Is it time to replace your roof? Are you thinking about upgrading your old roof to a new beautiful cedar shake roof?
If so, your biggest concern is probably how much it’s going to cost you. If that sounds like you, you’re in luck because we’re going to break it down for you.
The team at Bill Ragan Roofing has provided cedar shake roof replacements in the Nashville area since 1990. Our high-quality workmanship ensures you get the most out of your cedar shake roof investment. When you work with us, you’ll never have to worry about your roof again.
By the end of this article, you'll learn how much a cedar shake roof cost, what impacts the cost, and 3 things you need to know about a cedar shake roof replacement.
How much does a cedar shake roof cost?
The price for your cedar shake roof isn't going to be the same as your neighbors. Every roof is different, so the cost for every roof is going to be different.
With that in mind, it’s impossible to give you an exact price until a local roofing company inspects your roof. However, the numbers below can give you an idea of how much you’ll have to budget.
Disclaimer: These numbers aren’t perfect. The actual price you’ll pay depends on multiple cost factors that are based on your roof and the contractor you hire.
A new cedar shake roof will cost around $25.00 per square foot for a one-story house with a mildly complex roof.
For a more complex roof, the cost of a new cedar shake roof will be around $30.00 per square foot.
Remember, these numbers aren’t perfect, and it’s impossible to give you an exact price until you hire a professional. However, you can use the cost numbers above and multiply them by the square footage of your roof to get an idea of how much you’ll have to budget for your roof replacement.
Be aware, the square footage of your roof is not the same as the square footage of your home. To learn how to get a rough measurement of your roof, read this article on how to measure the square footage of your roof.
What impacts the cost of your cedar shake roof?
Remember, no two roofs are going to be the same. The price for a cedar shake roof replacement will depend on many factors that vary from roof to roof.
To better help you understand where your investment goes when making this purchase, I’ve comprised a list of the factors that directly affect the price of your new cedar shake roof.
- The type of roof you choose (cedar shake)
- The rest of the roof system’s materials
- Labor and time
- Your roof’s accessibility
- The number of penetrations your roof has
- Your roof’s size and the complexity of it
- The amount of decking that may need to be replaced
- Dump fees
- Operating costs
This is just a quick rundown of what impacts the cost of your new roof. For a deeper breakdown of these cost factors and what they mean to your roof investment, read this article on the 9 factors that impact the cost of your new roof.
3 things to know about getting a new cedar shake roof
Now you know how much your new cedar shake roof will cost and the factors that impact the cost. However, there’s still more you need to know about getting your cedar shake roof.
1. The 3 grades of cedar shake shingles
There are 3 grades of cedar shake shingles: common, selects, and 100% straight grain.
Common grade is the cheapest and most inferior of the 3 types. They’re randomly cut and made out of any part of the tree (basically the leftovers of other cuts). These cedar shake shingles will be the first ones to split and warp.
The next grade of cedar shake shingle is selects. These shingles will be a mix of the 2 other types of grades, somewhere around 80% straight grain and 20% commons. Your roofing contractor should go through the selects to find the best quality cedar shingles to install on your roof.
The third and best quality grade of cedar shake shingles is 100% straight grain. Each one of these is hand-selected and straight grained. When the grain is straight, the shingles lay flat and you don’t have to worry about them curling up.
If you’re already investing in a new cedar shake roof, I recommend spending the extra little bit of money and go with the 100% straight grain grade cedar shingles. To go more in-depth about the 3 grades, read this article on the different grades of cedar shake shingles.
2. Your warranty options on your cedar shake roof
When you invest in a new roof, you’ll have two warranties. You’ll have one on the contractor’s workmanship and one from the manufacturer on your roofing materials.
However, cedar shake shingles are naturally made so there’s no manufacturer warranty on the materials. This leaves you with only your contractor’s workmanship warranty to rely on for your cedar shake roof.
Because of this, it’s crucial to hire a high-quality local roofing contractor that stands behind their work. A contractor’s workmanship warranty can be anywhere from a tail light warranty (as soon as you see their company truck’s tail lights disappear, your warranty is gone), to a two-year, five-year, 10-year, or even a lifetime warranty.
To get the best roof possible, you should always look for a contractor that offers you a lifetime warranty. To learn more about roof warranties, read this article on what roof warranties cover.
3. How long your new cedar shake roof will last
The lifespan of your roof is how many years you get out of it. When you invest in a new roof, you’re expecting to get as much life out of it as possible.
The same goes for your new cedar shake roof. But how long will it actually last?
As long as it’s properly installed and with proper maintenance, you can expect to get 30 years out of your cedar shake roof. If you invest in quality materials and live in an area with the right conditions, you could possibly get up to 50 years out of it.
If you live in an area with a very moist or dry climate, it might not last as long. The climate in our area of Nashville is great for a cedar shake roof, but somewhere with a much more humid climate can cause the shingles to age faster.
To learn more about the effect climate and weather have on your roof, read this article on how the weather impacts the life of your new roof.
Ready for a new cedar shake roof?
Now you have an idea about how much you’ll have to budget for your new cedar shake roof. You also learned 3 other important things about getting one.
After reading this, you’re now better prepared to decide if a cedar shake roof is right for you. If you’re still on the fence, you need to know how cedar shake roofs compare to the other common roof types.
However, if a cedar shake roof is right for you, you’re ready to find a roofing contractor to start the replacement process. To ensure you hire a great roofing contractor, get your free checklist of questions to ask a roofing contractor.
Your free checklist gives you the questions and answers every homeowner needs to make the right hiring decision. After all, the roofing contractor you hire has the biggest impact on the quality of roof you get.
The team at Bill Ragan Roofing specializes in residential roofing services, including cedar shake roof replacements. When you get a new roof from us, you get the high-quality workmanship, honesty, and customer service you expect from a top Nashville roofing contractor. That’s why we’re proud to offer you a lifetime warranty.
If you’re local to Nashville, contact us to start the process of giving you the beautiful cedar shake roof you deserve.
Whether you're local to Nashville or not, you need your free Checklist of Questions to Ask a Roofing Contractor.
