Roof replacement cost

A roof has exactly one job: keep the water out. The cost of replacing it is mostly three things: the material you put up, the labor to install it, and the tear-off of whatever is up there now. Here is how to tell a fair number from a guess.

A typical asphalt-shingle replacement on a standard single-story home lands in the mid five figures, give or take, depending on size and pitch. The number is driven by squares, the roofing unit equal to 100 square feet, so a bigger or more cut-up roof simply has more squares to cover. Two homes with the same footprint can land far apart if one is a simple gable and the other is all valleys and dormers.

Material

Asphalt shingles are the volume choice and the cheapest per square, good for a couple of decades. Above that: architectural shingles, then metal, then tile and slate at the top. Metal costs more up front but lasts much longer and handles heat well, which matters in our summers. Tile looks great and is common around here, but it is heavy, and an older house may need its framing checked before it can carry it. Material is the single biggest lever on the bid.

Labor

Roofing is hard, hot, dangerous work, and you pay for skill and safety. Steeper pitches cost more because the crew works slower with more fall protection. Labor usually runs a little under half the bid on a standard shingle job, more on tile. A bid far cheaper than the others on labor usually means a crew cutting safety, skipping underlayment, or rushing the flashing, and flashing is where most leaks start.

Tear-off

The part homeowners forget. The old roof has to come off and go to the dump, and that line item grows if there are multiple old layers or rotted decking underneath. A reputable roofer warns you rotten sheathing is possible and quotes the per-sheet replacement cost before starting, so a surprise does not become a blank-check change order. Walk away from any bid that proposes roofing over the old layer. It traps heat and moisture and shortens the new roof's life.

The parts of the bid people skip

Underlayment, flashing, ventilation, and drip edge are the unglamorous items that decide whether the roof actually lasts. Underlayment sits between the deck and the shingles. Flashing seals chimneys, valleys, and walls. Proper attic ventilation keeps heat and moisture from cooking the roof from below. A cheap bid saves money exactly here, on the parts you cannot see from the curb. Ask what underlayment they use, how they handle flashing, and whether ventilation is included. The answers separate a roofer from a guy with a nail gun.

What moves the number

• Roof size in squares and the pitch.
• Material grade, from basic shingle to tile or metal.
• Layers to tear off and the condition of the decking underneath.
• Rooflines. Valleys, dormers, and chimneys all add labor.
• Underlayment, flashing, and ventilation, where cheap bids cut.
• Permits and any code upgrades the work triggers.

Whoever does your roof, ask for an itemized bid that separates material, labor, and tear-off. A clear bid is the first sign of a contractor worth hiring.