Complete Roofing Shingles Prices Guide (2024)

66 comments on “Complete Roofing Shingles Prices Guide (2024)”

1. I wonder now that we have all sorts of new construction methods and robotics being integrated into modern roof construction, could we cut down labors costs by incorporating drones. They would bring the shingles to the right spots and create a constant supply to the current contractor.

   Reply

2. I recently had an older roof of (60 years ) 1700 sq. ft. re shingled. When the shingles and tar paper were removed it exposed the 6″ T&G shiplap roof deck. I was informed by the contractor that due to the spacing between the boards (1/4″ at most) that the deck would have to be covered over with 7/16″ OSB ( 53 sheets) and that if we did not due this the warranty would be void. The total cost before taxes was $4,500.00 to install the 53 sheets of OSB. This was based on a price of $2.75 per sq. foot. It took the installers 10 hours to install the 53 sheets. Due to the on center spacing of the rafters (25″/26″) the butt ends (4′ side) of the OSB completely missed the rafters and 11/4″ of the 21/2″ nails are now visible. Am I wrong or is the cost to install the OSB ridiculously high and should I be concerned with the OSB installation?

   Reply

   1. Kim,

      Yes, the cost is ridiculously high! If I were you, I would not pay for OSB… at least not $4500. And if the roof wasn’t installed yet, I would demand to remove OSB and do the sheathing right, with CDX plywood, and to make sure that but joints end on rafters (cut extra)!

      1) OSB costs $8.68 pe sheet or $0.27 per square foot. At most this should cost $1.50 per square foot… they are not even removing old plywood.
      2) OSB is garbage – it should never be used on a roof (although I did do the same on my roof 🙂 ) … but I would never do it for a customer. If or when OSB gets wet, it just falls apart into a pile of wood dust.
      3) Butt ends should alway start and end on the rafter. If it’s too short, it should be cut back.
      4) I believe the job is now against building code, because they missed rafters on ends.

      Did you initially agree to the $4500 for OSB? If you did, you should have done research before agreeing. Roofers should inspect roofs before they tear-off. It’s their job to do so. This means they should have known that you have 6″ T&G shiplap roof deck BEFORE stripping shingles and “FINDING OUT” and putting you in situation where you have no roof, and it’s going to rain, and they need to do OSB fast…

      Bottom line – if roof was not installed yet – demand re-doing (with CDX, the right way) … or threaten with getting building inspector involved. Also, even if they did put shingles on, you don’t have to pay $4500 because they did not install OSB properly.

      Finally – it’s really not the end of the world – most likely there won’t be any issues – I mean OSB is nailed to rafters and boards. However you should not pay a total RIP OFF price for crappy work + crappy materials + roofer trapped you into this situation.

      Good luck

      Reply

      1. Thanks Leo for the quick reply. I’m in Canada and the cost of 7/16” osb is a bit more pricey at $24.50 taxes included per sheet. The new roof is a Certainteed roof system and they recommend osb. One half of the roof had been removed when we were informed that a sheet over was required and should we decide not to go with the sheet over the warranty would be void. The original estimate to re shingle (no osb) was $5,900.00 before taxes. This price included roof tear off, disposal of material and clean up, installation of Certainteed roof system with 4 star 50 year warranty approx. 30 hours labour. However, the installation of osb was $4,500.00 before taxes labour and material approx. 10 hr. labour. It’s evident where the profit was made at $1300 materials…..$3200 labour for 10 hours work.

         Regards,
         Kim

      2. Kim – hot-damn you get overcharged for OSB 🙁 …

         Well think of it this way – Roofing subs get paid $50-100 per square of MUCH harder work than slap on 3 sheets of plywood. Your guy is charging $200 for labor? that is CRAZY … like I said, they HAVE to know before they strip the roof (unless you don’t have attic access), that you need plywood/osb

         So they basically they set you up into EITHER pay OR no warranty OR we stop and your roof leaks. That is BS if you ask me, and totally screws you over. Things like this MUST be discussed before job begins, and it’s contractor’s responsibility to let you know, what happens IF you need such and such

         Like I said, building dept. should should get involved … talk to your inspector … and don’t pay them yet… these guys are SUPER UNETHICAL

      3. BTW, on your original contract, you are paying for TEAR OFF and INSTALL of new roof systems, which assumes all visual flashings, etc, and SHOULD NOT be priced by hour. Its cost for total job. 30 hours should only be used a s time estimate – not for cost basis. Now I understand that if they find rotten wood, or chimney falling apart, and damaged skylight that cannot be reused … that warrants extra charges .. however all visible prats should be included in total cost… and as I mentioned twice already – it’s roofers responsibility to check the attic, to see if substrate is suitable for new roof, and to inform you of possible extra charges, BEFORE they stip your roof and you are stuck with a $4500 bill, and either pay up or roof leaks or no warranty.

         BTW … on the off topic – I know of few stories when roofing crew arrived at job site, stripped the roof – then home owner comes home and is like WHAT???? I did not order a new roof … turns out it was wrong house 🙂 … just to cheer you up i guess

      4. Lmao my husband is a roofer and he did that but thankfully it was just a repair. And the homeowner wasn’t home the other home owner called the office and asked when will tech be out my husband told them he was already there

      5. You must not be a contractor or you would know OSB oriented strand board is actually stronger than plywood . It is not particle board and water will not harm it any more than it will harm plywood . We build houses and it is called out for roof sheeting in most projects . It is a little less expensive than exterior grade plywood but just as strong , it also has a radiant barrier on it to reflect heat .

      6. Robert, OSB stands for Obvious $hit Board … it may be “stronger” in some meaningless tests paid for by osb manufacturers, but in reality, it’s garbage.

         The only reason you use it in your projects is for YOU / CLIENT (GC or whoever) to save money on materials, but homeowner gets screwed big time, over few hundred dollars of savings that you pocket. You said it yourself – “less expensive than exterior grade plywood”.

         In roof application, osb falls apart very fast if water gets on it, whereas plywood lasts much longer, even in case of roof leaks. And the we (roofers) have to come in and fix your junk work, which ends up costing homeowner even more. But hey – to each their own – if quality means nothing to you, then be it.

         And i must not be a contractor .. yes, sure 🙂

      7. OSB is last resort option, should be anyway. My experience with wet OSB is it did crumble up . Worse than ply wood did. I did a roof last year that when I started tearing shingles off there was no felt underneath only another layer of shingles and than another . Not one but two different roofers had saved themselves or the poor folks alot of doe over the years by not paying for removal. Homeowners did not know that. There roof was holding so much weight and with now felt it was leaking again and to the point of rotten plywood . If the old house roof was to calapse from all that weight and being in Oregon with snow sitting on it through winter I would not finish there patch job unless they decided to do the safe way and totally remove all and clear my conscience anyway. They could not afford the removal cost of basically removing 3 layers of shingles , this house was btw around 70 . You get what you pay for. It’s expensive but shortcuts when it comes to roofing is just foolish.

3. im wondering whats the average labor cost in florida

   Reply

   1. Antonio,

      The average “retail” labor cost in Florida is $206 per square for installation only (no tear-off) and $257 for installation + tear-off. By retail I mean what average contractor will charge a customer. See FL roof prices.

      Here is how it’s calculated:

      Average asphalt roof cost in FL is $6207 – this is for a 1500 s.f. gable roof, with 1 layer tear-off and dump.
      Materials cost (assuming the roofer uses all required components, specified by manufacturer) is $1897, including waste of 7.5%. You can use our shingles calculator to estimate cost of materials for your roof.

      Average tear-off cost is $51 for 1 layer.
      Dump and permit fees about $450 (depends a lot by state / municipality). In Boston, dump fees are $110-150 per ton (2000 lbs.) and a 20 yard dumpster is $400+ … in Florida, dumpster and landfill fees may be lower.

      So we have $6207 – $1897 – $450 = $3860 for labor and tear-off.
      $3860 / 15 = $257 / square (with tear-off).
      $257-$51 = $206 / square for labor only.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

4. ARE YOU GUYS ON DOPE? FIRST OF ALL ITS BEEN OVER 15 YEARS SINCE ROOFING SUPPLIERS (HOME DEPOT IS NOT A ROOFING SUPPLIER). THEY ARE A RETAIL SUPPLIER FOR HOMEOWNERS PERIOD. I USED TO MANAGE CAMERON ASHELY BP BEFORE ABC BOUGHT THEM AND WE LOADED HOME DEPOTS ROOFS. STRIPS ARE STARTER, MIN $15.00-$25.00 PER SQ LESS’ PERIOD’

   EVERY SUPPLILER IN THE MOST EXPENSIVE PLACES TO LIVE LIKE SAN FRANCISCO, CA. LOS ANGELES. OC:

   $62.00 3 tab sq
   $85.00 Dimensionals

   WHATS THE RAQUET ALL ABOUT THE DIFFERNCE ON A 30 sq ROOF IS
   $690 PLUS THEY DONT RIP LIKE STRIPS SO YOU GOTTA CUT THEM AND IT TAKES A BIT LONGER.

   Reply

   1. THERE IS NO PITCH 12/12 ANYONE WILL DO LESS THAN $750-$800 SQ. 3/12 – 6/12 NO PROBLEM. 12/12 $1000 SQ ON THE COAST

      Reply

   2. Brian, I’m not sure I get your comment… Home Depot sells shingles, at about the same prices that ABC and Beacon do. So technically they are a supplier. And i don’t believe most of those shingles are bought by homeowners.

      In Boston, our prices are about the same as yours – $80-85 for laminated and about $67-70 for 3-tabs…

      What do you mean by STRIPS ARE STARTER, MIN $15.00-$25.00 PER SQ LESS’ PERIOD’?

      BTW, i don’t see how roofers on the west coast can charge $750-800 for asphalt and have steady work… its unrealistic.

      Reply

5. Thanks for an excellent article about true pricing. Why it’s so hard for business owners and contractors to be honest is such a huge surprise to me. Homeowners want a deal, yes… but most of us have been around long enough and really just want to know it’s done right. Thanks for selling the ‘done right’ package!!!

   The honest one will get the job, the profit and a customer for life. What’s better than that?

   Reply

   1. David,

      1000% agree, and thanks for your input. I’ve had this issue for long time… and many roofers / salesmen, people in general, think it’s good idea to hide things… like prices…

      I hired a countertop company BECAUSE they were the only one who advertised prices … others I had to call / set up appointments … I never had the patience to even call them … I understand that in roofing it’s not always easy to have a “price list” because of many variables and unknowns … but it’s doable … however what I see most roofers think their prices are SACRED and they won’t disclose them at any cost …

      Transparency and honesty is what will rule the home improvement industry in the next few decades… with Amazon and Google jumping in now.

      Thanks for your input!

      Leo

      Reply

6. I have a 12×60 single wide mobile home..1999 Horton…I know how to install but nothing on how many I need to buy to cover but…it has a A roof with vent caps and vinyl siding…anyone please help me with figuring this out…

   Reply

   1. Hugh
      You need 3 bundles of shingles to cover 100 sq. ft. You also need to figure in about 7-12% WASTE.

      So if your roof is about 750 sq. ft. (i’m not sure if you include overhangs in the 12×60), than you need 800-850 sq. ft. of shingles.

      If you buy at home depot / lowe’s – you can return unused bundles.

      Also – I would actually recommend an R-Panel metal roof for your mobile home – it costs the SAME as shingles but is WAY WAY better product, and is acutally easier to install!!!

      You can actually use our Shingles Calculator to estimate material costs.

      Good luck.

      Reply

7. It might be that the cost went up because there is a price difference between 3 tab and comp architecture and the fact that it’s a 12/12 roof which means you have to move 20% more bundles on a really steep roof. 3 tab is 4 bundles per square and comp is 5 bundles per square.

   Reply

   1. Eric,

      I don’t get it – how do you get “more bundles” on steep roof? I mean 1 square = 100 sq. ft. = 3 bundles of laminated shingles. If roof becomes steeper, you still need 3 bundles per square.

      Now if you have 12/12 pitch roof – then job becomes more difficult, but your materials are the same – roof size + 8-15% waste

      Reply

      1. Did you read what he said? The pitch affects the difficulty. The style shingle affects how many bundles you need to move on a difficult roof. Architectural shingles are 4 bundles per square. So a three tab 15 square is 45 bundles but 15 square architectural is 60 bundles. You’re moving 33% more material.

      2. Ed, I read what Eric said, but it does not make any sense!

         Pitch DOES affect difficulty, but not the number of shingles. If you have a 3/12 or 12/12 roof that is 1000 sq. ft. you will need the same amount of shingles (plus waste).

         3 tabs and arch shingles ar both 3 bundles per square for most manufacturers / brands.

         You guys are seriously confused by this simple math.

         1 square = 3 bundles
         10 square = 30 bundles

         Steeper roof DOES NOT EQUAL more material – just more work.

         Cut up roof means more material, because your waste goes up.

         Sincerely, Leo

8. Home Depot did our roof w GFA S HB shingles in 2008. It started to leak, no one from Home Depot came out to fix it. We had to pay another contractor to get red of mold in the house. We have warranty. How can we solve this problem and who should repair this leak? please call: Bobby and Mary Schoppe cr 418 Address 1935 Somerville Texas 77842 979 596 2080

   Reply

   1. Mary,

      You should file some sort of claim with a local building department to force Home Depot to take care of this.

      Home Depot is the company that sold you the roof and made commission off the total.

      However – they use a 3rd party company to run “installation services”. Now, this 3rd party company hires ONLY sub-contractors to do installations.

      These subs get paid PER-SQUARE – so the faster they work, the more they make. This results in cutting corners and not properly flashing critical details/areas such as valleys / chimneys / skylights etc.

      That’s why I always recommend homeowners to hire an owner-operated small to medium size company (usually with no more than 5 roofers). This most of the time results in better quality installation.

      Good luck, Leo

      Reply

      1. Leo,

         The local Building department is not where claims against contractors is to be made . It is the Contractors State Licensing Board. If you walk into the Bldg Dept, they will get a good laugh at your expense, tell you to go to the CSLB, and then laugh you out of the door.

         Sincerely,
         Steve

      2. Steve you are right … i guess I was in a hurry 🙂

9. There is so much ridiculous chatter on here I don’t know where to start.
   So because a company gives a quote that may be high they are scammers?????
   Has anyone looked at the costs to run a legitimate roofing business lately? 43% surcharge on any wages paid goes for insurance, taxes and office ($20/hr x .43= $28.60).

   Its ok for the automaker to put the truck you just bought for $45,000 on sale for $39,500, after thousands of people paid the higher price…. the grocery store has a high price on beer, but on Friday it’s on sale…. the doctor who just put in your grandpa’s pacemaker is expensive but does a good job right???????????

   This is all such BS. Whenever there is a ‘contractor’ complaining that there is someone in their market charging too much, he is a whiner who has ZERO sales skills and is unable to see the value in his own work let alone anyone else’s. When he hits 50 years old and his body, truck and bank account are all shot because he worked for sub par wages 7 days a week for 30 years he will think twice.

   Roofing and construction is hard, labor intensive work and anyone doing it at cut rate prices is crazy. Having their kids, family and friends work for cash to keep the cost down and save the homeowner some money.

   When the homeowner sells their home, will they cut a check to the construction guy for doing such a great job and getting them an extra $10,000 on their sale price???? I HIGHLY doubt it.

   Pull up your bug boy boots and get with the real world. We live in the USA… free market, free economy, capitalism. If you don’t think you should get paid well for wearing out your body, tools, trucks and barely seeing your family, then maybe you should go to China and see how that works out for you.

   Cost of materials + cost of labor + market demand + markup = Sales price

   In a free market economy, that’s how it works; for any of you idiots that think it should be cheaper.

   Oh and that guy that thinks home Depot and Lowe’s are expensive…. they are! But it doesn’t go to the contractor. The contractor gets a set rate no matter what, and it is low. I have had many friends in the trades try and work with them and fail. Ask any of the subs working for them currently how long they have been there… very short term.

   Reply

   1. @ CJK

      I did a full analysis of roofer’s cost such as Materials + Labor + Overhead + Profit here: https://www.roofcalc.org/roof-installation-prices/

      Insurance costs are discussed in detail there.

      Reply

      1. you are forgetting about the 43% workmans comp on the roof labor, that’s 1 man $20/hr and 3 @ $15/hr=$58,136/year in workmans comp

      2. Carl, I believe I included Workers Comp into roof installation costs guide under labor section.

         This guide talks about cost of MATERIALS for an asphalt shingles roof – not labor

         But yea – Work Comp is VERY expensive and most roofers don’t have it for their workers 🙁

   2. I couldn’t have said it better myself! Why do people constantly short themselves out of $ by trying to low bid their work? My skills are superb and I should be paid for them. A 12 pitch has to be staged and it also mentioned there were 3 dormers, so basically a hard roof to do and cut up. So back in 1995 I was getting $350-$450/ sq for something like that. 30 yrs later with cost of living doubling I don’t think $500-550 is asking too much!

      Reply

   3. Very well put. Now if they would only listen it would be nice.

      Reply

10. Lots of misunderstanding and naive people with no clue about roofing.

    What irritates me is people use the word “lifetime” regarding 30 year laminated shingles-there is no such thing or even warranty. Also, the pricing difference between 25 yr 3-tab shingles and 30 year dimensional, laminated shingles can vary by as much as $100-200 a square. Also most of you people don’t have a clue that the labor for higher-end shingles is dramatically increased due to shingle thickness and other factors.

    Btw, there are presidential shingles which carry 40 and 50 year warranties against manufacturer defects only. Don’t fool yourself with the word “lifetime”, which doesn’t exist for most products available.

    Reply

    1. Materials for a 30 year roof, standard installation, about $110.00 per square. Labor about $110.00. Squares for 2,600 square feet under roof, about 40. Equates to about $9,000.00 for a 2,200 square foot home with an attached 2 car garage. This for a top notch turn key job with new ridge vents and top notch materials. Anything more is a ripoff. Your $350 to $400 is way or of line.

       Reply

11. “You get what you pay for”

    PRODUCT VS. SERVICE

    The shingles don’t install themselves.

    Company A – 10,000
    8 days to finish
    Very messy,
    Rude,
    Rusty equipment, etc.
    Everyone in the neighborhood thought they did a horrible job.

    Company B – 7,800
    1 day to finish
    Super clean
    Great people
    Beautiful equipment.
    1/2 the people in the neighborhood hired them to do theirs also.

    Skp Ahead 5 years……………..

    Company A – Not much has changed.

    Company B – Out of business.
    Why?….They gave a lower price by hiring unskilled workers. (installed fast, but wrong)
    Shingles are blowing off of all of the houses they did in the neighborhood because the nails
    were installed too high. The final thing that put them out of business is they didn’t carry the proper
    roofing insurance….just contractors insurance…….an accident occurred and they closed their doors.

    So who was the best deal????
    The 10,000 company that seemed to have done a horrible job….but they didn’t.

    Homeowners are ripped off everyday when hiring a contractor to do their roof. When I say ripped off….I’m saying
    the lower price contractor, because more times then not…the roof ends up needing to be replaced in less than 10 years, due to
    poor installation.

    So in the end……

    Company A
    10,000

    Company B –
    17,800 + inflation, because they had to redo the roof, and the price went up 5 years later.

    If you are a homeowner looking for a roof….be careful about online advice. In the end….you’ll have to go with your gut. If it sounds to good to be true…then it probably is.

    Who am I? I inspect over 600 roofs each year………I’ve seen it all…

    Reply

    1. well said!

       Reply

    2. That’s what I always say. I always see jobs that fail in 5 to 10 years and when I inspect them I see metals missing, nails too high or completely rusted. Another one I see a lot is people pressure washing a shingle roof.

       Reply

    3. Kyle –

       Good rundown of real roof cost over time.

       I completely agree.

       Unfortunately (or fortunately for contractors and manufacturers) most homeowners will opt for lower cost roofs, which creates a good job security for 1000s of roofers and factory workers, as well as people in the roofing supply chain.

       Leo

       Reply

12. This insurance crap drives me crazy insurance says roof is worth say 23 square 3 tab 7,000 this is the RCV and depreciation is 4,000 the ACV is 3,000 what they would pay if I had basic coverage. But because I have replacement coverage they pay the whole thing. So by not repairing the gutters and downspouts which are only cosmetic damage they will know after inspection that unless fixed they will not be covered in another storm. So the roofing company is using this money to put toward the bill to make it more profitable for them. I was reading that I have up to two years to make these repairs after claim and I can do all myself. I would re roof it myself if it wasn’t insured, a little fascia and gutter work won’t take more than a day

    Reply

13. I was wondering if the price sounds right and that he is using the money from other things AVC to pay for deductible. He also says that I can fix the other things that he isn’t and get some money from the insurance company

    Reply

    1. Bill,

       I’m even more confused now 🙂

       What is AVC? What other things that can be fixed?

       0) Ice and water shield must extend 3 (three) feet beyond interior wall (not 2 or 3 feet from the roof edge). Because if your wall is 6″ and overhang is 12″, then ice dam coverage is ONLY 18″ (36″ wide ice shield) into living/heated space. So you need double ice and water shield.

       This is a very common misconception and MOST roofers and building inspectors do not understand / know this Building Code requirement.

       1) The money you are getting from insurance company are more or less ok … a bit on a low side, but that depends on where in Illinois you live. Use our calculator to compare prices between “market rates” and what your Ins. Co. is paying you.

       2) You might want to get a public adjuster (PA) for a “second opinion” and to maybe get some supplements. I am not very knowledgeable about insurance work (we alway work with customer directly, and never with insurance, so i don’t know many nuances on how to get the most money out of them).

       3) You may want to get a couple of extra estimates.

       4) I recommend you contract David Herring on Google+ – he is VERY knowledgeable about insurance work – I think he is a PA. Even if you just read his posts, you will know much more about insurance roof coverage, and supplements, etc.

       5) TECHNICALLY YOU SHOULD BE PAYING DEDUCTIBLE, otherwise it’s insurance fraud I think … but that varies from state to state.

       6) You should fix other thing, within the same claim, as otherwise, you will have to pay deductible again..

       My recommendation is to get 1 contractor to do the ROOF, GUTTERS, FASCIA, VENTILATION, and all other small things related to the roof. You don’t want to use different contractors for the above, as they are all related and interconnected, and should be done at once in a specific order. If there will be multiple contractors, you are asking for troubles.

       You can get another contractor for the inside work.

       Good luck.

       Reply

14. The kind of underlay needed varies by climate region, we don’t have any problems with ice dams down here in Texas! Home Depot don’t even carry Deck Armor here or in many other parts of the country.

    Prices also will vary tremendously by region. For example I just checked Home Depot prices in a few cities:
    25 year 3 tab versus Lifetime (GAF Royal Sovereign and Timberline) $24.25 vs $30.50 in Austin, TX, $24.33 vs $26.25 in Portland, OR, $21.66 vs $28.55 in Chicago and $29.90 vs $35.95 in Brooklyn, NY.
    So I found that the difference between 25 year and Lifetime shingles ranges from just $5.76 a square in Portland to $20.52 a square in NY. Regional price variations of 25 year shingles varied from $21.66 square in Chicago to $35.95 a square in Brooklyn.

    Reply

15. I am a roofer and I hate when people take advantage of others. I believe in good work and fair prices. Unscrupulous contractors give a really bad rep to other roofers, making very hard for homeowners to trust contractors who are actually honest and hard working. It really pisses me off, and a lot of them get away with it all the time.

    Reply

16. Disappointed that your website implies you’ve got a calculator but obviously you’ve removed the code behind the 2 pretend calculators here. Must be you’re making more money by getting a cut of the leads you generate from Home Advisor. Knowing how these sites work, I don’t want to make any roofers waste money paying for leads that are mostly a wild goose chase, but also means I won’t refer anyone to your site.

    Reply

    1. @ Tina,

       1) Our roofing calculator WORKS! There must me something with your browser if you can’t see results.
       2) We don’t work with home advisor, but yes, we do make a small amount for each roofing lead – it’s called affiliate program.
       3) I don’t see how our website is involved in in “wild goose chase” as you call it. We are not involved in leads processing and do not generate / control leads.

       What ere the “these sites” that you refer to and know how they work? Please elaborate.

       Also, why is this comment posted on the “Roofing Shingles Prices” page, and not on the calculator page where it belongs?

       Reply

    2. @ Tina,

       Also, on your website, in the article “Tips on picking a new roof” you recommend Harvey Building Products. Harvey BP is the most overpriced supplier there is. On average they are 10-30% more expensive than other roofing / siding distributors of SAME products.

       So why would you recommend them?

       Reply

17. Cindy,

    I agree 100% with you. This is a pure money grabbing scheme from ALL the manufacturers. There isn’t a “good” guy out there. They are all greedy, and we are stuck paying what they demand, because there really is not other option. GAF or Owens Corning or IKO or Tamko … all make pretty much the same shingle, and cost about the same, and raise prices together. This is a “monopoly”.

    The options of slate / wood / metal / tile roofing are available, but often not so affordable, and most people choose the “inexpensive” asphalt shingle.

    And the result – the house built in 1900 has had an average of 5-8 asphalt roofs put on it and removed over the years. If the original builder / owner chose a more expensive alternative, than following owners would not waste thousands of dollars on roofing … Now multiply that by 130 millions of single family homes in US alone, with a new roof being put on it every 15-20 years on average.

    This is a huge business, and roofing manufacturers will not let it go away. That’s why Tamko bought Metal Works – so they can also control the “alternative” roofing materials. Most other big names also have a synthetic or natural slate line.

    In fact, I’m working on a long article about the US roofing manufacturers … will be out soon. Stay tuned.

    Reply

    1. No, they do not make “pretty much the same shingles”. There really is a difference, and that is in the quality of the brand. I will never use IKO or ATLAS unless specified by a customer. Simply because after about 20 years experience I’ve realized that GAF and Tamko make products that last.

       Also, you have to understand that it is a business. Of course roofers are going to make money on your job! They have to feed their families too! It is grueling work. You can’t expect to pay at cost and you can’t expect the roofer to give away 12 cents to earn a dime.

       At the same time, you need to get a few estimates and make sure the numbers are at least comparable. If company A is 2,000 more than company B, ask why. Sometimes you can get lucky with a cheap quote. But, if it is extremely low, it’s probably a bunch of Mexicans traveling the states slapping up sub par roofs. They will NEVER come back to fix the giant hole they left by your dormer and didn’t even flash properly.

       If company A charges $1,000 extra but is a well established, highly recommended company, than choose them. They are $1,000 more, but maybe it’s because they are being more attentive to your project and are actually going to stick around. So if you happen to have an issue and they have a nice 7 year workmanship warranty, they will come out tomorrow to fix ANY issues. Use your heads people, don’t just think about your wallet, consider all the factors.

       Reply

18. As a roofing contractor, I will be the first to say that giving an accurate price is one of the hardest things to do. A lot of planning must be performed to attain a “good” price, where both the contractor is happy and the homeowner is happy.

    What’s worse, all the names of the materials must be known in order to compare apples with apples. There are definitely architectural shingles that can cost $2000.00 more than a regular 3-tab for the specified roof size. The cost is affected by things like shingle weight, lamination, color variance, depth, and manufactured quality.

    I personally believe its up to the contractor to explain these differences and to provide good customer service to find out what the owner is really interested in, but not all contractors work this way.

    Joe makes a good point as well. It’s hard to say what’s included in the price. We must first determine that ALL variables in both estimates are the same, and the only different one being the price of BASIC architectural shingles.

    Reply

    1. John C,

       Thanks for your input.

       Basically, both proposals were identical with the exception of “30 years lifetime” architectural shingles vs 3-tab shingles.

       I agree that it is difficult to find that golden middle, where you and the homeowner are happy with the price, and your company is chosen over your competitors, based on merit and not price. However, the contractor is the one fully responsible for building rapport and trust with the homeowner.

       In my rant, the contractor was trying to take advantage of the “woman” factor … the same thing often happens when women go to auto repair shops – they will most likely get a higher price than a man would for the same work.

       This means that the contractor (or salesman) in this case is a dishonest bastard, trying to prey on a customer’s perceived lack of “knowledge”.

       In any case, we installed a metal roof for her 🙂

       Leo

       Reply

19. woa, woa, woa, woa , the only real questions here should be. is this quote for resheathing … and how high…facia? 4 story , with 75 sheets plywood,and 250′ of plastic trim. still i dunno, 15 large. 1 guy – setup …..staging , ladders, tarps ,safety,dumpster,delivery, property prep– 1day
    1 guy- tear down…… siding removal, roof removal, clean up, cover 1.5 days
    1 guy- install……..fascia, drip edge,flashing, lead, ice&water, felt, 1.5 days
    1 guy- install……… patterns, starters, shingles, ridge vent, cap, 2 days
    1 guy- finish……. siding, painting, pickup, 1 day
    1 guy- payday……….check, bank, 30 min.
    work the weekend . and i just made 1,500 profit per day. 7 calendar days
    10,000 profit. 10 large.
    2500 – shingles
    1000 – vent, caps, drip edge, ice and water, felt
    1000 materials, nails, tools, flashing, lead, permit, dumpster
    Screw it and call it 6,000( no way ,,,, it would be 6000)
    .
    Roofing is a skill trade. There is money to be made. It is hard work. To run a business with employees and apprentices, with trucks and trailers, takes a lot of money in insurance, comp, and health care, gas and repairs, and so on and so on.

    That estimate you see up there, reflects a lot more on operating that roofing business, surcharges, and dividing operating costs into each job. That’s fair. That’s what you gotta do to make profit and be successful.

    Find a local guy who can install a roof, who has got 1 helper; probably his son making $15 an hour, 1 truck, and homeowners insurance. With references, $8,000 max.

    Like I said, I didn’t do an estimate. It could be a nightmare 3 – 4 story, city house surrounded by uneven rock and cliffs, with a million pieces of siding to remove, sheathing gone, who knows…. but c’mon guys that is a lot of money.

    Reply

20. That is a rip off…no way should anyone pay $700/sq..

    Most companies in western NY are about 350/sq for a tear off. Here bundles are $33.

    We also require 6′ of ice shield. The price of shingle drastically rose since hurricane KATRINA, because of supply and demand and the cost of oil. Every natural disaster raises the price of all building materials. Everyone knows that once a price has increased and people are paying it (due to necessity) the company will not lower their prices; they will pad their pockets with the profits.

    Reply

21. Question about the materials list above. You need both the felt and the underlayment? What function does one do that the other does not?

    Thanks,
    Jet

    Reply

    1. Hi Jet,

       Felt is a type of underlayment. It is basically tar-saturated paper. Felt is the most common (read CHEAPEST) type of underlayment used typically with asphalt shingles.

       Underlayments can be organic (felt) or synthetic. Synthetic is more expensive, but also is much better. We always use synthetic underlay – more specifically GAF Deck Armor – it is breathable underlay that lets the moisture from inside the attic escape, while keeping all exterior moisture out. Deck Armor costs $23 / square, while felt is like $7 per square.

       Hope this helps.

       Reply

22. Talk about a rip-off. It wasn’t long ago you could get a square (100 sq ft.) for $21.00 plus tax for three tab. Maybe you are barking up the wrong tree.

    Reply

    1. Ron,

       When was it that a square cost $21? I remember about $20 / bundle ($60 / square).

       Reply

    2. It was way long ago Ron. 30 years ago we used to stockpile if shingles went under 7 bucks. Back then there weren’t starters and we could use leftovers from jobs as starters. $7.10 per bundle was price in Ontario Canada. I am a GC in Ohio now with a really sharp pencil and some good deals from supply houses. On a simple gabled roof with no valleys materials cost on my truck is 100/square. That’s not delivered, not installed, just bought. Normally materials only run 107-116 per square pre-tax for me.

       Reply

    3. $21 / square was in 1998 when oil was $10/barrel

       Now it $90-100 per square (3-tabs maybe $85) + all accessories + tax = $130-150 per square in materials alone.

       Reply

23. It’s hard to give out accurate estimates for any project. There are so many variables that need to be factored in. As the rant suggests, there is too wide a spread. No way can you justify such a difference – unless you accept that there is an intention to take advantage of the gullible home owner. My 2 cents.

    Reply

24. John,

    The roofer in the rant hires illegals who fight with cops, drive drunk and sometimes kill people. This was in the news recently, so I’m not making it up. They do have a fleet and office. I highly doubt “provides a descent wage and health insurance and retirement benefits.” I didn’t inspect their books, and don’t want to – it is none of my business.

    But here is the thing:

    For the same job, Lowe’s quoted $11500 with 30-year “lifetime” shingles.

    And Lowe’s is EXPENSIVE! The Corp. needs to make money, and salesman makes 5-10% commission and they need to pay the sub, and ALL subs working for Lowe’s (Home Depots, Sears, and other similar joints) have Liability and Worker’s Comp.

    Besides, most shingle jobs go for $300-400 / sq. Maybe $450 on cut-up roofs. But $700 / sq is insane. That’s almost as much as a metal roof. I’m not saying a roofing company is not entitled to anything more than $450 / square, no. But you have to take the environment into account. When everyone is at $300-400, getting $700 becomes problematic.

    But I’ve seen this first had, how they go to elderly women, tell them fairy-tales about lifetime warranty, and charge $1000 /sq. for vinyl siding (Sears), or $1000 / vinyl window. This is not illegal, because people sign contracts voluntarily. But, they have aggressive sales force that is trained to CLOSE the deal.

    I’m not judging the roofer in the rant. It’s their business – if they can find people who are out of touch with reality to pay the $700+ for an asphalt roof, good for them.

    My rant was about the spread between 3-tabs and architects. Seriously – there is about 22-23 squares on that roof before waste. Even if they buy 25 squares of material, that is $80 / sq difference between 3-tab and laminates.

    I’m not saying they cannot do it. Once again, if they can get that, by all means. This article is intended to inform homeowners of the “premium” upgrades and their true cost. That is all.

    Reply

    1. I believe this guy.

       He knows that a lot of roofers just like mechanics and repairmen take advantage of people in this economy.

       Thousands of people lost their homes and the the people who still have their homes and need repairs done, can’t afford to do the work because of these companies taking advantage of the consumer.

       Be honest, be reasonable. Give the best estimate and you will all be in business for a long time. Instead, be a con artist and you will go under eventually.

       I have had these roofers give me estimates anywhere from $5,800 to $14,000 for the same job and materials; tell me this isn’t a joke.

       Reply

    2. I had hail damage in Illinois and the insurance said the roof would cost 6,400 with 3 tab 23 square and I had other damage to the fascia vents edge and gutters that came to 1,900 my deductible was a thousand. The roofing company took the extra money for gutters,fascia,downspouts, a small screen and painting three ceilings from water getting under the shingles. They will give me a new roof with tear off, replace edge,vents,boots,ice and water shield 2 feet past the drywall on inside wall, 15 lb felt on 4-twelve pitch and use OC Oak ridge architectural shingles at no cost to me. They will be done in one day

       Reply

       1. Bill,

          What are you trying to say? That you got a free roof?

          If so, it’s not exactly correct.

          1) You are paying for it with your insurance premiums.
          2) Other insured homeowners are paying for your roof.
          3) Most insurance re-roofs are sub-par quality (but not always).

          Basically, I do not understand the point you are trying to make, but it seems that you are bragging about getting a “free roof” …

          Respectfully, Alex

25. Regarding the introductory rant. Maybe the roofer you say is overcharging the homeowner:
    Maintains an office with someone that answers the phone
    Maintains general liabity insurance.
    Maintains a fleet of vehicles with commercial insurance.
    Has every employee covered under workers compensation
    Doesn’t use subcontractors that are traditionally underinsured.
    Provides a descent wage and health insurance and retirement benefits.

    Maybe doing the right thing costs $$

    Reply

    1. Such things would apply to both estimates! Still doesn’t justify $1700

       Reply