When a roofing crew removes the old shingles and finds damaged decking, ask for the location, evidence, quantity, and price of the proposed additional work. Hidden damage can be real even when the original estimate did not include it. You still need enough information to approve the change knowingly.
Roof decking, also called sheathing, is the surface beneath the roofing materials. Owens Corning's WeatherLock G installation instructions call for stripping the old roofing down to the deck and replacing damaged or rotted deck boards before the new materials go on, so the deck's full condition is often confirmed only after the old covering is removed. A new shingle installation also does not automatically require replacement of every deck panel.
Discuss the change-order process before your Minnesota roof replacement begins. These eight questions also help if the crew has already called with an unexpected finding.
1. What condition did you find, and where is it?
Ask the contractor to identify the roof area and describe the condition in ordinary language. Is the issue damaged material, an unsuitable existing surface, or something else? “Bad wood” is too vague for a useful project record.
Request a wide photo showing the location and closer photos showing the condition. Label them by roof section or a recognizable feature. You should not need to climb onto the roof to understand the proposal.
Ask which areas have been inspected so far. If tear-off is still underway, the contractor may be reporting an initial quantity rather than the final amount. Have them state that clearly so a second update does not arrive as a surprise.
2. Why could this not be confirmed before tear-off?
An estimate can describe visible conditions and identify uncertainty. It cannot make every concealed surface visible. Ask what the original inspection covered and what remained inaccessible beneath the existing roof layers.
Owens Corning's instructions place that deck check after tear-off, so damage may be discovered only after removal. That explains a possible surprise; it does not answer whether this particular change was foreseeable. Ask the contractor to connect the explanation to your roof and the original scope.
Review any allowance or exclusion in your agreement. If the proposal warned that decking would be evaluated after removal, ask how the newly observed condition fits that provision. If you do not understand the language, have the contractor explain it before you approve added work.
3. What makes replacement necessary in this area?
Ask what would prevent the existing material from supporting the planned installation. Is it deteriorated, damaged, or otherwise unsuitable for the specified roofing system? Request the applicable requirement if the explanation involves product instructions or local code.
For example, Owens Corning's Duration FLEX installation instructions call for a properly built and supported wood deck with adequate nail-holding capacity and a smooth surface. That is a product-specific example of why the surface under the shingles matters. Your contractor should identify the instructions for the product being installed.
A photograph's color alone is not a complete explanation. Ask what assessment supports the replacement recommendation rather than assuming every dark mark requires a new panel.
4. How did you calculate the replacement quantity?
Have the contractor show the proposed area on a photo or simple roof sketch. Ask how the billed quantity relates to that area and whether the agreement measures sheets, square feet, linear feet, or another unit.
The quantity of material purchased and the quantity installed may differ because of cuts or layout. Ask how your agreement handles that distinction. You need a calculation you can follow, especially if the change order rounds quantities or applies a minimum charge.
If the recommendation expands beyond a visibly damaged spot, ask why. The contractor may need to address how replacement material will be supported or connected. Request that explanation rather than choosing the smallest possible patch from a photograph.
5. What is included in the unit price?
Ask whether the quoted rate includes removal, replacement material, fasteners, installation labor, and disposal. Clarify any additional charges before comparing the total with an allowance in the original contract.
If the rate was agreed before work began, check that the change order uses the same unit and rate. If no rate was agreed, request the proposed calculation now. Avoid assuming a price for a sheet of material at a store represents the installed cost on your roof.
Use a blank calculation instead of a verbal estimate:
Agreed unit: ___
Approved quantity: ___ × price per unit: ___ = added amount: ___
Other described charges or credits: ___
Revised contract total: ___
6. Who approves the change, and how is that recorded?
The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry recommends contracts that require written change orders signed by the homeowner. Review your agreement and confirm how additional work will be described, priced, and approved.
Name an approval contact who will be available during tear-off. If you will be traveling, agree on how the contractor will send photos and obtain authorization. A rushed call is easier to manage when both sides already know the process.
Keep the revised scope and price together. A text that says “go ahead” without identifying the attached proposal or amount can leave an unclear record. Ask for an acknowledgment of the exact change you approved.
7. What happens to the exposed roof while we resolve the change?
Ask the contractor how the work will be protected while you review the proposal, and whether the finding changes the day's plan. Discuss expected weather, materials availability, and any revised completion estimate.
You can request a clear explanation without asking the crew to leave an opening unprotected while you decide. If more time is needed, ask what safe temporary step is available and whether it has a separate cost.
Also clarify whether the finding involves only decking. If framing or another component needs assessment, ask who must evaluate it and how that affects the scope. A change involving structural work deserves its own description, appropriate professional involvement, and approval.
8. What documentation will I receive when the work is covered?
Request photos of the approved area after repair and before the next roofing layers conceal it, when the work sequence allows. Keep those with the original finding photos, signed change order, and final invoice.
Ask the final invoice to reconcile the approved quantity with the amount billed. If the quantity changed again, the documentation should explain the adjustment and approval. Keep related inspection records supplied for the project as well.
Before your roof replacement, contact Committed 365 Roofing and ask how concealed decking conditions are handled in the proposal. Have the team explain the evidence, pricing, and authorization process while you have time to review it comfortably.