What Does a Roof Replacement Cost?

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There’s no way around it: Replacing a roof is expensive. The process usually takes a team of professionals (and yes, you should use professionals—more on that later) several days to complete and costs several thousand dollars. It’s a worthy and basically non-negotiable investment since your roof is arguably the most important part of your house. Whether you’re renovating a fixer-upper or caring for the dream home you built from scratch, don’t neglect the glue that holds it all together. A well-maintained roof keeps you dry, safe, and warm, and prevents water damage.

On average, you should get your roof inspected once a year and replace it every 20 to 30 years (depending on the material) while doing spot repairs as needed. Regular maintenance can help you avoid leaks and know when it’s the right time for a full replacement. Getting your roof replaced can feel like an arduous task that you want to keep putting off, but with the right preparation, it can be a breeze—no, really. Ahead, we break down everything you need to know roof replacement cost* based on your roof’s size, materials, and steepness or pitch.

How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Roof?

According to Angi, the average national cost to replace a roof is $9,197, with most homeowners spending between $5,841 and $12,841. This varies drastically depending on your location, type of roof, and roof size. We break down the cost differentials and price per square foot of different materials below.

Types of Roofs

There are eight common types of roofs. Determining which one or ones your home has can help you with cost estimates, material choice, and deciding which roofing professionals to hire based on their specialty. Modern homes combine many of these elements. Generally speaking, the more points of intersection in your home’s roof, the more costly it’ll be to maintain and replace.

 

Flat Roof: As the name suggests, a flat roof is one level all the way across. Commercial buildings, apartment buildings, and ADUs or porch attachments typically have a flat roof.

Gabled Roof: The most traditional type of residential roof, a gabled roof is triangular, with two angled sides of the same length extending down from a center peak.

Clipped Gable Roof: Also called a “bullnose” roof, this type of roof is similar to a gable, but it has a flattened portion at the peak at the front and/or back end.

Dutch Gabled Roof: Picture–– about the Pizza Hut logo. That shape, a roof with a secondary section jutting out from the top, is a Dutch gabled roof. They’re common on Dutch colonial and Dutch colonial revival homes.

Shed Roof: If you cut a gable roof in half, you’d have a shed roof. Similar to those found on saltbox houses, a shed roof is one long angle as opposed to two that meet at a peak. One side is high, and the opposite side is low.

Gambrel Roof: Picture a traditional barn. A gambrel roof is variation on a gabled roof with two panels on each angled side.

Mansard Roof: Also the title of a popular Vampire Weekend song, a mansard roof describes a multisided gambrel-style hip roof. It has symmetrical panels that curve upward to meet at a rounded peak. Mansard roofs are popular on French-style buildings and houses.

Hip Roof: Rather than two sides (as with a gabled roof), all four sides slope down from the center of a hip roof; there’s no a flat end or side.

Average Cost of Roof Materials by Square Foot

• Asphalt shingles: $4–$8
• Flat roofing (rubber/PVC): $5.50–$8
• Corrugated metal: $5–$11
• Aluminum shingles: $6–$16
• Cedar shingles: $8–$15
• Standing seam metal panels: $10–$17
• Steel shingles: $10–$20
• Concrete: $11–$20
• Copper tile: $12–$20
• Slate/ceramic/clay tiles: $12–$24

Factors That Affect Cost

The design and composition of your home’s roof is something you should ideally consider before you decide to buy it, since they make a big difference in your maintenance costs.

Permitting

As with any major home construction or renovation project, you need a permit to repair or replace your roof. This cost varies by town, city, and state, but you can expect to spend between $150 to $500 on permits for roof replacement and $70 to $250 for repairs.

Inspection and Warranties

Prior to the construction, you’ll need to hire an inspector to determine what changes and fixes need to be made. You’ll also need an inspector at the end of the process to ensure that your new roof is adequate and up to any area codes and ordinances. Check your municipality’s rules to see if you should factor in extra costs for roof inspections.

Roof Size

Of course, the size of the roof you’re replacing will affect the price of the job. The larger the roof, the more expensive. But a smaller roof can become costly if you opt for luxury materials or if it needs extensive work. Look to your inspection results to see what work actually needs to be done.

Roof Slope and Pitch

The design of your roof can actually drive the cost up or down. While most roofs fall between a standard ratio, steeper roofs require special equipment and take longer to install. The cost increases because of the additional time and safety measures your crew will need to take. Picture the beautiful but complex roof of a Victorian house with a turret and multiple gables; it makes sense that it’d be more laborious to replace than the one on a simple saltbox. Steeper roofs are also often larger, which means they require more labor and materials than flatter roofs do.

Additional Roof Features

Skylights, chimneys, and other roof architecture features can vastly affect your roof replacement cost. They require additional flashing (the flat, thin material that helps waterproof the areas around openings on the roof such as those for chimneys and plumbing vents) as well as specially measured roofing materials. Prices vary widely depending on the size of your roof and the materials required for each feature.

Removing the Old Roof

Roof removal commonly costs between $1 and $5 per square foot on average depending on the complexity of the removal. Most professionals include disposal in their estimate—be sure your quotes do. You could spend up to $600 for the cost of junk removal and dumpster rentals alone if you choose to do it yourself.

Can You DIY a Roof Replacement?

Rather than asking if you can, we’d recommend asking should you DIY a roof replacement. Unless you’re a construction or roofing professional, the answer is probably no. Your home’s roof is essential to its structural integrity. You don’t want to do something as important as replacing or repairing it based on guesswork and YouTube tutorials. Also, most roofs are at least eight feet off the ground—if you’re inexperienced with using the proper safety equipment or working in such an environment, you could fall.

Source: House Beautiful