Roof Shingle Pricing

Replacing your roof is expensive -- quotes often run from $10,000 - $20,000 or more, depending on the materials, the complexity of the job and other factors. You need to understand the materials cost when negotiating the price with a roofing contractor. This article will give you a baseline for those costs, and touch on other costs such as installation and the possible impact of specialty materials on your home insurance.

Materials Costs

The type materials needed for a new roof vary based on the job. Are you installing a new roof or stripping the existing shingles down to the plywood? If so, you will need shingles plus underlayment, ice and water shield (for Northern climates, and typically only for the 3-6 feet at the edge of the roof), venting (soffit and ridge vents) and nails. If you find rotten plywood underneath the existing shingles you may also need to replace plywood.

If you are simply adding a 2nd layer of shingles to an existing roof, you may only need shingles and nails.

The amount of shingles needed to cover a roof is typically measured in squares. A square of shingles covers 100 square feet. Pricing is quoted by the bundle or by the square, and there are typically 3 bundles per square for standard 3-tab asphalt shingles. (Heaver shingles may be divided into 4 or 5 bundles per square.)

Big box home improvement stores sell basic asphalt shingles starting at about $90 / square. Heavier-weight and architectural shingles can run into the low $200+ per square.

The price of materials will also depend on other factors: Mike Stuge, owner of Royalty Remodelers in Minneapolis, MN says the price of the shingles could vary depending on where the consumer lives, the proximity of the manufacturer to the consumer and the availability of the product required.

Installation Costs

Stuge says the cost of installation varies not only by the type of material but by the pitch or slant in the roof as well. With asphalt shingles for example, installation costs could range from $25 per square foot for a flat roof up to $50 per square foot for a high pitched roof. Clay tile could cost considerably more to install as the contractor often drills individual holes into each tile before installation can take place. This labor-intensive process adds to the cost.

Insurance Costs

Safeco Insurance Company of Seattle confirmed that the type of roof and the state in which the homeowner lives may affect the cost of homeowner's insurance. If you live in a hail prone area and your roof is "hail resistant", you may qualify for a discount on your insurance -- ask your insurance agent.