A roof quote is really four numbers wearing a trench coat: the material, the size and steepness of the roof, the cost of removing what's up there now, and the repairs nobody can price until the old roof comes off. That's why two houses on the same street can get quotes $8,000 apart and both be fair. This guide breaks the total into those parts, with 2026 ranges you can hold a bid against. Every figure below assumes a full tear-off and replacement by a licensed crew, permits included.
Material sets the floor and the ceiling of the whole job. Asphalt dominates US roofs because it's the cheapest way to get 20-plus years overhead; everything else trades money for lifespan, looks, or both.
| Material | Installed cost per square | Typical total, ~20-square roof | Expected life |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-tab asphalt shingles | $350–$550 | $7,000–$11,000 | 15–20 years |
| Architectural asphalt shingles | $450–$800 | $9,000–$16,000 | 25–30 years |
| Wood shake | $700–$1,200 | $14,000–$24,000 | 25–30 years |
| Clay or concrete tile | $800–$1,500 | $16,000–$30,000 | 40–50 years |
| Standing seam metal | $900–$1,600 | $18,000–$32,000 | 40–70 years |
| Slate | $1,250–$2,500 | $25,000–$50,000 | 75+ years |
Read the life column alongside the price. Architectural shingles at $12,000 over 27 years cost less per year of cover than 3-tab at $9,000 over 17 — which is why 3-tab has mostly faded from the market despite the lower bid. Tile and slate carry a catch the table can't show: both are heavy, and some houses need structural work before they can carry them, which adds cost before the first tile goes on.
Roof area isn't floor area. Slope multiplies surface, and eaves overhang the walls, so a 1,700-square-foot house commonly wears a 2,000-square-foot roof. Using architectural shingles at mid-range pricing, size alone moves the total like this:
| Roof size | Squares | Architectural shingle total |
|---|---|---|
| ~1,200 sq ft | 12 | $5,500–$9,500 |
| ~1,700 sq ft | 17 | $7,500–$13,500 |
| ~2,000 sq ft | 20 | $9,000–$16,000 |
| ~2,500 sq ft | 25 | $11,500–$20,000 |
| ~3,000 sq ft | 30 | $13,500–$24,000 |
Pitch is rise over run — a 6/12 roof climbs 6 inches for every 12 it runs. Up to about 6/12, crews walk the roof and pricing is standard. Past that, the job changes character: safety harnesses and roof jacks slow everything down, materials have to be hauled and staged instead of tossed, and some crews simply charge a steepness premium of 10–25%. A 9/12 or 12/12 roof also has more surface area than its footprint suggests, so you pay twice — once in squares, once in labor rate. Complex roofs compound it further: every valley, dormer, and chimney adds flashing work and cutting time that a plain gable roof doesn't need. When you compare bids, a low quote on a steep, cut-up roof deserves more questions, not fewer — the checklist of questions to ask before hiring a roofer covers the ones that expose a bid built on skipped work.
Tear-off and disposal. Removing the old roof typically adds $1–$2 per square foot — roughly $1,000–$3,000 on an average house — covering labor and dump fees. A second existing layer pushes it toward the top of that range. Shingling over the old roof (an overlay) skips this cost, and it's usually a false saving: it hides deck problems, adds weight, shortens the new roof's life, and some manufacturers trim warranty coverage for it.
Decking. Once the old roof is off, rotted or delaminated plywood gets replaced by the sheet. Expect roughly $70–$120 per 4×8 sheet installed. A sound roof might need two sheets; a roof with a long-running leak can need ten or more, which is a $700–$1,200 swing nobody can price honestly from the ground. Get the per-sheet price in writing before tear-off day — it's the single most abused line in roofing.
The rest of the stack. Underlayment, ice-and-water shield at eaves and valleys, drip edge, flashing, ridge venting, and permits ($150–$500 in most areas) are normally inside the headline quote rather than add-ons. If a bid lists them separately at suspicious prices, or doesn't mention ventilation at all, that's information about the bidder.
Not every bad roof needs replacing. A single leak around a chimney or vent, a patch of wind-lifted shingles, or localized damage on a roof under 12 years old is usually a $300–$1,000 repair. Replacement earns its price when the wear is general: granules washing into the gutters by the handful, shingles curling or cracking across several slopes, multiple leaks in different places, or a roof simply at the end of its rated life with problems arriving faster than repairs retire them. The rough rule roofers use: if repairs in a year pass about a third of a replacement's cost and the roof is past two-thirds of its expected life, replacement is the better money.
Homeowners insurance generally covers roof damage from a sudden event — a storm, a fallen tree — minus your deductible, and generally does not cover a roof that wore out on schedule. After major storms, expect adjusters to separate the two line by line. On paying for it: legitimate ways to trim the total include getting at least three bids (the spread is often 15–25% for identical scope, and our guide on how many contractor quotes to get explains how to compare them apples-to-apples), scheduling in the late-fall or winter lull where your climate allows it, and choosing architectural shingles over premium materials when the house doesn't need the upgrade. The illegitimate way — a roofer offering to "take care of your deductible" — is insurance fraud in most states and a reliable sign to hire someone else.
For most houses in 2026, plan on $9,000–$16,000 for the architectural shingle roof the majority of homeowners actually buy, $7,000–$11,000 at the budget end, and $18,000 and up for metal, tile, or slate. Size and pitch can move any of those numbers by a quarter in either direction, and decking is the wildcard that turns a firm quote into a range — so the per-sheet price belongs in the contract, not in a mid-job phone call. Get three written bids with the same scope, and the market will tell you what your roof really costs.
Plan on roughly $9,000–$16,000 with architectural shingles. The roof itself is usually around 2,000 square feet — 20 squares — once slope and overhangs are counted, and the range covers tear-off, underlayment, and standard decking repairs. Steep or complex roofs land at the top of the range or above it.
3-tab asphalt shingles, at roughly $350–$550 per square installed — about $7,000–$11,000 on an average house. They're also the shortest-lived option at 15–20 years, which is why most roofers now steer homeowners to architectural shingles: a modest step up in price for roughly a decade more of service.
Only for sudden, covered damage — storm damage, a fallen tree, a fire. A roof that reached the end of its life is maintenance, and maintenance is the homeowner's bill. If a storm is involved, document the damage and call your insurer before signing with a roofer, and treat any offer to waive your deductible as the red flag it is.
One to three days of work for a typical single-family home, weather permitting, once the crew starts. Larger, steeper, or more cut-up roofs take longer, and decking surprises can add a day. The longer wait is usually the schedule itself: good roofers are often booked weeks out in season.
Up front, yes — you skip $1,000–$3,000 of tear-off and disposal. Over the roof's life, usually no. An overlay hides decking rot, adds real weight, tends to shorten the new roof's life, and can trim manufacturer warranty coverage. Most roofers and most building codes treat tear-off as the default for good reason.