How Much Should You 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?

Typically a new roof costs between $5,500 and $11,000, with homeowners spending an average of $8,000 on the roof replacement. To figure out exactly how much your roof replacement should cost, you’ll need to ask yourself the following questions.

Question #1

How Large Is Your Home?

Roofing materials cost money. This means that the larger your home, the bigger 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 shingles, then your roof replacement may be on the lower end of the scale. However, if you want a metal roof or tile, then the materials will cost more per square foot than less expensive materials. Typically, the pricier materials like metal do also last longer, which can help to mitigate the higher up-front costs because 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 differ from location to location. If your state or city has a higher cost of living, then roofing prices may also be proportionately higher.

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 because working on a damaged roof can be more dangerous for roofers, who will have to take additional safety precautions.