If you are a home owner who owns a house with a shingle roof you have probably asked the question, “What is the cost of a shingle roof replacement?” This can be a very scary question because as many know it is very costly to replace a roof. Some estimates say that the average cost of a roof replacement can range from $400-550 per square (100 sqft section). In southern Arizona some estimates can be lower in the $350-450 range. This means a typical one-story 2000 sqft roof replacement can range from $7000-9000 or even higher.
If you have received estimates from local roofing contractors you know that these estimate can have a wide range of costs. Some roofing companies come in with low bids and some roofing contractors can be 20-30% higher than other contractors. In fact, it doesn’t matter which city you are from, some roofing companies unashamedly provide extremely high estimates on purpose. They don’t expect to get many roofing jobs, but the ones they do work on pay extremely well! Also, the cost of replacing a roof can vary depending upon which part of the nation you live. So what is a fair price for replacing your roof in the Tucson Arizona local area? Here are some considerations that will help you decide if the price you are given is fair.
Cost of Materials for Shingle Roof Replacements
The greatest factor that determines how much a roofing company will charge for your roof replacement is the cost of materials. Since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, roofing material costs have skyrocketed! Pre-pandemic a bundle of shingles could go for $17-25 per bundle. Today (2022), the costs range from $35-50. This is a significant increase in cost. Why? Much of the cost of shingles connects with the costs of oil. Asphalt shingles are oil-based products and when oil increases in price so do shingles. Also, the cost of delivering the shingles increases when oil increases in price.
Another consideration is supply and demand for the materials. The pandemic caused a high demand for building materials because more people were staying home or moving out of large cities into rural areas. This led to a demand for new houses and residential housing projects which of course increased the demand of materials, which, in-turn increased the price of the materials. The cost of roofing materials across the board has increased 30-40% in the last few years. Unfortunately signs of the times suggest that these costs may continue to increase. So if you are considering a roof replacement in the future, it may not be a bad idea to start getting estimates today!
Cost of Roofing Labor
The price of labor has increased over the past few years. Since 2020, there has been a 30-40% increase in wages for many contracting positions. It is hard to find good help. When a local roofing contractor does find good help they must pay them well to remain with the company or the workers will move on to the next company. Asphalt shingle roof replacement jobs require a significant amount of labor. Most roofing companies will employ 3-6 people per roof replacement job. When paying $18-25/hour or even more per worker, labor costs can become quite burdensome for roofing contractors.
Size of the Shingle Roof
Size matters when replacing a roof. If the job is smaller (under 1000 sqft), the price per square (100sqft sections) will be higher because materials and labor are still at a premium. If a job is larger (3000+ sqft), the roofing company may have more wiggle room in being able to reduce costs per square. When trying to determine the cost of a shingle roof replacement, make sure you consider the size of the roof as part of the equation.
Difficulty of the Shingle Roof Replacement
Some roofs are easier than others. Roofs that have dormers or many valleys or changes in elevations are much more difficult to re-shingle. These roofs require more cutting and also they will incur more waste. A roof with 2- 4 valleys in the middle can have up to 10-12% waste. When considering the costs of materials, this can be a significant amount money for additional materials. Most local roofing contractors will do all they can to prevent significant waste because they realize that is wasted money in their pockets. However, homeowners must expect a higher per/square charge if they own a more difficult roof.
There are so many variables that should be considered when trying to determine the cost one could expect to pay for a roof replacement. Materials, labors, overhead, insurances, waste, etc. are all included in the price a roofing contractor near you will charge. It is near impossible to