Are you ready for a roof replacement? Are you concerned about the cost of your roof project? If so, you need to know what goes into the price of your new roof. 

But what impacts the cost of a roof replacement? We’ve got you covered. 

The team at Bill Ragan Roofing has been replacing roofs in the Nashville area since 1990. We believe in providing you an experience unique in the roofing industry with our expert craftsmanship and customer service. When you work with us, you’ll never worry about your roof again. 

So, what affects the price of your new roof? Always eager to educate customers on what to expect when investing in a roof replacement, I’m going to answer that question. 

Continue reading to learn the 9 factors that impact the cost of your new roof. 

1. The type of roofing material you want for your replacement

The type of roof you want will have a big impact on the cost of your roof replacement. There are a variety of different types of roofs for you to choose from based on your budget and the look you want. 

If you’re on a tight budget and looking for an affordable roof, an asphalt shingle roof might be right for you. But if you’re looking to upgrade to a longer-lasting and sharp looking roof, there’s the standing seam metal roof. 

Asphalt and metal are two of the most commonly seen roof types, but there are also premium shingle roofs that come at a premium price. These roofs give you a unique look that really stands out. These premium roofs include cedar shake, slate, and tile. 

The premium shingle roofs can get expensive quickly and be more than triple the cost of an asphalt shingle roof.

2. Your roof system’s materials 

A roof is made up of more than just the shingles you see on the outside. It’s made of different roofing components and materials that all go into the cost of your new roof. 

Including your shingles, the components that make up your roof system are: 

  • Underlayment 
  • Ice & water shield 
  • Starter shingles 
  • Ventilation system
  • Ridge capping

While these are the roof system’s main components, there are other roofing materials included in your roof replacement such as roof flashing, drip edge, and pipe boots. 

Remember, all your roofing components and materials impact the cost of your new roof. With that in mind, it’s absolutely crucial to invest in quality instead of getting the cheapest materials to lower the final cost of your new roof. 

To learn more about why you need to invest in quality, read this article on 3 ways “cheap roof systems” cost more in the long run. 

3. The labor and time to complete your roof replacement

Labor and time are two of the main factors a roofing contractor considers when calculating the price of your new roof. If anything takes time and labor, it will show up in the final cost of your roof replacement. 

The labor cost of each man on a crew is based on their skill level, experience, and how much they can get done in a day. The labor cost will vary from contractor to contractor. 

The time it takes to complete the job is also a factor. The more time a roofer has to spend on your roof and property will always affect the price of a new roof.

If the roof is complex and hard to access, then it’s going to take longer and more labor to complete. From tearing off your old roof to cleaning up your property after the job is done, if it takes manpower and time, it’s going to impact the cost of your new roof. 

4. Your roof’s accessibility

Your roofing contractor needs an easy access point to tear off the old roof, get the torn off materials into the dump truck, and send the new materials back up to the roof for installation. 

The harder your roof is to access to do these tasks, the more it impacts the cost of your new roof. But what can make your roof hard to access?

The amount of landscaping you have around your house, a fence, how far away the materials and how far the dump truck is from the roof’s access point all go into accessibility.

For example, a home with rows of shrubbery, a fence, and a driveway that is far away from the installers and your roofing materials will cost more than a home with a roof that is easy to get to.

5. The number of penetrations your roof has

A roof penetration is anything that pokes out of your roof. Some of the common penetrations that your roof has are plumbing vents, gas vents, kitchen/bathroom vents, skylights, and chimneys.

The more penetrations your roof has, the more time and manpower it takes to work around them to install your new roof. Smaller pipes or vents won’t add that much to the cost. 

However, bigger penetrations such as skylights and chimneys take longer to flash and to work around, so they add more to the cost of your new roof.

6. The size and complexity of your roof

This may seem pretty obvious, but the square footage of your roof impacts the cost of your new roof. Square footage affects the amount of materials used, labor, and time needed to complete the job. 

The size of your roof impacting the price is pretty obvious, but most people don’t consider their roof’s complexity when getting an estimate for their roof replacement. Roof complexity is how many facets, hips, valleys, and the pitch (steepness) your roof has. 

A roof that is cut up with a high number of facets at multiple angles, hips, valleys, and a steep pitch is more difficult and takes a lot longer to roof than a simple ranch style roof with only two or four roof facets. 

You also need to consider how tall your roof is. The higher the roof, the more precautions the installers have to take. For their own safety, they have to move slower and more carefully.

7. The amount of roof decking that may need to be replaced

Decking is the wooden boards that make up the framing of your roof. These boards are what your shingles and other components are installed on. 

The amount of roof decking that needs to be replaced will impact the price of your new roof. Be aware, it can be difficult to tell what the condition of your roof’s decking is until the old roof has been torn off.

If your roofer knows you need it replaced at the start, it will be included in your roof estimate. On the other hand, if they find that your decking is bad while tearing off the old roof, the cost will be added to the final invoice. 

8. Dump fees for getting rid of your old roofing materials

When you get a new roof, your old one is usually torn off. During this tear-off process, there’s a lot of debris coming off your roof. All that debris has to go somewhere once it comes off your roof. 

The debris from your old roof will be loaded up into a dump truck to be taken to a dump of the contractor’s choice. The dumpsites charge significant fees for this service, and they are going up all the time. 

Because of this, the dump fees and the labor cost of the employee to dump your old roof will impact the cost of your new roof. 

9. The operating costs of your roofing contractor

Every roofing contractor has operating expenses to keep their business going. These operating costs will always factor into the price of any roof work that needs to be done. 

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 that it takes to run a business. No matter if a roofing company does a simple repair or replaces 10 roofs, these are the costs that have to be paid every day. 

No matter what work you get done or what service you need, operating expenses will always factor into an estimate or final cost.  

The risks of hiring a contractor with the lowest price

You just learned the 9 factors that impact the cost of your roof. While the type of roof and roofing materials you choose have a significant impact on the price of your new roof, that’s only the materials.

The labor and time it takes to complete your roof replacement are just as important as the materials. Your roof’s size, accessibility, complexity, and the number of penetrations on your roof all factor into how much labor and time it’ll take to complete your project.

Be aware, no two roofing contractors are going to charge the same price. I understand going with the cheapest roofing contractor available for your roof replacement can be tempting.

However, the risks of going with the cheapest option can be costly. But what are these risks? Luckily, we’re here to help. 

The team at Bill Ragan Roofing has provided high-quality roof replacements to the residents of Nashville since 1990. Our workmanship ensures you get the most out of your roof investment and that’s why we're proud to offer a lifetime warranty. If you're local to Nashville, don't hesitate to contact us today. 

So, what are the risks of hiring a cheap roofing contractor? 

To learn why you shouldn’t hire a contractor because of their low prices, read this article on 5 Risks of Working with a Cheap Roofing Contractor.

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