Only thing I can add is to use 30 paper and 30 shingles. Its worth the expense. It'll last longer, you'll look better on disclosure to a buyer if you sell, and 30 year shingles look way better than the thinner cheaper ones. Tear off the old roof. That'll also give you a chance to find and replace dry rot sheeting.
Dont go with someone that doesnt seem to have done much work in the area or someone thats new, but dont overpay. Roofing is far removed from rocket science, but its full of scammers.
The contractors I know are getting killed by big companies from out of the area coming in and underquoting jobs, pointing at how many years they've been around, then ripping up your house and upping the quote, finding "new and unexpected things". Most of which were perfectly expectable. But they figure in a year or two their business will return to normal, they'll withdraw to their normal geographic area, and to heck with those customers in the hinterlands that they screwed to keep a paycheck coming in. In the meanwhile the local guys who wont underquote a job are starving.
If you're in the Sacramento/Grass Valley/Lake Tahoe CA. band, I have a roofer for you. And other guys that do almost everything else. They'll do a good job, will quote a fair price, and wont spork you.
