Understanding your result
The headline is the estimate price, with the price per square, the profit and the real margin. The stats show direct cost, overhead, profit and price per square; the bars break the price into materials, labor, other direct costs, overhead and profit. The table is the line-item estimate.
The quantities behind the material lines come from the shingle calculator and the other quantity tools; the hours from the labor calculator or the time calculator. The price per square is what a homeowner will check with the cost per square calculator.
How we calculate this
The overhead is applied to direct cost, as most small contractors allocate it. The profit is applied to the full cost. The estimate guide shows how the lines appear to a homeowner.
The assumptions behind the numbers
| Assumption | Default | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Material | $150 per square | Architectural shingles at supplier prices; enter yours |
| Accessories | $1,800 | Underlayment, ice barrier, starter, cap, drip edge, flashing, vents and nails for 24 squares |
| Labor | 52 h at $45 | Hours from the time calculator; cost is wage plus burden |
| Overhead | 20% | A common range for small residential roofers is 15 to 25% |
| Profit | 20% margin | Enter your own |
| Sales tax | 7% on materials | Enter your state and local rate |
Assumptions last reviewed October 7, 2026.
The calculator does not model financing, deposits, warranties or change orders. The pricing guide compares the result with market ranges.
Two worked examples
A 24-square shingle job at a 20 percent margin
- Materials $5,400; tax $378; labor $2,340; disposal, permit, other $1,000
- Direct $9,118; overhead $1,824; cost $10,942
- Price: 10,942 ÷ 0.8 = $13,677, $570 per square; profit $2,735 (20% margin, 25% markup)
The same job at 15 percent overhead and a 25 percent markup
- Cost: $9,118 + $1,368 = $10,486
- Price: 10,486 × 1.25 = $13,107, $546 per square; profit $2,621 (20% margin)
Where to find your inputs
Material and accessories. Supplier quotes against the quantity calculators.
Hours. From job records or the time calculator.
Overhead. From last year’s books.
Common mistakes
- Confusing margin and markup. A 20% markup is a 16.7% margin.
- Billed rate in the labor line. Use cost.
- No overhead. It is real money.
- Forgetting tax on materials. Add it.
- No decking clause. Price it up front.
- Underpricing steep work. Hours change with pitch.
Questions people ask
- How do I price a roofing job?
- Add the direct costs (materials with tax, labor at your cost per hour, disposal, permit, rentals), add overhead as a percentage of them, then add profit. With 24 squares, $5,400 of materials, 52 hours at $45, 20 percent overhead and a 20 percent margin, the price is about $13,700, $570 per square.
- What is the difference between margin and markup?
- Markup is profit as a percentage of cost; margin is profit as a percentage of the price. A $10,000 cost marked up 25 percent is a $12,500 price with $2,500 profit, which is a 20 percent margin. To hit a 20 percent margin, divide cost by 0.8.
- What overhead should a roofer use?
- Whatever the books say: total annual overhead (office, vehicles, insurance, marketing, owner's salary if not in labor) divided by annual direct costs. Small residential roofers commonly land between 15 and 25 percent.
- Should labor be at cost or at a billed rate?
- At cost (wages plus payroll taxes and workers' compensation) in an estimate that adds overhead and profit separately. A billed rate already includes them, and using it here would count them twice.
- How do I handle rotten decking in an estimate?
- State a per-sheet price for replacement sheathing and a per-square price for an unexpected extra layer, so hidden conditions are priced before the job starts rather than argued about after tear-off.
- What profit margin do roofers make?
- It varies widely; many residential contractors target a net margin in the low teens to around 20 percent after overhead. The calculator takes your figure and shows both margin and markup.