How Much Does a New Roof Cost?

A traditional architectural shingle roof will cost you around $315–$375 per square. Let me explain.

This article will tell you exactly how much a new roof will cost you as a homeowner. The answer isn’t necessarily straightforward, as each company will have a different price. You’ll likely receive three estimates with three different prices, ranging from really low to really high. But what do those numbers mean?

Company B: The Midrange Estimate

Then, you may get a price that’s a little lower than the first company’s quote. Let’s say it’s 5% lower than the more expensive company—the one that’s very polished and has been around for a long time. This second quote is likely to come from a smaller company that has less overhead and may even be a one-man show. However, this isn’t a bad thing. This company has likely been around for a while and has chosen not to grow. From my experience, this sort of company is a great choice as long as they have the proper insurance and you have vetted them, checked their references and Google reviews, etc. In my opinion, the owners of these companies are likely to take great pride in their work, especially if they are the ones on the roof doing the actual work. There is nothing wrong with choosing this type of roofing contractor.

Company C: The Low Estimate

But then, you’ll likely receive one estimate that is very low—way less than the others, maybe even 20% lower. Wow! This can be concerning because, perhaps, you think they didn’t estimate the roofing job correctly, or maybe they aren’t good at what they do and really need the work. However, after you call them, they assure you that they do good work and are ready to start your new roof anytime. Be careful with this contractor. You don’t want a quick roof job. You want value, especially for the most important exterior facet of your home. Ask for references, check their Google reviews, and verify that they are using the correct roofing components to provide you with a manufacturer’s warranty. Some companies are just shingle replacers; they don’t sell and install roofing systems, which is what you want and need to have a manufacturer’s warranty.

Just remember: You want value, not a cheap roof. You want to pay a fair price based on the value you’re being offered, and that value can be in the form of proper installation based on manufacturer specifications, the use of better roofing components (such as pipe boots, drip edges, flashings, ridge vents, underlayment, ring shank nails), etc.

How much is my new roof going to cost me?

Again, it all depends. But luckily for you, I am going to show you an example of the exact price of what your new roof will cost you and even include pricing and measurements. Other companies’ services should be around the same price—maybe a little more or a little less but close. In this demonstration, we will use Atlas Pinnacle Pristine with 3M Scotchgard shingles as the roofing material. In my opinion, this is one of the best shingles you can get, but we will get into that at a later time. So, let’s assume you want a nice roof that won’t give you any trouble and won’t streak for a lifetime.

Here we go! The roof below is 33 squares in size or 3,300 square feet. To obtain these measurements, we used a satellite measurement company called Roof Scope. They are a great company for roof measurements.

Here is an actual material invoice from one of our suppliers with actual pricing.

• The total cost of the material alone would be $4,300.61.
• Then, the roofing labor would cost $75 a square, or $2475.00 (this price is variable depending on the pitch of your roof).
• So, the material and labor cost would be $6,775.61.

Roof Central likes to achieve a 30–40% gross margin on every roof, but we do offer discounts for military personnel, seniors, and builders.

The math is easy here. We divide $6,775.61 by 0.65, and that will give us a 35% gross margin.

This means that your new roof will cost you $10,424.01.

For this price, you get a lifetime material warranty and a lifetime workmanship warranty. That puts you at $315 a square for your new roof.

Now, there are some variables that need to be taken into consideration when pricing a new roof. For example, steeper-pitched roofs cost a little more because they are harder to install, and the associated liability is greater. You may also want to consider including roof accessories, such as vents and pipe boots, which will last a lifetime. I always say, “A lifetime shingle deserves a lifetime accessory.” Cheaper accessories always leak within 5–10 years, so why not spend a little more on those accessories now?