Is time to replace your composition roof? Trying to figure out how much a composition shingle roof costs right now?
A new roof is a very large investment. So, it makes sense that your curious about how much it'll cost before diving into a replacement.
Unfortunately, the roofing industry doesn’t like being transparent about pricing because of the sticker shock it's guaranteed to cause. I don't believe in operating that way.
For over 35 years, Bill Ragan Roofing has provided fully transparency when it comes to everything cost-related. So, let's take the cost question head-on by breaking down the cost of a new composition roof.
By the end of this article, you'll have the answers to:
- How much does a composition shingle roof cost? (average and per square foot)
- What impacts the cost of a composition shingle roof?
How much does a composition shingle roof cost?
A composition shingle roof costs around $20,000 to $25,000 for a standard middle-class home in 2025. This price range includes installing 30 squares of architectural shingles with 30-lb. felt (or equivalent synthetic) underlayment, galvanized drip edge, and mill-finish aluminum flashing on a rectangular hip roof with two average-size skylights.
(Roughly $25,000-$30,000 architectural shingle roof)
This very general price doesn’t account for area-specific pricing, roof size/complexity, or other cost factors (more on this later). There are also three types of composition (asphalt) shingles that greatly impact the cost.
So, let's get more specific with the price per square foot of each type of composition shingle for you to apply to your roof’s square footage.
Composition shingle |
Cost Per Square Foot in 2025 |
| 3-tab shingles | $4.00 to $5.00 |
| Architectural shingles | $5.00 to $7.00 |
| Luxury shingles | $8.00 to $10.00 |
Keep in mind that the prices above are for a full roof replacement, including labor and material costs. The majority of homeowners go with architectural shingles because of the affordability, but luxury shingles are popular for their look and long lifespan.
What impacts the cost of a composition shingle roof?
Now you know the average cost of a composition shingle roof and the price per square foot based on the shingle type. While the shingle type and roofer you choose have the biggest impact on the final cost, much more goes into pricing a roofing project.
Let's look at all the factors a roofing contractor considers when estimating the cost of a composition shingle roof.
Labor costs
Labor costs are factored into every line item on an estimate. So, if anything takes time and labor, it adds to a composition roof installation's labor costs.
Unfortunately, there’s no set price for labor and time because it depends on the roofing contractor you hire. But the more manpower and time it takes to replace your roof, the higher the cost.
Dump fees
During the tear-off process, your old roof is ripped up until there's only a clean roof deck. The debris is then loaded into a dump truck or trailer to be taken to a dump of the roofer's choice.
The dumpsites charge significant fees for this service, which means disposing of your old roof always has an associated cost. Like everything else, there's also a labor cost for the crew member who dumps your old roof.
The number of shingle layers being torn off
If your roof has more than one layer, it requires more labor to tear off and increases the amount of debris coming off your roof. This not only increases labor costs but also the dump fees.
There will be an initial labor and dump fee for the first layer, plus an added cost for each additional layer.
The other roof system components
The type of shingle determines most of the material costs associated with a new roof. However, you'll also be paying for the other components of a composition shingle roof system.
Including the composition shingles, the components included are:
- Decking (if any wood is compromised)
- 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 must be included in your component shingle roof replacement. If just one is missing or left off to save money, I guarantee you’ll have problems.
The accessibility of your roof
Roofers use a roof access point for every single piece of the roof replacement process. The harder your roof is to access, the more it impacts a new roof's cost.
Things like landscaping below the roofline, patio area, a fence, and how far away the materials and dump truck are a few examples of what makes a roof hard to access. Simply put, the more obstacles they have to work around to get the job done increases labor and time costs.
Roof size
The most obvious cost factor is the square footage of the roof getting replaced. It affects the amount of materials, labor, and time needed to complete the project.
I say square footage because it’s what homeowners are familiar with. However, you’ll also hear a roofing contractor say “price per roofing square” (100 square feet).
Roof pitch
Roof pitch is your roof's slope (angle), which can go from flat to almost completely vertical. The steeper the roof pitch, the more it increases labor costs due to moving slower and safely.
Pitch will always play a huge role in pricing, especially labor costs. However, steep pitches can also create more square footage, which also increase material prices.
Roof complexity
Complexity is how your roof is cut up with different facets, hips, valleys, and stories off the ground. Your roof’s complexity has a huge impact on the cost based on how it’s cut up with different facets, hips, valleys, and stories off the ground.
Just like with pitch, a roof with a high number of facets at multiple angles, hips, valleys, and two or more stories off the ground is more difficult and takes a lot longer to roof than a ranch-style home’s roof.
Roof penetrations
A roof penetration is anything that comes through your roof, like plumbing vents, gas vents, kitchen/bathroom vents, skylights, and chimneys. The more penetrations your roof has, the more it can affect cost.
Smaller pipes or 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.
What do you need to consider before replacing your roof?
After reading this article, you now know composition shingle roofs cost around $20,000 to $25,000 on average. Just remember, the specific shingle type, roofer you hire, and your roof ultimately determine most of the pricing.
That's why you should use your roof’s square footage and the per-square-foot price for a better idea of how much your composition roof will cost. However, getting an estimate from a professional is the only way to get 100% accurate pricing.
But before picking up the phone to call or do a Google search, there are some things you need to keep in mind before starting your asphalt shingle roofing project. Trust me, the last thing you want is to be taken advantage of because you didn’t have the right information.
Check out 5 Things to Consider When Replacing Your Roof to learn what every homeowner should keep in mind as they start the process.
If you're local to Nashville or a surrounding Middle Tennessee area, Get a Free Quote here or call our office at (615) 242-0333 today to schedule your free roof replacement estimate.
