They Found Rot During My Re-Roof
This call happens on roughly a third of Sacramento re-roofs, so it is not a sign you were targeted. What matters is whether the price was agreed before the roof was opened.
What a fair contract already said
- A per-sheet rate for replaced sheathing
- A per-linear-foot rate for fascia and trim
- A commitment to photograph what was found
- A note that structural damage is quoted separately after inspection
Warning signs at this moment
A number that appears for the first time while your roof is open, a refusal to photograph the damage, or pressure to decide immediately because the crew is standing there. None of those are how a documented rot allowance behaves.
You are entitled to see what you are paying for before you approve it, even mid-job.
Common questions
Can a roofer charge me more after the work has started?
Only for work outside the agreed scope, and in California changes to a home improvement contract should be documented in a written change order that you sign. A rate agreed in advance for rot is not a surprise charge; a new number invented on the day is.
How do I know the rot was really there?
Photographs, taken before the replacement goes in. Ask for them as a condition of approving the extra work — any contractor doing this properly already has them.