Understanding your result
The headline is the installed cost range, with the material, squares and cost per square. The stats split materials, labor and tear-off; the bars compare the low and high totals. The breakdown builds each line: squares with waste, the survey price per square, the material and labor split with the pitch, storey and regional factors, tear-off, decking, permit and the totals.
The number to compare with a quote is the per square of roof figure, the way contractors price. The cost per square calculator takes a quote and shows where it sits; the labor cost calculator rebuilds the labor line from crew hours; the tear-off calculator prices the dumpster. The squares themselves come from the shingle calculator.
How we calculate this
The survey prices are for installed roofing, materials and labor together, so the calculator splits them by a material share typical for each roofing type before applying the labor factors, which affect only the labor. Tear-off is priced on the roof area without waste, because it is the old roof coming off. The guide to what roofers charge lists the sources and their years.
The assumptions behind the numbers
| Assumption | Default | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Installed price per square by material | three-tab $350–$550; architectural $450–$800; designer $600–$1,100; exposed metal $800–$1,500; standing seam $1,200–$2,500; cedar $700–$1,400; synthetic $900–$1,700; concrete tile $1,000–$2,000; clay tile $1,500–$3,000; slate $1,500–$4,000; flat membrane $500–$1,000 | 2025 published cost surveys (HomeGuide, Fixr, Angi), national ranges |
| Material share of the installed price | 40 to 50% by material | Estimating practice |
| Pitch labor factor | 1.0 / 1.3 / 1.6 | Estimating practice |
| Storeys | 1.1 for two, 1.2 for three | Estimating practice |
| Tear-off | $100–$200 per square per layer | 2025 surveys |
| Decking | $90 per sheet installed | Typical contract unit price |
| Overlays | at most one | IRC R908.3.1.1 |
Assumptions last reviewed October 7, 2026.
The calculator does not include gutters, skylights, chimney work, ventilation upgrades or insurance deductibles. Pre-1980s roofing may contain asbestos; the EPA explains the rules, and this site gives no procedures. The tear-off guide covers layers and disposal.
Two worked examples
An architectural shingle reroof
2,200 square feet, 10% waste, walkable, one storey, one layer off, $300 permit, national average.
- Squares priced: 24.2
- Materials: $4,901 to $8,712; labor: $5,990 to $10,648
- Tear-off: $2,200 to $4,400; permit $300
- Total: $13,390 to $24,060, $609 to $1,094 per square
A metal roof on a steep two-storey house
2,800 square feet, exposed-fastener metal, 15% waste, steep, two storeys, two layers off, eight sheets of decking, regional factor 1.15.
- Squares priced: 32.2
- Materials: $12,880 to $24,150; labor: $21,181 to $39,715 (× 1.43 × 1.15)
- Tear-off: $6,440 to $12,880; decking $720; permit $300
- Total: $41,521 to $77,765
Labor is the largest line on a steep, two-storey roof in an expensive region.
Where to find your inputs
Roof area. From the roof area calculator, or the footprint and pitch.
Material. The roof you are pricing.
Layers. Look at the edge of the roof at the eave; two layers show as a thick double edge.
Region. A judgement: about 0.85 for a low-cost rural area, 1.3 for an expensive city.
Common mistakes
- Pricing the floor area. Use the roof area.
- Forgetting tear-off. It is a tenth to a fifth of the job.
- One layer when there are two. Check the edge.
- Comparing quotes with different scopes. Line them up item by item.
- No decking contingency. Ask for a per-sheet price.
- Treating the range as a quote. Get three.
Questions people ask
- How much does it cost to replace a roof?
- For a 2,200 square foot roof in architectural asphalt shingles with one layer torn off, the 2025 survey ranges give about $13,400 to $24,100, or $609 to $1,094 per square of roof including tear-off and a permit. Metal, tile and slate cost two to four times as much.
- What does a roof cost per square?
- Published 2025 survey figures, installed and before tear-off: three-tab asphalt $350 to $550, architectural $450 to $800, standing seam metal $1,200 to $2,500, concrete tile $1,000 to $2,000, natural slate $1,500 to $4,000. The cost per square calculator compares a quote with them.
- How much does tear-off add?
- About $100 to $200 per square per layer in 2025 surveys, including disposal. Two layers double it, and most codes allow only one overlay, so a second layer must come off.
- Why do steep roofs cost more?
- Crews work slower from roof jacks and harnesses and stage more material: estimators add roughly 30 percent to labor from 7/12 to 9/12 and 60 percent above. A second storey adds about 10 percent for hoisting and safety.
- Does the estimate include decking?
- Only what you enter. Rotten or delaminated sheathing is found after tear-off and priced per sheet, typically $70 to $120 installed; many contracts include a per-sheet price for exactly this.
- How accurate is a calculator estimate?
- It is a range, built from national averages, that a real quote should fall inside. Three local quotes are the only accurate price; the value here is in comparing them line by line.