Before you sign anything

Why quotes without a site visit cost you more — even when they look cheaper.

There are two versions of this floating around right now: online "instant estimate" calculators (the supplier-led ones), and roofers who quote off Google Maps without coming to your place.

Both fail for the same reason. Nobody can see your roof from a screen. The condition of the timber underneath, the access for scaffolding, the actual flashing run, whether you're close enough to the coast for an upgrade — none of it shows up on a satellite photo or in a calculator input box.

So the number you get is one of two things:

Loaded high — the careful version. The roofer doesn't know what's there, so they load every job with a buffer. You're paying their risk premium, not your actual roof.
Way out — the gimmick version. The calculator gives you a clean-looking number that, as a roofer who quotes these jobs every week, I can tell you is usually $5–10k off real Nelson roofs.

Either way, you pay for it. The fix is the same: get someone to come and look properly. We do it for free, no obligation, and the number we give you afterwards is the actual number — because we've seen what we're quoting on. Call 027 318 8771.

The apples-to-apples checklist.

When you do get real quotes from real roofers — ones who came and looked — they'll still vary. Steel costs the same for every roofer in Nelson, so if anyone's $2,000 cheaper, they're cutting something. The trick is working out what each quote is actually offering, so you can compare them properly.

Before you compare totals, make sure each quote spells out:

1

Profile, colour & thickness

e.g. Colorsteel Maxx Corrugate 0.55mm in FlaxPod — not just "longrun".
2

Underlay brand & spec

Thermakraft, RoofShield, etc. "Building paper" on its own is a red flag.
3

Fastener type & size

Class 4 or 5 screws, neoprene-washered, sized for your purlin spacing.
4

Flashings — every one listed

Ridge, barge, apron, valley, soaker, side. Each one quantified in lineal metres.
5

Ridge type

Vented or sealed? Vented adds cost but stops condensation rotting your roof from the inside.
6

Removal & dump fees

Old roof has to go somewhere. If it's not in the quote, expect a bill later.
7

Scaffolding

Two-storey or steep pitch needs scaffold. WorkSafe rules — not optional.
8

GST — in or out?

15% on a $25k job is $3,750. Make sure you're comparing the same number.
9

LBP number on the quote

Licensed Building Practitioner. If they don't have one, they can't legally do restricted building work.
10

Written warranty length

Workmanship warranty (separate from the steel manufacturer's warranty on the sheet itself).

If a quote skips three or more of those, ring the roofer back and ask. The honest ones will tell you straight; the cowboys will get cagey.

Red flags.

None of these on their own kill a quote. But two or three together, and you're looking at a job that'll cost you more in five years than the most expensive quote on your kitchen table.

⚑ Verbal quote only — "I'll text you a number." If it's not in writing with line items, it's not a quote.
⚑ No LBP number. Restricted building work without an LBP is illegal — and your insurance won't cover it.
⚑ Vague materials — "longrun steel" with no profile, colour, brand, or thickness named.
⚑ No scaffold line on a two-storey job. Either they're cutting it, or they're planning to do the job unsafely.
⚑ "We'll talk about the flashings on site." Flashings are 20% of the job. Get them quantified up front.
⚑ Significantly cheaper than everyone else. Steel costs the same for everyone. Cheap quotes mean cheap corners.

Why cheap roofing isn't actually cheap.

We've stripped roofs that were put on five years ago by someone $3,000 cheaper than the next quote. Here's what we usually find: undersized fixings backed out by wind, no underlay so the roof timber's been getting wet from condensation, flashings short-cut at the laps, ridge not vented so the cavity's growing mould.

The homeowner saved $3,000 in 2021 and is paying $25,000 in 2026 to do the whole thing again — plus rotted batten replacement they didn't have to deal with the first time.

That's the maths nobody talks about. A re-roof done right lasts 30+ years. A re-roof done cheap lasts 5–8. So a quote that's $3k cheaper but cuts corners isn't $3k cheaper — it's $25k more expensive, you just pay it later.

What our quotes look like.

Every line on our quotes is itemised — every flashing in lineal metres, every fixing spec'd, scaffold and dump fees in the total, GST shown, LBP number on the page. Not because we're trying to look fancy, but because if you're comparing us against two other quotes, you should be able to see exactly where the dollars are going.

We're happy to walk you through any other quote you've got too — point out what's missing, what's been left vague, what the real comparison looks like. No charge, no obligation.

Got a quote you want a second opinion on?

Send it through. We'll read it line by line and tell you straight what's in it, what isn't, and whether the number stacks up. Even if you don't end up using us.

Call 027 318 8771 Email us your quote