Roof Replacement
Cost Calculator
Pick your house, roof pitch and material. See the price, where it goes, and how long each roof will last for the money.
A roof quote is three numbers in disguise: how many squares your roof really has, what goes on it, and what the crew finds when the old shingles come off. The calculator below prices all three. Under it you'll find what we learned running every combination, a roofer locator, and the situations — storm claims, insurance threats, grants — that change what you should do next.
Key takeaways
- What does a typical new roof cost? About $27,450 for a one-story 2,000 sq ft home with a two-car garage — roughly 31 squares of architectural shingles, tear-off and a 15% reserve. Plan for $23,300 to $34,300.
- Why is my quote so different from my neighbor's? Roof squares, not house size, drive the price. The same 2,000 sq ft of living space on two floors needs about 40% less roof.
- Does pitch matter? A lot. A steep roof adds about 20%, and a very steep one about 46%.
- Is metal worth it? Standing seam costs nearly twice as much up front but costs less per year of service life than architectural shingles.
- Can I just put new shingles over the old ones? Sometimes, and it saves about 15%, but nobody sees the deck — and many insurers and codes frown on it.
- Will insurance pay? Only for sudden damage such as wind or hail, minus your deductible. Age and wear are your cost.
- Can a roofer cover my deductible? No. It's illegal in Texas and Colorado and treated as fraud in many other states.
- Is there grant money? Alabama and Louisiana have offered up to $10,000 toward FORTIFIED roofs, and rural seniors with very low incomes can apply for USDA repair grants.
Your roof
4 main choicesEstimated roof surface: —
Your estimate
Enable JavaScript to calculate your roof replacement budget. If this message stays visible, reload the page or allow this calculator's scripts.
—
Includes tear-off, materials, labor, permit
and a 15% reserve.
Weather permitting; permits and deliveries add lead time.
A planning estimate, not a contractor quote.
Architectural asphalt
——
—
Where your budget goesCost breakdown
| Work included | Planning allowance |
|---|---|
| Project subtotal | — |
| Reserve (15%, rounded) | — |
| Total planning budget | — |
The roof system line includes underlayment, drip edge, standard flashing, ventilation, starter and ridge pieces, nails, waste and installation labor.
Same roof, three popular materials
Same size, pitch and location. Ranges include your reserve.
Architectural shingles
The everyday choice on most homes
——Class 4 shingles
Built to resist hail; may earn a discount
——Standing-seam metal
Higher price, much longer life
——One way to spend less
—
Leave room for surprises
—
What we found running every combination
In our testing we ran all 663,552 valid combinations of house size, stories, garage, pitch, material, removal, deck condition, chimneys, location and reserve through the calculator. The smallest job — a 1,000 sq ft two-story house with a 3-tab overlay in a lower-cost area — came to $3,200. A 4,000 sq ft one-story home with a two-car garage, a very steep slate roof and two layers to strip in a very high-cost metro reached $389,400. Almost every real house falls between $11,000 and $55,000.
Starting from the typical one-story 2,000 sq ft home with a two-car garage and architectural shingles, here is what one change did to its $27,450 budget.
Each bar changes one setting from the default: 2,000 sq ft, one story, two-car garage, medium pitch, architectural shingles, one layer off, 5% decking allowance, one chimney, average-cost area, 15% reserve.
We found that the shape of the house matters as much as the material. A two-story home spreads the same living space under half the roof, so it saved more than switching to the cheapest shingle did. Pitch was the other surprise: a steep roof needs more material for the same footprint and slower, harnessed work, so it costs more twice over.
The roof system line covers far more than shingles: synthetic underlayment, ice and water barrier at eaves and valleys where required, drip edge, vents, starter and ridge pieces, and the crew's labor.
Planning budget divided by the midpoint of each material's typical life. The cheapest roof to buy was the most expensive to own; the long-life roofs only pay off if you stay long enough to use those years.
Roofing materials compared
Prices below are the calculator's planning budgets for the same typical house — about 31 squares, medium pitch, average-cost area — with tear-off, permit and a 15% reserve. Lifespans are typical ranges; climate, attic ventilation and installation quality move them in both directions.
| Material | Planning budget | Typical life | Cost per year | Best for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3-tab asphalt | $22,150 | 15–22 yrs | $1,197 | Rentals; selling soon | Lower wind ratings; fewer colors left |
| Architectural asphalt | $27,450 | 22–30 yrs | $1,056 | Most homes | Warranty depends on registered installation |
| Class 4 impact shingles | $33,750 | 25–35 yrs | $1,125 | Hail country | Ask your insurer for the discount in writing first |
| Exposed-fastener metal | $34,500 | 30–45 yrs | $920 | Barns, cabins, simple roofs | Screws and washers need periodic checks |
| Standing-seam metal | $52,100 | 40–70 yrs | $947 | Staying 20+ years; snow, wildfire areas | Few crews; imported steel faces tariffs |
| Concrete tile | $46,800 | 40–50 yrs | $1,040 | Hot, dry climates | Heavy; framing must be checked |
| Clay tile | $66,150 | 50–100 yrs | $882 | Spanish and Mediterranean homes | Heavy; cracked tiles under foot traffic |
| Natural slate | $97,800 | 75–100 yrs | $1,118 | Historic homes | Needs a slate specialist for every repair |
Roofer locator and rules where you live
Share your location or enter a ZIP code. The locator centers a map on your home, opens searches for roofers, metal installers, independent inspectors and your county permit office, and shows any state rule we've verified that changes how you should buy a roof.
Your location is used only in your browser and is never stored.
Ways to pay for a new roof, compared
A roof is rarely optional once it leaks, so the question is usually how to pay, not whether. These are the main routes, from cheapest to most expensive in total cost.
| Option | Covers | Home at risk? | Fits best | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insurance claim | Sudden wind, hail or fallen-tree damage | No | Storm damage confirmed by an adjuster | Your deductible; wear and age are excluded |
| State FORTIFIED grant | Up to $10,000 (Alabama, Louisiana) | No | Coastal homes needing a new roof anyway | Apply and be accepted before work starts |
| USDA Section 504 | 1% loans up to $40,000; grants up to $10,000 at 62+ | Loan is secured | Rural owners with very low incomes | Income and rural-area limits; waits |
| Savings | Anything | No | Planned replacement before failure | Keep the reserve separate |
| Home equity loan or line | Anything | Yes | Larger roofs; metal or tile | Closing time of several weeks |
| Personal loan | Anything | No | Urgent replacement | Higher rates, shorter terms |
| Roofer financing | The roofer's quote | Sometimes a lien | Convenience | Fees built into the price; ask for the cash price |
What to do in your situation
🌩️ A storm just hit and roofers are knocking
Photograph the roof, gutters, siding and any ceiling stains from the ground, put a tarp over open holes, and call your insurer before you sign anything. Let the insurance adjuster inspect first, and ask a roofer you choose to meet the adjuster on the roof. Be wary of anyone who wants a signature on the doorstep, a large cash deposit, or "free" inspections that end with a contract handing over your claim. In Texas, waiving or rebating a deductible is a crime punishable by fines and jail time, and Colorado bans it outright; many other states have similar laws.
🧾 You're filing an insurance claim
Read the declarations page before the adjuster arrives. Many policies now carry a separate wind or hail deductible set as a percentage of your dwelling coverage — 2% on a $350,000 home is $7,000 out of pocket. Check whether your roof is paid at replacement cost or actual cash value; actual cash value subtracts depreciation, so an old roof may bring a small check. If the claim is approved, the payout covers like-for-like materials. Upgrading to metal or Class 4 shingles is your cost unless your policy says otherwise, and code-required items like added ventilation need ordinance-or-law coverage.
📩 Your insurer says replace the roof or lose your policy
Ask for the reason in writing and get a written estimate of remaining roof life from an independent inspector, not just a roofer selling a replacement. In Florida, an insurer may not refuse to issue or renew a policy solely because the roof is under 15 years old, and for older roofs you can submit an inspection showing at least five years of useful life left. Other states set their own rules — your state insurance department can tell you what applies and take a complaint. If you must replace, shop the new roof before the deadline gets close.
🌀 You live where hurricanes or hail are common
A FORTIFIED roof follows an engineering standard from the insurance industry's research institute: sealed roof deck, ring-shank nails, stronger edges and an independent inspection. Alabama and Louisiana have paid up to $10,000 toward it, and insurers in those states give premium discounts — a Louisiana audit found grant recipients cut their premiums by a median of 22%, or $1,250 a year. In hail regions, ask insurers what a Class 4 roof saves you; the discount can repay much of the upgrade over the life of the roof.
🧓 You're on a fixed income and the roof is leaking
Very-low-income homeowners in rural areas can ask USDA Rural Development for repair loans at 1% for up to 20 years, up to $40,000, and those 62 and older who cannot repay a loan may get grants of up to $10,000 over a lifetime to fix health and safety hazards — a leaking roof often qualifies. Your local Area Agency on Aging can point you to county repair programs and volunteer groups. Veterans should ask the VA about home repair and adaptation help before signing a roofing loan.
🏡 You plan to sell in the next two years
National cost-versus-resale data for 2025 show an asphalt roof replacement recovering about 68% of its cost at sale, and a metal roof about 50%. A worn roof can also hold up a sale when the buyer's lender or insurer balks. If you're selling soon, architectural shingles and a transferable manufacturer warranty usually make more sense than a premium material.
☀️ You want solar panels in the next few years
If your roof has less than about ten years of life left, replace it first. Taking panels off and putting them back later is paid work on top of the new roof. Ask the roofer for flashing details that suit solar mounts, and remember there is no federal tax credit for a new roof on your own home.
🏚️ Your house is old or has several layers already
Most codes allow no more than two layers of shingles, so a third means stripping everything. Very old homes may have roofing or underlayment made with asbestos, especially some fiber-cement shingles; ask for a test before tear-off if you're unsure. Older plank decking can also need a new plywood layer to meet nailing rules — a reason to choose the 20% reserve.
Is my quote fair?
Divide each quote by the number of squares it lists. If a bid doesn't list squares, ask — every roofer measures before pricing. Set the calculator to the same squares, material and removal, and compare per square. A bid well above the range should show a reason you can see; one far below usually leaves something out.
Low bids typically get there by reusing old flashing, skipping ice and water barrier at the eaves and valleys, leaving the decking price open-ended, or ignoring attic ventilation. Before comparing totals, check that each bid names the shingle line, underlayment, flashing and vents, gives a per-sheet price for decking, includes the permit, and says who registers the manufacturer warranty.
Quick answers
How many squares is my roof?
A rough guide: ground-floor area plus garage, plus 10% for overhangs, times about 1.12 for a typical pitch, divided by 100. A one-story 2,000 sq ft home with a two-car garage comes out near 31 squares.
How long does the job take?
Most asphalt roofs on a typical home take two to five working days. Metal, tile and slate take longer because each piece is fitted slower; weather can add days.
When is the best time to replace?
Before it fails. Late fall and winter in mild climates can bring shorter waits and more room to negotiate; just after a big storm brings the longest waits.
Do I need a permit?
Most cities and counties require one for a full replacement. A licensed roofer should pull it, and the final inspection protects you when you sell or file a claim.
Can I deduct a new roof on my taxes?
Not on your own home in most cases. It adds to your home's cost basis, which can lower taxable gain when you sell. Rental property follows different depreciation rules.
How the estimate works
The calculator turns your house into roof squares — living area divided by stories, plus any attached garage, plus 10% for overhangs, times a slope factor for the pitch — unless you enter squares yourself. It then prices removal, the installed roof system per square for your material, a decking allowance, chimney or skylight flashing, and permit and dumpster fees, adjusted for steep-roof labor and your local cost level, and adds your reserve. The range runs about 15% below to 25% above the subtotal, wider for two layers, widespread rot or very steep roofs. These are planning allowances, not live prices or a contractor quote; they leave out framing repairs, gutters, solar removal and hazardous-material abatement.