Three quotes for the same roof can land thousands apart, and the cheapest one is rarely cheap for the reason you think. Price gaps almost always come from what has been left out rather than from a better deal on labour.
What a comparable quote has to name
A quote you can actually compare spells out the specifics:
The shingle, by name, and the length of its warranty
Whether the underlayment is felt or synthetic
A per board rate for rotten decking found once the old roof is off
Disposal, permits and the cost of protecting your landscaping
The decking rate matters most. A quote with no price for replacement boards is not a fixed price, it is an invitation to a conversation on day two.
The quiet costs that show up later
Change orders are where a cheap quote gets expensive. Rotten decking, an unexpected layer of old shingles, or a chimney that needs reflashing are all common enough that they should be priced before work starts, not discovered halfway through.
Ask what the payment schedule is as well. A deposit is normal. A demand for most of the money before any material arrives on site is not.
If one quote sits far below the others
If one quote sits far below the others, ask which of those items it excludes rather than assuming the crew is faster or hungrier.
A contractor who is confident in the number will walk you through it line by line, and will put the same number in writing before anyone climbs a ladder.
