How much does a roof cost?

Let’s take a look at what a new roof will cost a home owner.

Do you get frustrated when you can’t find a price for a roof on a web site and every site wants you to enter contact information?

Researching the cost of a new roof on the internet can be frustrating as it leads to multiple sites attempting to get contact information without ever answering the question. We have been asked over and over to explain what a new roof cost and why. In this article, we will attempt to educate and give anyone looking to replace their roof the information they need to make the best decision and get the best price for the roof they want on their home.

Most family’s home is their biggest investment and largest asset that can lead to generational wealth. That investment requires a sound roofing system to protect it from the outdoor elements. Without a sound roofing system in place, a homeowner’s investment will depreciate instead of increasing in value over time; therefore, a building owner must look at a number of factors to determine the amount they want to increase the value of their investment. The primary factors determining the cost of a roof are as follows:

1. Type of Roofing Material
2. Size and Shape of the Roof
3. Location of the Roof
4. Quality of Install and Warranty

Let’s take a brief look at each one of these factors. 

Type of Roofing Material

The type of roofing material that is installed on a home is the largest factor in determining the cost of a roof. Roof material can consist of slate, metal, plastic composite shingles, and asphalt shingles to name a few. Often the decision on what type of roofing material is not one that most home owners take into consideration. To help with that decision,  I have attached a video covering the different types of roofing material. 

Asphalt shingles are the most common because they are the best value roofing material. As a rule of thumb, metal typically cost twice as much as asphalt shingles, and slate costs twice as much as metal.

Size and Shape of the Roof

The second factor for determining the cost of a roof is the size and shape of the roof. The roof size and shape will determine the amount of material needed and the complexity of the install of the new roof. 

The square footage of the house plays a role in the size of the roof; however, the pitch, roof style, and the number of valleys will add a significant amount of surface area and waste that must be factored in. Here are a couple of the items that need to be accounted for when determining the size of the roof:

1. Total size of the building, including the soffit and porches
2. The pitch or how steep the roof is
3. The type of roof; this will determine the complexity of the install and sometimes will determine the material needed
4. The amount of hips and valleys, often referred to as  how “cut up the roof is”. This factor will determine the amount of shingle that will need to be trimmed off or cut and adds to the waste factor

Location of the Roof

A third factor that determines the cost of the roof is the location of the roof. This is a two part factor. One is the location within the United States. Roofs in Chicago, New York, and Houston all have different price ranges due to availability of materials and the cost of labor in that area. The second location factor is based on the location of the job site to the availability of local resources like supplies and labor. If a job site is located an hour from a major city,  the cost will increase due to the fuel costs and the travel costs of the crews. In addition, there is typically more competition in a dense urban area compared to a rural area, and that will also make the cost of a new roof differ. 

Quality of the Install and Warranty

The fourth and most important factor in relation to the install of a new roof is the quality and reputation of the contractor installing the roof and the warranty they provide. The easiest ways for a company to cut costs is to short change the install process by not completely removing the old roof before installing the new roof. Other ways companies cut cost is by not carrying insurance, using subpar or surplus materials, and by not honoring warranties. New roofs come with two warranties-the roof material manufacturer’s warranty and the contractor’s labor warranty; therefore, the home owner needs to make sure the install is correct so that the manufacturer’s warranty will be valid, and that the roofing company will be around to honor the warranty they offered. 

The best recommendation for selecting a roofing company is to make sure they are a reputable local company with good online reviews, and that they are willing to provide references. 

Summary

To answer the ever popular question of how much is this going to cost- “Well, it depends” is still the answer. However, in order to give most homeowners a price range, I will make the following assumptions for a roof replacement cost (see attach photo) :

1. Asphalt Shingle Roof
2. One Story Hip Roof on a 6/12 Pitch with no valleys
3. The job is located in an urban area in Central Texas
4. The roof will be installed by a roofing company that is local with a brick and mortar location, warehouse, company trucks, and staffed project managers. They will have insurance, provide a long term workmanship warranty, and install the roof to the manufacturer’s specifications

The cost to remove and replace the described roof will range from $12k to $15k in the current 2021 market. Again, each roof and building owner are unique, but that should give anyone looking for a new roof an idea of what the cost will be.

The best way to get a price on a new roof ,no matter what type of building or roof, is to contact a local reputable roofing company.

Are you looking for more specific information on what your roof will cost to repair or replace?