Roofer in Chicago, IL: written quotes on one scope

For a Chicago roofing job, describe the damage and ask for written quotes on the same scope. Include any rooftop solar equipment in that description. Use the housing-age and Cook County storm evidence below to frame questions about decking and covering; ask each quote to distinguish repair, recover and replacement. Reroofing; read 2026-10-21.

InstaBids is an AI-run marketplace for homeowners and property managers: describe a home job once, by chat or through your own AI assistant, add photos, and get multiple written quotes on the same scope, compared apples to apples, with no phone calls or home visits before you pick.

By InstaBids editorial team with AI research agents. Sources read: 17 October 2026 Latest source read: 3 November 2026 Updated 2026-11-04

Describe it onceBy chat, or through your own AI assistant, and add photos.
Post it and send itContractors bid in writing on that scope.
Compare line by lineEvery quote is written against the same scope.
You chooseContact details stay hidden until you pick and they confirm.

For your AI assistant

MCP connector · REST API · plain HTML

Hand any of these to your assistant and it can help you write this job's request; you send the request yourself. What you type in the job box above goes into the prompt these buttons carry. The connector asks you to sign in to your InstaBids account the first time.

MCP connector URLhttps://instabids.ai/api/agent/mcp
Agent API (OpenAPI)https://instabids.ai/openapi.json
Start-request linkhttps://instabids.ai/intake?trade=roofing&from=hire-roofer--il--chicago&utm_source=us&utm_medium=page&utm_campaign=hire&page_type=hire&place=chicago%2C+IL#job=roofing%20job
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Open it in your assistant

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Key facts for hiring a roofer in Chicago

For a Chicago roof with solar equipment, ask each quote to distinguish removal from reinstallation in its scope. Reroofing; read 2026-10-21.
For decking, ask how concealed damage will be documented before extra work is agreed.
For the covering, ask the quote to name the product and its wind and impact ratings.
After you pick a roofer, use the License Look Up on the IDFPR Roofing Contractor page. Roofing Contractor; read 2026-11-03.

How to get written quotes on one scope

Start a Chicago roofing scope with the damaged area, covering and any known decking problems. The median year built for Chicago housing units is 1953 (±1 year), in Census ACS 2020–2024. Ask for a written method of documenting concealed damage and agreeing to changes, alongside tear-off, flashing and disposal. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year (B25035); read 2026-10-17.

Describe the job once, using the scope checklist below, built from what we found for Chicago.
Post it on InstaBids and send it.
Every quote is written against the same scope, so they compare line by line.
You choose who gets your number.
Your AI assistant can help you write it: InstaBids works as a connector in Claude and in any MCP client, added by URL with your InstaBids sign-in, and a ChatGPT app is coming. You send the request yourself. Connect an assistant

Your written scope for a roofing job in Chicago

Describe any existing rooftop solar equipment before requesting quotes. Ask the proposed scope to separate roof work, equipment removal, equipment reinstallation and the permit responsibility for each.

Roof covering, roof area and how many layers come off
If your home was built before 1980, ask how damaged decking is handled
What the rule Chicago's page quoted below sets out for existing rooftop solar photovoltaic equipment, and whether your job is that work
Removal and disposal of the old parts or materials
Warranty terms on parts and labor, in writing

Do you need a permit for a roofing job in Chicago?

Chicago's permit page (read 21 October 2026): “Where there is existing rooftop solar photovoltaic equipment identified on the permit application, the electrical contractor identified on the permit application may remove the existing equipment under this permit. A separate permit is required to reinstall removed solar photovoltaic equipment or install new solar photovoltaic equipment.” Open Chicago's source page

What license does a roofer need in Chicago?

The source page (chicago.gov), in its own words: “Where required by Illinois law, reroofing work must be performed by persons working under a valid Illinois roofing contractor license.”

Illinois license lookup guide

Roof inspection Chicago

Use an inspection to document the actual roof condition before choosing the repair scope. NOAA Storm Events records hail on 21 distinct begin dates in Cook County during 2021–2025. These are county report dates, not observations at an individual home. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; read 2026-10-17.

Ask how the quote handles damaged decking; housing age is not roof age.

For extreme hail, NOAA says: “Extreme Hail: Roof damage possible to homes.” These report counts do not establish that impact level at your home. Ask the quote to name the wind and impact ratings of the covering it prices.

Median hourly wage for Roofers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN area, May 2025: $39.47 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics).

This is what workers in this occupation are paid per hour. It is not what a contractor charges for a job.

How does InstaBids work?

InstaBids does not hold payment for the work; you pay the contractor directly on the terms of the bid you accepted.

How is InstaBids different?

Each bidder appears under a stable label such as Contractor A, so you judge the work, not the brand.

Contact details stay hidden until the homeowner picks a contractor and they confirm the connection.

The contact-detail filter can miss disguised contact details.

Sources for the facts on this page

Chicago permit page, read 21 October 2026: www.chicago.gov
chicago.gov, read 3 November 2026: chicago.gov
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year (B25035), ACS 5-year 2020-2024, read 17 October 2026: api.census.gov
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (series OEUM001698000000047218108), May 2025, read 17 October 2026: api.bls.gov
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, event years 2021-2025; files 20260323, 20260625, 20260323, 20260728, 20260819 (creation dates in file names), read 17 October 2026: www.ncei.noaa.gov
NOAA NWS hail and convective wind impacts, read 3 November 2026: www.weather.gov

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.