The cost to replace a roof ranges between $4,707 to $10,460 in total, with an average of $7,211 for a house of 2,000 square footage. This includes not only the cost of building a new roof but also the cost of removing the old one. However, the exact price you will have to pay will largely depend on what material you choose the new roof to be, as well as other factors, which will be discussed below.
Cost Factors
Before starting to calculate the cost of replacing your roof, you will have to consider and decide on some aspects that will affect the price tag of this project. These include:
- Roof Size – It goes without saying that the larger the size of your roof, the more you will have to spend on replacing it. This is because it will require more materials and labor to replace the current one and build a new one. Therefore, calculating the size of your roof is a crucial step to estimating the costs associated with replacing it.
- Roofing Materials – One of, probably, the most important indicators of the cost will be the materials you choose to build the roof with. The average cost of reroofing a house with new shingles is around $4,707 to $15,690, which includes the costs of removing the old roof as well. On the other extreme, you can expect to pay between $52,000 and $70,600, if you want to purchase a Tesla solar roof. This serves to show you what big of a difference roofing materials can make if you decide to replace your roof.
- Additional features of the roof – If your roof includes features such as chimneys, skylights, and ventilation pipes, the process of reroofing may be a bit more complex. Therefore, you should expect to pay more depending on your roof.
- The area where you live – Depending on where you live and the general cost of living there, the cost of a new roof may be higher or lower than the national average.
Cost to reroof with asphalt shingles
Asphalt shingles are by far the most used type of material when it comes to roofing. There are a number of reasons behind this. First, with costs of re-roofing ranging from $5,700 to $12,000, asphalt shingles are probably the cheapest alternative out there. Moreover, they are lightweight and easy to install. This means that labor may not cost you as much either. Lastly, for those homeowners who are considering taking on the project of reroofing by themselves, being the easiest to install, asphalt shingles prove to be very DIY-friendly. Utilize a reliable roofing calculator to accurately estimate the cost of materials and labor for your roof replacement project.
Cost of a metal roof
The average cost of a metal roof ranges from approximately $5,300 to $15,000. Depending on the type of material you use, the exact cost of replacing the roof will differ. The cost of a new tin roof, on average, is about $10,500. On the other hand, if you have chosen steel, you can expect a higher price of around $12,300, or even $18,600 in the case of stainless steel. The most expensive alternative between metal roofs is copper roofing. Roofing your house with copper will cost you around $30,600.
Tile roofing cost
If you are considering re-roofing your house with tiles, then you can choose to either use clay tiles, concrete tiles, or Spanish tiles. Pricewise, installing a clay tile roof is the cheapest option. You can expect to pay between $15,000 to $45,000 depending on the square footage of your roof. Installing concrete tiles, on the other hand, would cost one an average of $22,500 to $30,000. Keep in mind that, since these products are heavier to work with, you may also need to spend some money in repairing and strengthening the base of your roof for support.
Cost of a wood shake roof
Another material option is using wood shake. On average, the cost of a wood shake roof installation is around $16,000 to $27,000. This type of roof, not only is appealing to the eye, but also serves as one of the best insulating materials, which is resistant to heat. However, there are some downsides to having a wood shake roof. For starters, a wood shake roof deteriorates quickly, which means that you may need to replace the roof again sooner than you plan to. Another downside is that a wood shake roof is more prone to fire. Lastly, more work is required to maintain a wood shake roof. This is because, in order to prevent mold and moss from accumulating in the roof, you would have to clean off debris before a rainy season.
Cost of a slate roof
If you install a slate roof, there is one thing you can be certain about: it will last you for more than half a century, specifically around 70 to 100 years in total. Therefore, if you are trying to make a long-lasting investment, then slate roofs are definitely an option you should consider. Because of its great look and long life expectancy, a slate roof is expected to cost one between $14,800 to $44,400.
Cost of a solar roof
By far the most expensive alternative, a Tesla solar roof can cost anywhere between $52,000 and $70,600. This does not even take into account the cost of the 2 Powerwall batteries needed, which would be an extra $17,100. Apart from these costs, another expense to consider when it comes to solar roofs is the labor and the solar roof installation process. It’s important to know that in the long term, solar roofs may justify their price. On average, it is estimated that in 30 years, solar roofs generate around $49,000 worth of free energy. Moreover, the government gives homeowners with solar roofs, a tax credit of 30% of the install cost.
As you can see, when it comes to roofing, you have a variety of materials to choose from. To make this decision less overwhelming, consider using this formula to calculate the annual cost of your roof:
Annual Cost = Cost of Materials and Labor (Total cost)Life expectancy of the roof (in years)
Calculating the Cost
In order to calculate the cost of your roof more accurately, make sure to follow these 5 steps:
Step 1 – Calculate your roof size
Before you are able to calculate the size of your roof, you will need to know a number of factors:
- The size of your house – The square footage of your house will be an important factor in calculating the size of your roof. It is the area of the base of your roof. If your house has an unusual shape and you don’t know its square footage already, then you might have to break down the calculation into pieces.
- Roof Pitch – The roof pitch is expressed as a ratio ranging from 1/12 to 24/12 and it tells you how many inches of the roof rise for every 12 inches in depth. You will need this number in order to calculate the square footage of your roof.
Step 2 – Choose the material of your roof
As we discussed above, there are plenty of options you can choose from if you want to replace the roof of your home. Each one of them has its own pros and cons so it is up to you to decide which aspects are the most important to you. If you are looking for the cheapest alternative, then asphalt shingles may save you a lot of money. On the other hand, if you are someone who values durability above everything else, then maybe consider installing a slate roof.
Step 3 – Calculate the cost of roofing supplies
You will want to spend some time on this step, especially if you are considering replacing the roof of your house on your own. Since you have now chosen the material you are working with, you can start exploring the options available for your roofing supplies. It is also important to know the sizes these supplies are sold in:
- One bundle of roof shingles typically covers 33ft2. Therefore, depending on the size of your roof, you can easily calculate how many bundles you need
- One roll of roof covers an area of about 108ft2
- One roll of #15 felt covers an area of 432ft2
- One roll of #30 felt covers approximately 216 ft2
Step 4 – Calculate the cost of labor
The average roofing labor is typically between $1.50 and $3.00 per square foot. The exact price that you will be charged will also depend on the materials you are using for your new roof. Materials that are fairly easy to work with, such as asphalt shingles, will typically cost you less. However, some other factors that may affect how much you will pay for the labor behind the roof installation include:
- Removing old material – If you or previous owners of your house have put another layer of shingles on top of the existing ones in an attempt to lengthen the life of your roof, then it will take a longer time for a professional to remove everything and start installing the new material.
- Damages – If your roof is damaged underneath, then this will make the process more complicated and also dangerous for the roofing professional. For example, if there is rotting wood under the shingles, then it will take more time to repair and then replace the roof, which will contribute to your labor cost.
- Environmental factors – Depending on the weather conditions that the roofing professionals have to deal with, the job of replacing the roof can be more difficult than usual. Therefore, harsh weather conditions can be a factor why you are charged more for the labor required to replace your roof.
Step 5 – Add it all up
Now that you have taken into consideration all the factors affecting the cost of your roof, you can add them all up to come to a final figure.
