Why no dollar figures appear here
Prices depend on the roof, so none appear here. The only figures here come from the state: the $500 line above which a home improvement contract has to be in writing, and the thirds yardstick for payments.
Everything else is the shape of the quote, so a number from a roofer can be set against it.
Tear-off and the boards beneath
The Department of Energy's repair brief says to remove damaged materials and let the structure dry, and warns that reusing unsound materials causes structural and mold trouble later. It repeats a builders' guideline favoring a new roof once repairs would cover over a tenth of the old one.
A quote lists the tear-off, and ideally says what happens if boards turn out to be soft.
Underlayment, ice barrier and edge metal
FEMA's fact sheet for shingle roofs says to always use underlayment. New Jersey's Bulletin 07-3 notes that the underlayment and flashing sections of the building and one- and two-family subcodes call for an ice dam membrane or ice barrier.
For a quote, that means two lines: what lies under the shingles, and what protects the eaves.
Shingles and how they are fastened
FEMA's fact sheet shows a starter strip cut from shingles at the eave, set in self-sealing adhesive, with six nails to each shingle along the eaves. It also asks for the installation procedures that raise wind resistance.
The quote line is the shingle product and the fastening method. Ask the roofer to name both.
Flashing, vents and the chimney
The shingle makers' trade group counts flashings among the most vulnerable points of a roof and says to examine the underside carefully at every one. FEMA asks for close attention to roof-to-wall flashing.
A quote that lists the metal separately shows where the careful work is.
The paper around the price
A written contract above $500 carries the total price, the principal materials and the start and finish dates, and any change is made in writing. The Division of Consumer Affairs offers a yardstick of one-third before, one-third halfway and one-third on completion.
The state's code list shows the 2024 editions adopted on August 17, 2026, so ask which edition the job follows.