How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Roof in 2024?

Is it time to replace your roof? Are you worried about the impact it’ll have on your bank account?

Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Price is the biggest concern and decision-making factor for most homeowners who need a new roof. 

Unfortunately, it’s impossible to give you an exact price without a roof inspection. On top of that, the roofing industry avoids topics on pricing because of guaranteed sticker shock. 

For over 30 years, Bill Ragan Roofing hasn’t shied away from answering cost-related questions transparently, even if it means scaring customers away. So, let’s break down how much it currently costs to replace a roof in 2024. 

By the end of this article, you’ll have the answers to the following questions:

• What’s the average cost to replace a roof in 2024?
• How much does it cost to replace a roof in 2024?
• What factors impact how much it’ll cost to replace your roof?

What’s the average cost to replace a roof in 2024?

According to the 2024 COST VS VALUE REPORT, the average cost to replace a shingle roof (the most common type) in the United States is $30,680. This is a very general price that doesn’t account for area-specific pricing, roof size/complexity, or other cost factors (more on this later).

So, the price could be lower or higher depending on where you live. For example, the average cost to replace an asphalt shingle roof is $24,533 in our area of Nashville, Tennessee. 

Even with the averages, an asphalt roof replacement will cost around $20,000 for a standard middle-class home. Unfortunately, roofing costs will continue to rise as we go through the rest of the year due to price increases for roofing materials.

How much does it cost to replace a roof in 2024?

The average cost to replace an asphalt shingle roof is a great starting point, but there are multiple roofing materials for you to choose from. There are even different types of asphalt shingles that vary in quality and price.

So, having an average price is great, but we can get more specific by breaking down prices per square foot. Below is the cost per square foot of the top roofing materials for a full roof replacement, including labor and material costs. 

(Click the link on an individual roofing material to learn more)

The numbers above aren’t exact because every area and roofer has different pricing, plus no two roofs are the exact same. However, the price per square foot should be around the numbers above when getting an estimate.

What factors impact how much it’ll cost to replace your roof?

I’m sure you have some sticker shock after seeing the cost numbers above. That’s why it’s important to understand what a roofer considers when estimating the cost to replace your roof.   

You already know the roofing material has a huge impact on how much it costs to replace your roof, but there’s much more to it. Let’s look at what factors impact the cost of a roof replacement.

The size of your roof

The most obvious factor is the square footage of your roof. It affects the amount of materials used, labor, and time needed to complete the job. 

Roofers usually refer to roofing squares when talking about square footage, which is simply an industry term for a 10x10 area equal to 100 square feet.

Your roof’s accessibility

Roofers need an access point for tearing off your old roof, getting the new materials on your roof for installation, and everything in between. The harder your roof is to access, the more it impacts the cost.

Things like landscaping or rows of bushes below the roof line, fencing around the property, no paved surface near the access point, and close neighboring houses make a roof hard to access.

The number of penetrations your roof has

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 affects the cost of replacing it.  

Smaller pipes or vents won’t impact pricing much, but skylights and chimneys can add a pretty penny because they take longer to flash and work around.

Roof pitch

Roof pitch is your roof's slope (angle), which can go from flat to almost completely vertical. It’s calculated by how many inches or feet a roof rises vertically for every 12 inches or feet it extends horizontally. 

So, a roof that is 6 inches (or feet) up for every 6 inches (feet) out is considered a 6/12 pitch. The steeper the roof pitch, the more it costs to replace due to moving slower and safely. 

Roof complexity

Complexity is how cut up your roof is with the number of facets, hips, valleys, and stories off the ground. Your roof’s complexity has a huge impact on how much it costs to replace it. 

This is simply because 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.

How much decking needs to be replaced

Decking is the wooden boards that make up the framing of your roof on which the material and other components are installed. The amount of rotten or compromised decking that needs to be replaced impacts the cost of your new roof. 

If your roofer knows how much will be replaced at the start, it will be included in your roof estimate. But if they find that bad decking after the tear-off process, the cost will be added to the final invoice.

The number of layers being torn off and dump fees

Most roofs have one layer of shingles, but it’s not uncommon to come across more than one. If your roof has more than one layer, it increases the amount of labor and debris coming off your roof.  

This not only increases labor costs but also the dump fees when getting rid of the torn-off materials. There will be an initial labor and dump fee for the first layer plus an added cost for any additional layer found.

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. If anything takes time and labor, it will show up in the final cost of your roof replacement. 

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 more it adds to the price.

What do you need to consider before replacing your roof?

After reading this article, you now have an idea of the average cost to replace a roof, the cost of different roofing materials, and what impacts roofing pricing. While the cost numbers above aren’t exact, they do help you understand the budget required for a new roof. 

However, you’ll never know how much it’ll cost to replace your roof until you get an estimate from a roofing contractor. But before reaching out to a roofer, there are some things you need to keep in mind before replacing your roof. 

The last thing you want is to be taken advantage of because you didn’t have the right information or mindset. That’s why I wrote another article breaking down what you need to know before contacting a roofing company. 

Check out 5 Things to Consider When Replacing Your Roof to learn what every homeowner should keep in mind as they start the process.