Parties and property.
The contract should identify your company's legal name, business address, and license number; the customer's full legal name or names; and the property address where work will be performed. This establishes jurisdiction, documents the parties' identities, and is required for valid lien rights in most states. Both owners of a property should be named if both are parties to the agreement.
Scope of work.
This is the most important section. List every element of work to be performed in specific terms — material brands, model numbers, grades, and colors; areas of the roof affected; installation details like ice and water shield coverage and drip edge specifications. Then list what is explicitly not included: decking repair, gutter work, interior repairs, chimney work beyond basic flashing. Vague scope language is the primary source of post-job disputes. The time spent being specific here pays dividends in avoided arguments.
Materials specification.
Where materials are named in the scope, specify brand and model — not just category. "Owens Corning Duration architectural shingles, Lifetime limited warranty, 130 mph wind rating" is different from "architectural shingles." Include language about acceptable substitutions: if your specified material is unavailable at installation time, you may substitute a product of equal or greater quality with the customer's written approval. This protects you from supply chain delays while giving the customer appropriate notice.
Price and payment terms.
State the total contract price, the payment schedule with amounts and due dates, accepted payment methods, and the consequences for late payment. A late fee provision — typically 1.5% per month on balances not received within seven days of due date — and the right to suspend work until payment is received give you practical leverage without litigation. The payment and
invoicing
system you use should be able to match these terms exactly so there's no confusion between the contract and the invoice the customer receives.
Timeline.
Define an anticipated start date, estimated project duration, and completion criteria clearly. Include language covering weather delays, material availability delays, and unforeseen conditions — all of which can legitimately extend a roofing timeline and all of which become disputes when the contract doesn't account for them. "Work is considered complete upon final inspection and customer walkthrough" sets a specific completion point that prevents ambiguity about when the final payment is due.
Change order process.
This clause is the most valuable line in the contract and the most frequently skipped. Any change to the scope — decking replacement, additional tear-off layers, chimney flashing rebuilds — must be documented in a written change order signed by both parties before the work begins. Include language stating that verbal change requests do not obligate you to perform additional work or waive the additional cost. Without this protection, every scope addition becomes a potential dispute about who authorized what.
Typical change order pricing ranges are worth including: decking repair per sheet, additional tear-off layers per square, chimney flashing by quote. Having these in the contract means customers aren't surprised when these come up — which they frequently do on older roofs.
Warranty terms. Cover both the manufacturer warranty and your workmanship warranty in separate sections. For the workmanship warranty, state clearly what it covers (defects in installation), what it doesn't cover (storm damage, damage from others' work, lack of maintenance), and how warranty claims are handled. Include language that owner must allow reasonable access for inspection of any claimed warranty issue. A well-drafted warranty section limits your liability while making your commitment explicit — which is what customers are looking for when they read this section.
Insurance and liability. State your coverage levels — general liability and workers' compensation — and include limitations on your liability for pre-existing conditions, damage caused by others, or code violations not created by your work. Add a property protection commitment: you'll take reasonable precautions to protect landscaping and vehicles, perform daily cleanup, and leave the property in safe condition each day. This section manages expectations on both sides.
Permits and inspections. Specify who obtains permits, who pays for them, and that you'll handle required inspections. "Contractor will obtain all required permits, included in contract price, and schedule all required inspections. Work will comply with applicable building codes. Customer authorizes Contractor to apply for permits on Customer's behalf." This eliminates the common scenario where a permit isn't pulled and the customer later discovers the issue.
Cancellation and termination. Include the customer's right to cancel — required by most states for home improvement contracts signed at a residence. Three business days is the federal and most states' standard. State what happens to the deposit after the cancellation window: deposits are non-refundable but applied to restocking fees or work completed. Include your right to terminate for non-payment after written notice, with payment due for work completed and materials ordered or delivered.
Dispute resolution. A provision requiring good-faith negotiation before any legal action, followed by binding arbitration, is less costly to enforce than court proceedings and deters claims that aren't worth the cost of arbitration. Include a prevailing-party attorney fees provision, which discourages nuisance claims. Specify the governing state law and county for venue.
What this means for your business: Each of these clauses costs nothing to include and eliminates specific, predictable disputes. The roofer who skips them learns why they matter on the job where a customer disputes the decking repair charge, or the final payment disappears, or the "he said, she said" dispute about scope ends in a review that damages future business.
State-Specific Requirements
Contract requirements vary by state and are worth checking before finalizing your template. Many states require specific disclosures about cancellation rights, often in a particular font size or bolded format. Some states require the contractor's license number and bond information to appear on the contract. States with mechanics lien notice requirements often require a specific statutory notice to be included in the contract language.
Consult your state's contractor licensing board for the current requirements in your area, and consider having a local attorney review your template once before you put it into regular use. A one-time legal review of a contract template that's used on every job is among the most cost-effective investments a roofing business can make.
