How Much Should You Expect to Spend on a Roof Replacement?

Replacing a roof can be expensive. You may be tempted to seek out the lowest possible price for that reason. However, you may get what you pay for and have to pay even more to get it repaired or replaced again sooner than expected. At the same time, you don’t want to pay more than you have to for a roof replacement. So what’s the right amount that you should be spending on your roof?

Factors that Affect Roofing Prices

There are many factors that affect roof prices. To understand how much your roof replacement should cost, ask yourself the following questions:

Question #1

How Large Is Your Home?

Roofing materials cost money. This means that the larger your home, the larger your roof and, therefore, the more you’ll need to spend on the costs of roofing materials and the labor involved in both taking off the old roof and putting on the new one.

Question #2

What Roofing Material Do You Want?

If you’re happy with basic shingles, then your roof replacement cost can be on the lower end of the scale. However, if you desire a premium shingle or metal roof, then the materials will cost more per square foot. However, the pricier, longer warranted roofing materials do also last longer, which can help to mitigate the higher up-front costs as you won’t have to replace your roof again for a longer period of time.

Question #3

What Is the Shape and Pitch of Your Roof?

On average, roofing labor costs between $1.50 and $3.00 per square foot, or $150 to $300 per roofing square, which is 100 square feet. However, if your roof is particularly steep or has a lot of peaks that would make installation more difficult, the labor might take longer as well as be more expensive. A steeper roof, for example, could mean that the roofers have to use more equipment in order to be safe on your roof. If there are features like skylights, that could also increase the cost.

Question #3

Where Do You Live?

Prices and labor costs can vary by location across the U.S. In areas with a higher cost of living, roofing prices are often higher. Homes farther from manufacturing facilities may see higher prices due to shipping costs. Shingles produced in areas of the country with higher labor costs can also have an affect on raw materal prices. At Smith Roofing, the brands we choose are made in, or have distribution centers in, the South and Eastern U.S., which helps keep material and transportation costs more reasonable.

Here in East Tennessee, another factor that affects pricing is competition. The Knoxville market is very competitive with has more and more roofing companies entering the area every year. Because of this, it is to your advantage to get multiple quotes before making a decision. But keep in mind that with new companies coming in, it is more important than ever to properly vet companies you are requesting a quote from.

Keep in mind that material costs can be volatile and change often. Since raw materials prices rarely go down, waiting for lower costs is usually not a good decision.

Question #4

When Do You Need Your Roof Replaced?

If the roof replacement is an emergency and must be done right away and it happens to be during winter or summer, with extreme temperatures, then the costs of labor could rise. Roofers would need additional time and equipment to protect themselves from the weather. If you have a roofing emergency, this may be unavoidable, but if possible, you should plan to have your roof replaced during the spring or autumn when temperatures are milder. This may involve planning ahead and replacing your roof preemptively if you know that it’s reaching the end of its lifespan so you can save money on labor costs.

Question #5

Is Your Roof Damaged?

If there’s existing water damage on your roof, for example rotting wood underneath shingles, then the labor costs may also be higher. This is not just because there will be additional materials needed to make repairs but also, working on a damaged roof can be more dangerous for roofers, who will have to take additional safety precautions.

How Much Does My Roof Cost to Replace?

The best way to know roof pricing for your specific need is to bring in a professional like Smith Roofing. We will do a full inspection and give you a free estimate for any repairs and multiple “good-better-best” options for a roof replacement. It is always wise to get multiple quotes from different reputable roofers as they will all have different brands, prices, turnarounds, and workmanship levels that you need to factor in.