and identify the tile profile or sheet gauge (concrete tile, clay, slate, 0.58mm IBR, chromadek, corrugated). Check the underlay condition where you can lift a tile, look for cracked ridge pointing, rotten battens, and valley wear. For flat roofs, check falls, parapet heights, and outlet condition. Note elevation height above ground, because anything over 3 metres needs scaffold, not a ladder, and that changes the quote by $ 500 to $ 1,500.
Itemise strip-out, battens, underlay, tiles or sheeting, ridges, flashings, and scaffold as separate lines at square-metre or linear-metre rates. List tile disposal and skip hire because old concrete tiles are genuinely heavy and tip fees are not free. Add chimney, valley, and wall flashings as a lump, ridge re-bedding per metre in flexible pointing, and a provisional sum of around $ 850 for rotten battens or truss damage billed on actual metres once the roof is stripped. For waterproofing, show the full system on the quote: primer, first APP torch-on layer, second APP layer, UV aluminium topcoat, and parapet upturns per linear metre, because the warranty is the spec. Specify the product, colour, and gauge so a client cannot substitute a cheaper tile profile mid-job.
Put a 14 to 30 day validity on every quote because tile, sheeting, and bitumen prices move hard with the exchange rate and oil price, and a three-month-old re-roof quote will cost you thousands. Include a weather contingency clause for waterproofing (pricing assumes two consecutive dry days; stand-down days billed at daywork). For re-roofs over $ 3,000 take a 30 to 40 percent deposit to cover tiles, battens, underlay, and scaffold hire, then staged payments on strip, on watertight, and on snag. State the warranty length (5 to 10 years on two-layer APP) on the quote, because that is often what closes the sale over a cheaper single-layer bid.
Send the quote while the leak is still fresh in the client's mind. A leaking roof is an emergency and whoever responds first with a clear itemised number usually wins, not whoever quotes cheapest next week. Build the quote on your phone before you pack the ladder, share it as a WhatsApp link with a few inspection photos attached, and follow up the next morning. When you strip the roof and find rotten trusses or wet ceiling insulation, photograph the damage, WhatsApp it to the client, and issue a variation order inside QuoteGenio with the provisional rate you already quoted, so the extra work is signed off before you pick up the saw.
FAQ
Common questions from roofers
Everything you need to know before getting started.
Yes. QuoteGenio supports unlimited line items. Add strip-out, battens, underlay, tiles, labour per sq m, ridges, flashings, and scaffold on separate lines. Each has its own description, quantity, and rate.
Yes. As you add line items and quantities, subtotals, VAT, and grand totals update instantly. No spreadsheet needed.
Yes. Once the quote is ready, share it as a link directly via WhatsApp. The client gets a professional branded PDF on their phone in seconds.
Yes. Every quote has a unique public link. The client opens it, accepts it online, and you have a signed acceptance on record. No signup required.
Yes. Convert any accepted quote into an invoice with one click. All the line items carry over, so there's no double entry and no scope drift.
Yes. The free plan gives you 5 quotes and 2 invoices per month with no credit card required. Upgrade to Premium for unlimited quotes, invoices, statements, and reports.
Per square metre with the components broken out is what the trade uses and what the client can compare. Lump sums look opaque and clients suspect padding. A quote that shows strip-out per sq m, battens per sq m, tiles per sq m, and install labour per sq m is transparent, defensible, and easier to vary if scope changes.
Add a provisional sum line with a clear unit rate, for example 'R297 per linear metre of batten replacement, billed on actual'. Photograph the condition once the roof is stripped, WhatsApp it to the client, and issue a variation before doing the work. Clients almost always agree when they can see the damage.
Price per square metre with the system clearly specified: primer, torch-on APP layer one, torch-on APP layer two, UV aluminium coating. Include a separate line for parapet upturns per linear metre and drainage outlet detailing per point. State the warranty length (typically 5 to 10 years on APP) on the quote, because that's often what wins the job over a cheaper single-layer system.
14 to 30 days is standard. Tile, sheeting, and bitumen prices move with rand weakness and oil prices. QuoteGenio shows the expiry date on the PDF so there's no awkward conversation if the client comes back two months later at old pricing.
Still have questions? We would rather answer them now than after you have signed up.
Pricing benchmark
What do roofers charge in 2026?
Hourly rates by region, common job prices, a worked sample quote, and the FAQs customers actually ask. The complete pricing reference for roofers.
Typical hourly
$60-$150/hr
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Real feedback from people who quote for a living.
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Freelancer · Glasgow
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Landscape Designer · Dublin
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Freelance Designer · London
Guides
Guides for Roofers
Practical advice to help you quote better, get paid faster, and grow your business.
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