Average Cost to Replace a Roof: Your Project Calculator

Is the roof that sits on top of your home starting to affect the curb appeal of your entire property? Is it allowing water to leak into your home almost every time that it rains? Or is it simply on the older side and clearly on its last legs?

If you just answered “yes” to any of these questions, it’s time for you to ask yourself the question, “What is the average cost to replace a roof?” Because it’s pretty clear that roof replacement is something that’s going to need to be in your immediate future.

On average, the roof replacement cost is somewhere between $11,000 and $17,000 for most homeowners. But your total cost to replace roof shingles is going to depend on a variety of different factors.

Check out some factors that will help determine your roof replacement cost below.

The Size of Your Roof

One of the first things you’re going to want to consider when trying to calculate the cost of roof replacement is the size of your roof. The bigger that your home is, the more it’s going to cost you to put a new roof into place.

Calculating the square footage of your roof isn’t always easy. But doing it will provide you with a much better idea of how much it’s going to cost you to replace your roof.

By figuring out how big your roof is, you can figure out how many roofing supplies you’re going to need to buy. You can also estimate about how long it’ll take for a roofing company to rip off your old roof and install your new one. It’s why it’s so important for you to see how large your roof is before doing anything else when it comes to the roof replacement process.

The Pitch of Your Roof

The vast majority of the roofs that sit on top of homes are not flat. They usually have at least a little bit of a pitch—or slope—to them. This pitch must be taken into account when you’re trying to calculate your roof replacement cost.

If your roof has a very steep slope to it, it’s actually going to make it bigger than it might appear. Your house might not be all that big, but your roof might be on the larger side thanks to the slope that it has.

You’ll need to keep this in the back of your mind when you’re trying to see what your roof replacement cost will be. A slight slope might not drive the cost of a new roof up all that much. But it could be a different story if your roof has a steep slope to it.

The Accessibility of Your Roof

In order to replace your existing roof with a new one, a roofing company is obviously going to have to climb up on it and be able to get access to all the different parts of it. If it’s going to be a huge challenge for them to do this, it could result in you paying more than you might think for a new roof.

If, for example, you have certain aspects of your roof that are very steep and hard to get to, a roofing company might increase their labor costs when giving you a quote for roof replacement. They’re going to have to take your roof’s accessibility—or lack thereof—into account when calculating a final cost for you.

Your Preferred Roofing Materials

There are a bunch of different types of roofing materials that you can use to replace your roof. Part of the reason why it’s often difficult to nail down an average cost to replace a roof is because each of these materials comes with a very different price tag on it.

When you go to install a new roof on your home, you can choose from:

• Asphalt shingle roof
• Wood shake roof
• Tile roof
• Metal roof
• And more

An asphalt shingle roof is usually going to be on the lower end of the spectrum as far as price is concerned. A metal roof, meanwhile, could cost several times what an asphalt shingle one will.

You should think about what type of roof you like the most going into a meeting with a roofing contractor. It’ll help you stick to a budget and prepare you for what you might have to pay for a new roof.

The Company You Hire for Roof Replacement

There is no shortage of roofing companies in the U.S. right now. There are more than 100,000 roofing companies operating throughout the country.

This should give you your fair share of options in your immediate area. It should also allow you to shop around for the roofing company that’s going to extend the best possible price to you.

When you’re in the market for a new roof for your home, it’s smart to call around to several different roofing companies so that you can gather quotes from each of them. They should be able to set you up with a quote after checking out your current roof and taking measurements for it.

You can then use the quotes that they provide for you to pick one roofing company over all the rest. It’s the most effective way to make sure that you’re getting a great deal on a new roof. 

All These Factors Affect the Average Cost to Replace a Roof

As you’ve seen here, it’s very hard to nail down an average cost to replace a roof. There are just so many different factors that go into calculating the cost of a new roof.

You should consider each of these factors when you’re looking to replace a roof. They’ll help you gauge how much money you’re going to have to pay to put your new roof into place.

Would you like to learn how to calculate the costs associated with other home improvement projects? Read through the articles on our blog to get a better idea of how to do it.