How much is a new roof going to cost you? It’s hard to tell without looking at your home or building, but there are some general factors that impact what the cost of a new roof is, and we’ll discuss them in this report.
1. Is this a new building or an older one where you need to replace the roof? With all other things being equal, a new roof on a new building will cost less than doing a re-roofing job on an existing construction. So how much is a new roof in a new building going to cost? A rule of thumb would be $200 per square, with other variables having an influence on this figure.
By the way, the reason older roofing costs more is because the cost of tearing down the worn out roof and disposing the waste is added on to the expense of laying a new roof.
2. The type of roof being installed will affect your cost. If I asked you how much a new car would cost, how can you answer?! It would depend upon the brand, make and model, as well as several other features. In the same way it is hard to say how much a new roof could cost because it depends upon the type of roof.
Whenever the slope is too steep, the cost of a new roof goes up. The type of material used for roofing will also affect your budget. Thicker shingles which are higher quality will cost more per square foot than cheaper alternatives.
3. What brand or manufacturer will you buy from? The better known brands of roofing supplies like GAF are a little more expensive because their quality is perceived well in the marketplace.
4. One more factor that affects how much is a new roof will be the method used to install the roof. With shingles, you have few options other than nailing them in. But for flat roofs there are many choices and some of them can save you a lot of cash. Just the choice of installation will have a spin off effect of saving you on materials and the other incidental expenses of laying a new roof.
5. Will your old roof be torn down, or is the new roof going to be laid over it? An overlay roof is less costly because you’re saving on the replacement cost of the older roof, as well as the expense involved in disposing off the waste.
6. Related roofing materials are an additional cost. Under-layment with felt, insulation material, framework, plastic sheets, plywood and other region-specific things that need to be used in strengthening or creating the support for your roof (some are mandated by laws and regulations) will affect the overall cost of your new roof.
7. A cluttered or busy roof is one more factor. If your roof has projections in the form of chimneys, vents, skylights and dormers, roofing it becomes more difficult. This affects how much is a new roof likely to cost.
8. Is your roof relatively smooth and level, or does it have multiple valleys and gutters intermixed with hips and crests? In the latter case, labor costs will be much higher.
9. The height of your building is one more factor because safety equipment and special instruments may be required while working on very tall buildings.
So the next time someone asks how much is a new roof likely to cost, you can smile and answer “It depends” – and then know the factors to list when called upon to elaborate.
