6,000,000 Shares HEADWATERS INCORPORATED COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $0.001 PER SHARE UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

Exhibit 1.1

6,000,000 Shares

HEADWATERS INCORPORATED

COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $0.001 PER SHARE

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

February 23, 2005

Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated

c/o Morgan Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated

0000 Xxxxxxxx

Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000

Dear Sirs and Mesdames:

Headwaters Incorporated, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”) 6,000,000 shares of its common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Firm Shares”). Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated shall act as representative (the “Representative”) of the several Underwriters.

The Company also proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters not more than an additional 900,000 shares of its common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Additional Shares”) if and to the extent that the Representative shall have determined to exercise, on behalf of the Underwriters, the right to purchase such shares of common stock granted to the Underwriters in Section 2 hereof. The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Shares”. The shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sales contemplated hereby are hereinafter referred to as the “Common Stock”.

The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “Securities Act”) registration statements on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-96919 and No. 333-121829), including related prospectuses, relating to the registration of certain shares of Common Stock, including the Shares and certain debt and other securities of the Company (the “Shelf Securities”), to be sold from time to time by the Company. The registration statements as amended at the date of this Agreement, including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statements at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act, are hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement”; the prospectuses relating to the Shelf Securities in the form as they first appeared in the respective registration statements are referred to as the “Base Prospectuses”. The Base Prospectuses, as supplemented by the prospectus supplement dated February 23, 2005 (the “Prospectus Supplement”) pursuant to Rule 429 under the Securities Act, relating to the Shares in the form first used to confirm sales of the Shares is hereinafter referred to as the “Prospectus”. If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement to register additional shares of Common Stock pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement. Any reference to the term “Registration Statement”, the Base Prospectuses or the Prospectus shall include the documents incorporated therein by reference. The terms “Supplement” and “Amendment” or “Amend” as used in this Agreement shall include all documents subsequently filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), that are deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus.

1. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

(a) The Registration Statement has become effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or threatened by the Commission.

(b) (i) Each document, if any, filed or to be filed pursuant to the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus complied or will comply when so filed in all material respects with the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (ii) on the original effective date of the Registration Statement, the Registration Statement did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (iii) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (iv) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein.

(c) The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the state of Delaware, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(d) Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; all of the issued shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are

fully paid and nonassessable and are owned directly by the Company (except for (a) FlexCrete Building Systems, LLC, in which Headwaters Resources, Inc. owns a 90% limited liability company interest, (b) Environmental Technologies Group, LLC, in which the Company owns a 50% limited liability company interest) and (c) Headwaters Heavy Oil LLC, in which the Company owns 90% of the issued equity), free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims except for the security interests granted under the senior secured credit agreement and second lien credit agreement, both dated September 8, 2004, as amended, between the Company and various lenders and Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Senior Funding, Inc., as administrative agent.

(e) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(f) The authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus.

(g) The shares of Common Stock outstanding prior to the issuance of the Shares have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

(h) The Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and the issuance of such Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights.

(i) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement will not contravene any provision of applicable law or the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of the Company or any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, except the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act and such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares.

(j) There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement).

(k) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or its subsidiaries is subject that are required to be

described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described or any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or the documents incorporated therein by reference or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required.

(l) None of the Company or its subsidiaries is in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, loan agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument that is described or referred to in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, except for such defaults that would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(m) Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the registration statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(n) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus, will not be an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(o) The Company and its subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(p) There are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for cleanup, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which would, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(q) There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement.

(r) The financial statements (including the related notes and supporting schedules) filed as part of the Registration Statement or included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the financial position and results of operations of the entities purported to be shown thereby, at the dates and for the periods indicated, and have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as otherwise stated therein.

(s) The pro forma financial statements of the Company, and the related notes thereto, included in the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the pro forma financial position of the Company, as of the dates indicated and the results of its operations for the periods specified; the pro forma combined financial information, and the related notes thereto, included in the Prospectus have been prepared in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and are based upon good faith estimates and assumptions believed by the Company to be reasonable.

(t) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (i) the Company and its subsidiaries have not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, and have not entered into any material transaction not in the ordinary course of business; (ii) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding capital stock, nor declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any kind on its capital stock other than ordinary and customary dividends; and (iii) there has not been any material change in the capital stock, short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, except in each case as described in the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement).

(u) To the knowledge of the Company, no person or corporation which is a “holding company” or a “subsidiary of a holding company”, within the meaning of such terms as defined in the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, directly or indirectly owns, controls or holds with power to vote 10% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the Company; and the Company is not a “holding company” or to its knowledge, a “subsidiary of a holding company” as so defined.

(v) The Company and its subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities, including, without limitation, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, necessary to conduct their respective businesses as described in the Prospectus, except when the failure to possess such certificates, authorizations or permits would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(w) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them which is material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the Prospectus or such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries which are material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case except as described in the Prospectus.

(x) The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, all material patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks and trade names currently employed by them in connection with the business now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any of the foregoing which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(y) No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists, except as described in the Prospectus, or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent; and the Company is not aware of any existing, threatened or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal suppliers, manufacturers or contractors that could have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(z) The Company and its subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; except as disclosed in the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for that is material to the business of the Company and the subsidiaries; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except as described in the Prospectus.

(aa) The Company and each of its subsidiaries keep books and records accurate in all material respects reflecting their assets and maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

2. Agreements to Sell and Purchase. The Company hereby agrees to sell to the several Underwriters, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the conditions hereinafter stated, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective numbers of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite its names at U.S.$28.975 a share (the “Purchase Price”).

On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, the Company agrees to sell to the Underwriters the Additional Shares, and the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to 900,000 Additional Shares at the Purchase Price. The Representative may exercise this right on behalf of the Underwriters in whole or from time to time in part by giving written notice of each election to exercise the option not later than 30 days after the date of this Agreement. Any exercise notice shall specify the number of Additional Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and the date on which such shares are to be purchased. Each purchase date must be at least one business day after the written notice is given and may not be earlier than the Closing Date (as defined below) nor later than ten business days after the date of such notice. Additional Shares may be purchased as provided in Section 4 hereof solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Firm Shares. On each day, if any, that Additional Shares are to be purchased (an “Option Closing Date”), each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Additional Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as you may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.

The Company hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period ending 90 days after the date of the Prospectus (the “Lock-Up Period”), (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (B) the issuance by the Company

of shares of Common Stock pursuant to, or the grant of options under, the Company’s existing stock option, employee benefit or dividend reinvestment plans or existing warrants or (C) the issuance of shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock as consideration for future acquisitions to be made by the Company, provided however that any holder of securities issued pursuant to this clause (C) shall be subject to the restrictions in clauses (i) and (ii) of the immediately preceding sentence during the Lock-Up Period.

3. Terms of Public Offering. The Company is advised by you that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Shares as soon after the Registration Statement and this Agreement have become effective as in your judgment is advisable. The Company is further advised by you that the Shares are to be offered to the public initially at U.S.$30.50 a share (the “Public Offering Price”) and to certain dealers selected by you at a price that represents a concession not in excess of U.S.$0.99 a share under the Public Offering Price.

4. Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Firm Shares shall be made to the Company in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Firm Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on March 1, 2005, or at such other time on the same or such other date, not later than March 8, 2005, as shall be designated in writing by you. The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date”.

Payment for any Additional Shares shall be made to the Company in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Additional Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in Section 2 or at such other time on the same or on such other date, in any event not later than April 9, 2005, as shall be designated in writing by the Representative. The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the “Option Closing Date”.

Certificates for the Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be in definitive form and registered in such names and in such denominations as you shall request in writing not later than one full business day prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The certificates evidencing the Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be delivered to you on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the transfer of the Shares to the Underwriters duly paid, against payment of the Purchase Price therefor.

5. Conditions to the Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Company to sell the Shares to the Underwriters and the several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares on the Closing Date are subject to the condition that the Registration Statement shall have become effective not later than 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the date hereof.

The several obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the following further conditions:

(a) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or shall be pending or, to your knowledge or the knowledge of the Company, shall be contemplated by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel for the Underwriters.

(b) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:

(i) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any of the Company’s securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act; and

(ii) there shall not have occurred any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement) that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it, in your judgment, impracticable to market the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.

(c) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by each of the chief executive officer and the chief financial officer of the Company, to the effect set forth in Section 5(b) above and to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.

Each of the officers signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.

(d) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion or opinions of Pillsbury Winthrop LLP, outside counsel for the Company, to the effect set forth in Exhibit A-1, an opinion of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Esq., Secretary and General Counsel of the Company, to the effect set forth in Exhibit A-2, in each case dated as of the Closing Date. Such opinions shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company and shall so state therein.

(e) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Shearman & Sterling LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters.

(f) The Underwriters shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, from each of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Ernst & Young LLP and KPMG LLP, independent public accountants, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information relating to the Company, Tapco Holdings, Inc. and Eldorado Stone LLC, contained in or incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; provided that the letters delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than the date hereof.

(g) The “lockup” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, between you and certain shareholders, officers and directors of the Company relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Common Stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.

(h) The Common Stock shall have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq National Market, subject only to official notice of issuance.

(i) The Representative shall have received such other documents and certificates as are reasonably requested by the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters.

The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase Additional Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to the Representative on the applicable Option Closing Date of such documents as the Representative may reasonably request with respect to the good standing of the Company, the due authorization and issuance of the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date and other matters related to the issuance of such Additional Shares.

6. Covenants of the Company. In further consideration of the agreements of the Underwriters herein contained, the Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

(a) To furnish to you, without charge, 4 conformed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and for delivery to each other Underwriter a conformed copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and to furnish to you in New York City, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section 6(d) below, as many copies of the Prospectus and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as you may reasonably request.

(b) Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (including by filing any document that would as a result thereof be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus), to furnish to you a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.

(c) During the period in which the Prospectus is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales of Shares, to file promptly all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

(d) If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters the Prospectus is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses you will furnish to the Company) to which Shares may have been sold by you on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with law.

(e) To endeavor to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as you shall reasonably request.

(f) To make generally available to the Company’s security holders and to you as soon as practicable an earning statement covering the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2004 that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(g) To comply with all rules and regulations of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. in respect of the listing of the Shares and to use all its best efforts to cause the Shares to be eligible for trading thereon.

(h) For a period of five years after the Closing Date, to furnish to you and, upon request, to each Underwriter, copies of all annual reports, quarterly reports and current reports filed with the Commission on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K, or such other similar forms as may be designated by the Commission, and such other documents, reports and information as shall be furnished by the Company to its stockholders generally.

7. Expenses. Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company agrees to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and the Company’s accountants in connection with the registration and delivery of the Shares under the

Securities Act and all other fees or expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing, including all printing costs associated therewith, and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers, in the quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) the cost of printing or producing any Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 6(e) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum, (iv) all filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters incurred in connection with the review and qualification of the offering of the Shares by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., (v) all fees and expenses incident to listing the Shares on the Nasdaq National Market, (vi) the cost of printing certificates representing the Shares, (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar or depositary, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, reasonable expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and half of the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show, provided such charter is approved by the Company, (ix) the document and production charges and expenses associated with printing this Agreement; (x) all expenses in connection with any offer and sale of the Shares outside the United States, including filing fees and reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with offers and sales outside of the United States, and (xi) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section, Section 8 entitled “Indemnity and Contribution”, and the last paragraph of Section 10 below, the Underwriters will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel, stock transfer taxes payable on resale of any of the Shares by them and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.

8. Indemnity and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein.

(b) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to such Underwriter, but only with reference to information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto.

(c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 8(a) or 8(b), such person (the “indemnified party”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “indemnifying party”) in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all such indemnified parties and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. Such firm shall be designated in writing by Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(a), and by the Company, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(b). The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or

threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.

(d) To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 8(a) or 8(b) is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 7(d)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 7(d)(i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Shares shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 8 are several in proportion to the respective number of Shares they have purchased hereunder, and not joint.

(e) The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 8(d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent

misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in this Section 8 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.

(f) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 8 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the Company contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, any person controlling any Underwriter or any affiliate of any Underwriter or by or on behalf of the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Shares.

9. Termination. The Underwriters may terminate this Agreement by notice given by you to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on, or by, as the case may be, any of the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq National Market, the Chicago Board of Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade, (ii) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market, (iii) a material disruption in securities settlement, payment or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred, (iv) any moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by Federal or New York State authorities or (v) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and which, singly or together with any other event specified in this clause (v), makes it, in your judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offer, sale or delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.

10. Effectiveness; Defaulting Underwriters. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

If, on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of the Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as you may specify, to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the number of Shares that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 10 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such number of Shares without the written consent of such Underwriter. If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Firm

Shares to be purchased, and arrangements satisfactory to you and the Company for the purchase of such Firm Shares are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company. In any such case either you or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. If, on an Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Additional Shares and the aggregate number of Additional Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be purchased, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (i) terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase Additional Shares or (ii) purchase not less than the number of Additional Shares that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been obligated to purchase in the absence of such default. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any of them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, excluding any termination pursuant to clauses (i), (iii), (iv) or (v) of Section 9, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters as have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by such Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder.

11. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.

12. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.

13. Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]


Very truly yours,

HEADWATERS INCORPORATED

By:		/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Name:		Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title:		Chief Executive Officer

[Signature page to Underwriting Agreement]

Accepted as of the date hereof

XXXXXX XXXXXXX & CO. INCORPORATED

Acting severally on behalf of itself

and the several Underwriters

named in Schedule I hereto.

By: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated


By:		/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxx
Name:		Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxx
Title:		Executive Director

[Signature page to Underwriting Agreement]

SCHEDULE I

UNDERWRITERS


Underwriter		Number of Firm Shares To Be Purchased
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated		3,300,000

Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Inc.		900,000

X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc.		600,000

RBC Capital Markets Corporation		600,000

Xxxxxxxx Inc.		600,000

Total Firm Shares		6,000,000

Schedule I

EXHIBIT A

[FORM OF LOCK-UP LETTER]

[ ], 2005

Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated

[NAMES OF OTHER CO-MANAGERS]

c/o Morgan Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated

0000 Xxxxxxxx

Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000

Dear Sirs and Mesdames:

The undersigned understands that Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated (“Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx”) proposes to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Headwaters Incorporated, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the several Underwriters, including Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx (the “Underwriters”), of [ ] shares (the “Shares”) of the common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”).

To induce the Underwriters that may participate in the Public Offering to continue their efforts in connection with the Public Offering, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending 90 days after the date of the final prospectus relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (a) the sale of any Shares to the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, (b) transactions relating to shares of Common Stock or other securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of the Public Offering, (c) transfers of shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into Common Stock by the undersigned as a bona fide gift or gifts or (d) transfers of shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into Common Stock by the undersigned to any trust for the benefit of the undersigned or the undersigned’s immediate family; provided that in the case of any transfer pursuant to clause (c) or (d), (i) each transferee or trustee of the trust shall execute and deliver to Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx a duplicate form of this Lock-Up Agreement and (ii) no filing by any party (transferor, transferee or trustee) under Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection

Exhibit A

with such transfer (other than a filing on a Form 5 made after the expiration of the 90-day period referred to above)]. In addition, the undersigned agrees that, without the prior written consent of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending 90 days after the date of the Prospectus, make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigned’s share of Common Stock except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.

The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters are relying upon this Lock-Up Agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the Public Offering. The undersigned further understands that this Lock-Up Agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns.

Whether or not the Public Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Public Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company and the Underwriters.

It is understood that, if the Company notifies you that it does not intend to proceed with the Public Offering, if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Shares, the undersigned will be released from his or its obligations under this Lock-Up Agreement. This Lock-Up Agreement shall lapse and become null and void if the Public Offering shall not have occurred on or before [ ], 2005.

Exhibit A-2

EXHIBIT A-1

OPINION OF OUTSIDE COUNSEL FOR THE COMPANY

The opinion of Pillsbury Winthrop LLP, outside counsel for the Company, to be delivered pursuant to Section 5(d) of the Underwriting Agreement, shall be to the effect that:

(i) The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

(ii) The authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus;

(iii) The Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and the issuance of such Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights;

(iv) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;

(v) The Registration Statement has become effective under the Securities Act and, to such counsel’s knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been instituted or threatened by the Commission;

(vi) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement will not contravene any provision of applicable law or the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of the Company or any Reviewed Agreement, or, to the best of such counsel’s knowledge, any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary, and to the best of such counsel’s knowledge, no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, except such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares by the Underwriters. “Reviewed Agreement” means the instruments or agreements to which the Company or its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the properties of the Company or its subsidiaries is subject, and which instrument or agreement is included as an exhibit filed to the Registration

Exhibit A-1-1

EXHIBIT A-1

Statement, the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2004, the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement filed on January 24, 2005, the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 2004 or the Company’s Current Reports on From 8-K filed on November 10, 2004 and January 20 and February 22, 2005 and on Form 8-K/A filed with the SEC on December 7 and 13, 2004;

(vii) The statements (A) included in, or incorporated by reference into, the Prospectus under the captions “Description of Capital Stock”, “Description of Debt Securities” and “Underwriters” of the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2004 and (B) in the Registration Statement in Items 14 and 15, in each case insofar as such statements constitute summaries of the legal matters, documents or proceedings referred to therein, fairly present the information called for with respect to such legal matters, documents and proceedings and fairly summarize the matters referred to therein in all material respects;

(viii) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus, will not be an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;

(ix) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus (except for the consolidated financial statements and other financial or statistical data included therein or omitted therefrom as to which such counsel need express no opinion), as of the dates they were filed with the Commission or to the extent such documents were subsequently amended prior to the date hereof, at the time so amended, complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the regulation thereunder; and

(x) Such counsel (A) is of the opinion that the Registration Statement and Prospectus (except for financial statements and financial schedules and other financial data included therein as to which such counsel need not express any opinion) comply as to form in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (B) has no reason to believe that (except for financial statements and schedules and other financial data as to which such counsel need not express any belief) the Registration Statement and the prospectus included therein at the time the Registration Statement became effective contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and (C) has no reason to believe that (except for financial statements and schedules and other financial data as to which such counsel need not express any belief) the Prospectus when issued contained, or as of the date such opinion is delivered, contains, any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

Exhibit X-0-0

XXXXXXX X-0

Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP may state that their opinion and belief are based upon their participation in the preparation of the Registration Statement and Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and review and discussion of the contents thereof, but are without independent check or verification, except as specified.

Exhibit A-1-3

EXHIBIT A-2

OPINION OF GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE COMPANY

The opinion of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Esq., Secretary and General Counsel of the Company, to be delivered pursuant to Section 5(d) of the Underwriting Agreement, shall be to the effect that:

(ii) Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

(iii) The authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus;

(iv) The shares of Common Stock outstanding prior to the issuance of the Shares have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable;

(v) All of the issued shares of capital stock or other equity unit of each wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned directly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims except for the security interests granted under the senior secured credit agreement and second lien credit agreement, both dated September 8, 2004, as amended, between the Company and various lenders and Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Senior Funding, Inc., as administrative agent, and except as described in the Prospectus;

(vi) The Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued, delivered and purchased in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and the issuance of such Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights;

Exhibit A-2-1

EXHIBIT A-2

(vii) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;

(viii) The Registration Statement has become effective under the Securities Act and, to such counsel’s knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been instituted or threatened by the Commission;

(ix) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement will not contravene any provision of Delaware law or the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of the Company or, to such counsel’s knowledge, any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or, to such counsel’s knowledge, any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, except such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares by the Underwriters;

(x) To such counsel’s knowledge, after due inquiry, such counsel does not know of any legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described or of any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required;

(xi) The statements (A) included in, or incorporated by reference into, the Prospectus in “Item 3 – Legal Proceedings” of the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2004 and (B) in the Registration Statement in Items 14 and 15, in each case insofar as such statements constitute summaries of the legal matters, documents or proceedings referred to therein, fairly present the information called for with respect to such legal matters, documents and proceedings and fairly summarize the matters referred to therein;

(xii) To the knowledge of such counsel (after due inquiry), none of the Company or its subsidiaries is in default in the performance or observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, loan agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument that is described or referred to in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement;

Exhibit A-2-2

EXHIBIT A-2

(xiii) Such counsel (A) is of the opinion that the Registration Statement and Prospectus (except for financial statements and financial schedules and other financial data included therein as to which such counsel need not express any opinion) comply as to form in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (B) has no reason to believe that (except for financial statements and schedules and other financial data as to which such counsel need not express any belief) the Registration Statement and the prospectus included therein at the time the Registration Statement became effective contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and (C) has no reason to believe that (except for financial statements and schedules and other financial data as to which such counsel need not express any belief) the Prospectus when issued contained, or as of the date such opinion is delivered, contains, any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

Exhibit A-2-3

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Table of Contents

6,000,000 Shares HEADWATERS INCORPORATED COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $0.001 PER SHARE UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

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