The average roof replacement cost for different roofing materials is given below to help you make a choice on a particular roof type. Take for instance asphalt roofing shingles which costs between $800 to $4000 dollars. Wood shingles cost anywhere from $7500 to $20000 dollars. slate is even more expensive starting prices are in the range of $17000 dollars and higher end slate roofs can cost around $84000 dollars or more. Metal another popular choice is little less costing from $5000 to $20000 dollars for steel and $25000 to $40000 for copper. Aluminum roof prices fall somewhere in between. All the above numbers are for average sized home of 1700 to 2100 square feet roofing area.
Let’s take a look at other factors affecting average roof replacement cost.
Size: Measure the roof. The size plays a big role in cost of the roof. Big roofs cost more. A roofer will inspect the roof, measure it and give you a fair estimate about the cost of roofing it. Roof is measured in squares – a roofing term which is equal to 100 square feet area.
Pitch: Medium and low pitched roofs are ideal for roofing and cost less too. More the pitch of the roof, more the difficulty of laying it. Higher pitched roofs cost more to lay as the roofer needs special equipment and safety measures while roofing it. So, you will find that pitch plays an important role in the average roof replacement cost.
Roofing material: As already detailed in the first paragraph the roofing material type makes a significant impact on the average roof replacement cost. Slate is the most expensive while asphalt shingles are the least expensive. The lowest priced asphalt shingles cost under $1000 dollars. Metal falls on the higher end of roofing material prices but it lasts a long time and hence is considered cost-effective in the long term.
Quality Of Roofing Materials: High quality roofing materials are made to last. They are thicker and heavier and are able to withstand vagaries of nature better. This is particularly true for asphalt roofing shingles where the price varies from $50 dollars per square to $150 dollars per square on average.
Height Of Roof – How high is your roof? A one story roof costs less to lay than a 2 story roof. The higher roof requires the roofer to work on dangerous heights and on average roof replacement cost will naturally be higher for such homes. The labor cost is also higher as the time taken to roof high buildings is more. The roofers have to take extra precautions to work on tall commercial buildings. The risk involved is higher and hence the cost is also more.
Ease Of Access – A roof that is easy to access will naturally have low average roof replacement cost than a roof with difficult access like up a hill or located on sheer rock face!
Old Roof Removal – If you are planning to replace on top of an old roof then the average cost of roof replacement works out cheaper compared to complete removal of the old roof. It’s removal and disposal will cost you at least 1000 dollars more. If you have more than one layer of roofing shingles then the cost goes up proportionately.
Decking – If the decking is damaged or needs replacement your average roof replacement cost will go up a lot more. The plywood sheets sometimes sag, warp or decay due to water seepage or age. These will need replacement and extra time from the roofer.
Reinforcement – Old roofs needs extra labor to reinforce the old structure, framing or deck. The cost will naturally go up in such circumstances.
As we see from the above discussion, the average roof replacement cost is a function of several factors and its cost will vary widely over a large range depending on how each of the above factors are placed in relation to your home.