Cost of A Shingle Roof Replacement?

If you’re a homeowner with a shingle roof, you’ve likely wondered, “What is the cost of a shingle roof replacement?” It’s an important question, especially since replacing a roof is a significant investment. On average, the cost of a shingle roof replacement can range from $400 to $550 per square (100 square feet) across the U.S. In Southern Arizona, specifically Tucson, this range typically falls between $425 and $525 per square. For a typical one-story home with a 2,000-square-foot roof, you can expect the total cost to range from $8,500 to $10,500 or even higher, depending on various factors.

When seeking estimates from local roofing contractors, you’ll likely notice a wide range of pricing. Some roofing companies offer lower bids, while others may quote prices 20-30% higher. In some cases, roofing contractors intentionally provide higher estimates, aiming to secure fewer but highly profitable jobs. This variability in pricing highlights the importance of understanding what constitutes a fair cost for a roof replacement in Tucson.

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 $40-50. 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