Do you need a new roof? Like other homeowners, are you worried about how bad it will affect your bank account?
The number one concern for almost 100% of people who need a new roof is pricing. There’s no sugar coating it, a roof replacement is a very large investment.
Even worse, it’s impossible to get exact pricing on your replacement without a professional inspection and estimate from a local roofer. But that doesn't mean I can't give you an idea of the budget you’ll need.
For over 30 years, Bill Ragan Roofing has believed in providing transparent cost information the rest of the industry avoids discussing. So, let’s start with the average roof replacement cost and go from there.
This article answers the following questions:
- What’s the average cost to replace a roof in 2024?
- How much does a new roof cost in 2024 based on the roofing material?
- What impacts the cost of a roof replacement?
What’s the average cost to replace a roof in 2024?
According to the 2024 COST VS VALUE REPORT, the average cost to replace an asphalt shingle roof (the most common type) in the United States is $30,680. However, this is a general number that doesn’t account for roof size/complexity and all the other cost factors (more on this later).
Pricing is also specific to every area, with it even varying in the same state. Let’s use Tennessee (our state) as an example.
The average cost to replace an asphalt shingle roof is $24,533 in our service area of Nashville, Tennessee. However, the average cost to replace a roof in other Tennessee areas is:
- Johnson City: $22,449
- Knoxville: $23,637
- Chattanooga: $24,262
- Jackson: $21,749
- Memphis: $20,809
So, the pricing really does depend on where you live and what suppliers are charging in the area. But no matter where you live, the average cost to replace an asphalt shingle roof on most homes will be around $20,000.
Unfortunately, due to consistent increases in material prices, costs will continue to rise across the industry into 2025.
How much does a new roof cost in 2024 based on the roofing material?
The cost numbers above are only geared towards asphalt shingles. It makes sense because it’s the most commonly used roofing material, but you have multiple roofing materials to choose from.
There are even different types of asphalt shingles with their own price points. You also need to be able to apply any cost number to your situation, so a price per square foot is more relevant.
Below is a table with the cost per square foot of the top roofing materials for a full roof replacement, including all labor and material costs. Just keep in mind these are rough cost estimations, and you won’t know exact pricing until getting a quote from a local roofer.
| Roofing Material | 2024 Cost Per Square Foot |
| 3-tab shingles |
$4.00 |
| Architectural shingles | $5.86 |
| Luxury shingles | $8.50 |
| Steel exposed fastener metal | $4.50 |
| Steel standing seam metal | $16.00 |
| Copper standing seam metal | $30.00 - $50.00 |
| Synthetic shingles | $15.00 - $20.00 |
| Cedar shake | $25.00 |
| Slate tiles | $25.00 - $30.00 |
| EPDM (flat roofing) | $14.00 |
| PVC (flat roofing) | $14.00 |
| TPO (flat roofing) | $14.00 |
(Click the link on an individual roofing material to learn more)
The numbers in the tables aren’t exact because every area and roofer has different pricing, plus no two roofs are the same. However, the prices above give you a great idea of the budget you’ll need for a full roof replacement based on the material.
What impacts the cost of a roof replacement?
The roofing material has a huge impact on how much it’ll cost to replace your roof. However, your replacement’s cost also depends on a multitude of factors specific to your roof and roofer.
Below are the factors that impact the cost of every roof replacement and their effect on pricing.
The size of your roof
One of the biggest things that impacts a roof replacement’s cost is the square footage. It affects the amount of materials, labor, and time needed to complete the job.
I say square footage because it’s what homeowners are familiar with. However, roofers use the terminology “price per roofing square”. A roofing square is simply a roofing industry term for a 10x10 area equal to 100 square feet of roof surface.
If you calculate your roof’s square footage correctly, you can use the table above to better estimate the cost specific to your roof’s size.
Your roof’s accessibility
Roofers need an access point for the tear-off process, getting the new materials on the roof, and everything else during the project. The harder your roof is to access, the more it impacts the cost to replace it.
(Hard to access roof)
Some common things that make a roof hard to access are:
- Landscaping or rows of bushes below the roof line
- A fence around the property
- No paved surface near the access point
- The neighboring houses are close
Even if two roofs are the exact same, an easy access point leads to lower labor costs than a home with what’s listed above.
The number of penetrations your roof has
A roof penetration is anything that comes through your roof, such as plumbing vents, gas vents, kitchen/bathroom vents, skylights, and chimneys. The more penetrations your roof has, the more it impacts labor and material costs.
Smaller pipes and vents won’t impact much, but skylights and chimneys add more to a new roof’s cost because they take longer to flash and work around.
Roof pitch and complexity
Roof pitch is the slope (angle) of your roof, which goes from flat to almost completely vertical. Roofs with steeper pitches cost more to replace due to moving slower and safely.
Pitch is important enough on its own, but it’s also part of a roof’s overall complexity. Complexity is how your roof is cut up with different facets, hips, valleys, and stories off the ground.
(Roof with a lot of complexity)
Your roof’s complexity has a huge impact on the cost of replacing it. This is simply because a roof with a lot of complexity is more difficult, takes longer, and requires more materials to roof than a simple up and over.
The amount of roof decking that may need to be replaced
Decking is the framing of your roof made of wooden boards that your material and other components are installed on. The amount of rotten or compromised decking that needs to be replaced impacts the final cost of a new roof.
While they won’t know exactly how much, it will be included in your roof estimate if your roofer has an idea how much is needed at the start. But replacing any bad decking found after the tear-off process is usually added to the final invoice.
The rest of the roof system’s components
You already know you pay for the roofing material and replacement decking, but the other components also impact the cost. Every single component plays an important role in preventing water from getting into your home.
Including the main roofing material, the components that make up your roof system are:
- Drip edge
- Underlayment
- Ice & water shield
- Starter shingles
- Roof vents and ventilation system
- Roof flashing
- Ridge capping
- Pipe boots
Every component and material listed here should be included in your roof replacement. If just one is missing or left off to save money, I guarantee you’ll have problems down the road.
The number of layers being torn off and dump fees
Most roofs have one layer of shingles or material, but plenty have more than one. If more than one layer has to be torn off, it increases the amount of debris coming off your roof and labor to clean it up.
(Three layers of shingles being torn off)
This increases labor costs and dump fees when removing the torn-off materials. Dumpsites charge significant fees to remove roofing and building materials, which roofers must account for when estimating cost.
Most roofers charge an initial labor and dump fee for the first layer before adding charges for each additional layer.
The labor and time to complete your roof replacement
As I’m sure you noticed, labor and time have a huge impact on all the factors I’ve already mentioned. Anything that takes time and labor will have the appropriate associated labor cost included in each line item.
Unfortunately, there’s no set price for labor and time because it varies by roofing contractor. But the more manpower and time it takes to replace your roof, the more it increases the overall cost.
Overhead and profit
Just like every roofer has different labor costs, every company has different overhead and operating costs. These operating costs plus the required profit factor into each line item to keep the business running.
Some common operating costs are:
- Building cost and utilities, shop, and truck yard
- Advertising and promotions
- Vehicles (fuel and insurance)
- General liability insurance
- Workers compensation insurance
- Licenses and bonds
- Training
- Payroll and payroll taxes
- Taxes (Federal and local government)
These are just some of the fixed operating costs of running a roofing company, which must be accounted for in every job. And as you know, profit is required to grow and continue operating and to honor warranties in the future.
What do you need to consider before replacing your roof?
Now you have an idea of how much it costs to replace a roof and the things that directly impact the price. If you’re like most homeowners, cost is probably your biggest concern.
However, there are more things you need to consider and think about when getting a new roof. After all, you’re about to invest thousands of dollars.
The last thing you want is to be taken advantage of, misinformed, or start the process without understanding the basics. That’s why I wrote another article breaking down the main things every homeowner should consider before replacing their roof.
Check out 7 Things to Consider Before a Roof Replacement to learn what you need to think about before starting the replacement process.
If you’re in Nashville or a surrounding Middle Tennessee area, don't hesitate to Request a Quote Here or call our office at (615) 242-0333 today to schedule a free roof replacement quote.
