Roof replacement cost calculator (2026)

How this estimate is built

Roofers price by the square — 100 square feet of roof surface — not by the floor plan. Your footprint gets multiplied by a pitch factor (1.05 for low slopes, about 1.2 for a typical 4/12–7/12 roof, 1.4+ for steep) to approximate actual roof area, including overhangs. A 1,600 sq ft ranch with a medium pitch is roughly 19 squares; the same footprint with a steep 10/12 roof is closer to 23.

Each square then gets a 2026 installed price by material: $400–$550 for 3-tab asphalt, $450–$700 for architectural shingles (what most homes get now), $900–$1,600 for standing-seam metal, and $1,000–$1,800 for concrete or clay tile. Those figures include underlayment, drip edge, ridge vent, basic flashing, and labor. Two-story and steep roofs add 10–20% for staging, safety, and slower work. Tear-off and disposal runs $100–$175 per square per layer — and if there are already two layers up there, code almost everywhere requires removing both.

What's not in the number

Decking. Once the old roof comes off, any rotten or delaminated sheathing gets replaced at $70–$120 per 4×8 sheet installed. A roofer can't see this until tear-off, so expect it as a line item in the quote with a per-sheet price and an allowance. Skylights ($300–$900 each to reflash or replace), chimney cricket and flashing rebuilds ($400–$1,200), and upgrading to ice-and-water shield across the full deck in snow climates ($40–$80 per square extra) are the other common adds.

Permits run $150–$500 depending on the municipality. Steel or tile roofs can also require structural review if you're going up in weight from asphalt.

What blows the budget

Three things, in order. First, hidden deck damage — budget 10% of the roof for sheathing on a house over 30 years old. Second, a change of material mid-quote; switching from architectural to metal roughly doubles the job, and the first quote rarely included it. Third, scope creep into gutters, fascia, and soffit, which is sensible to do at the same time but is not roofing — get it as a separate line.

Repair or replace?

A roof under 15 years old with damage confined to one slope is usually a $400–$1,500 repair, not a replacement. Past 20 years for asphalt, or with widespread granule loss, curling, or more than one active leak, replacement wins because you'd be paying for repairs on a surface that's failing everywhere at once. Our guide on whether to repair or replace your roof walks through the age-by-material table and the insurance angle.

Getting quotes that mean something

Get three. Make sure each one states the square count they measured (they should match within a square or two), the exact shingle product and warranty tier, the underlayment type, the per-sheet decking price, and whether tear-off and permits are included. A quote missing the square count was written from the driveway. Roofing is the trade with the widest spread between bids on identical work — 30–40% is normal — which is exactly why three quotes pay for themselves.