Do you need a new roof? Are you worried about how much it’ll cost to tear off your old one and replace it?
After learning they need a new roof, the number one concern for 100% of homeowners is pricing. I won’t lie to you, a roof replacement is a very large investment.
Unfortunately, it’s impossible to provide exact pricing without a professional inspection and estimate from a local roofer. However, I can give you an idea of the budget you’ll need.
For over 30 years, Bill Ragan Roofing has provided transparent cost information the rest of the industry avoids. That’s why I’ll give you the average cost and price per square foot to tear off and replace your roof.
This article answers the following questions:
- What’s the average cost to tear off and replace a roof in 2024?
- How much does it cost to tear off and replace a roof in 2024 based on the roofing material?
- What impacts the cost to tear off and replace a roof?
What’s the average cost to tear off and replace a roof in 2024?
According to the 2024 COST VS VALUE REPORT, the average cost to tear off and replace an asphalt shingle roof (the most common type) in the United States is $30,680. This is a high average, but keep in mind that it’s for the entire country.
Pricing is specific to every area and even varies in the same state. Let’s use our state of Tennessee as an example.
The average cost to tear off and replace an asphalt shingle roof is $24,533 in our service area of Nashville, Tennessee. Compared to Nashville, the average costs in other areas across the state are:
- Johnson City: $22,449
- Knoxville: $23,637
- Chattanooga: $24,262
- Jackson: $21,749
- Memphis: $20,809
While they’re comparable, the pricing depends on where you live and what local suppliers are charging. However, the average cost to replace an asphalt shingle roof on most homes will be around $20,000.
How much does it cost to tear off and replace a roof in 2024 based on the roofing material?
The average above is only geared towards asphalt shingles because it’s the most commonly used roofing material. And it’s just what it is: an average.
On top of that, there are three different asphalt shingle types and plenty of other roofing material options. So, you can’t really determine how much it’ll cost to tear off and replace your roof with an average.
Below, you’ll find the cost per square foot of the top residential roofing materials for a full roof replacement, including all labor and material costs.
| 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 above are rough estimates because every area and roofer has different pricing, plus no two roofs are the same. However, you can use the prices to determine the budget you’ll need for a full roof replacement based on the material.
What impacts the cost to tear off and replace your roof?
The roofing material plays a huge role when estimating the cost to replace your roof. However, there are multiple factors specific to your roof and the roofing contractor you hire.
Below are the factors that impact the cost to tear off and replace your roof plus their effect on pricing.
The labor and time to complete your roof replacement
Anything that takes time and manpower when replacing your roof will have an associated labor cost. Because a roof replacement is a construction project, labor costs factor into each line item on an estimate.
In fact, everything we’ll cover below is greatly impacted by labor costs. Just know there’s no set labor price, so how much it adds to the final cost depends on the roofer you hire.
The number of layers being torn off and dump fees
The tear-off process already adds to the cost, but so does the number of layers being torn off. If more than one layer has to be torn off, each additional layer adds to the labor costs for tear off and clean up.
Dumpsites charge significant fees to remove roofing and building materials, so dump fees also factor into a roof replacement’s cost. Most roofers charge an initial labor and dump fee for the first layer before adding charges for each additional layer.
Your roof’s size
One of the biggest things that impacts the average cost to tear off and replace a roof is the square footage. The size affects the amount of materials, labor, and time needed to complete the job.
Just know that roofers talk about size by “squares”, which is simply a roofing industry term for a 10x10 area equal to 100 square feet of roof surface. I like to say square footage because it’s what homeowners are familiar with.
Also, keep in mind that you can use the table above to better estimate your roof’s cost if you calculate the square footage correctly.
Your roof’s accessibility
Roofers need an access point for every aspect of your roofing project. The harder your roof is to access, the more it impacts the cost to replace it.
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 has lower labor costs than a home with what’s listed above.
The number of penetrations your roof has
Roof penetrations are anything that comes through your roof, such as plumbing vents, gas vents, kitchen/bathroom vents, skylights, and chimneys. The number of penetrations coming through your roof impacts both labor and material costs.
Smaller pipes and vents won’t impact much unless they’re all over the roof. However, skylights and chimneys add more to a new roof’s cost because they take longer to flash and work around.
Roof pitch
Roof pitch is the slope (angle) of your roof, which goes from flat to almost completely vertical. The steeper the pitch, the more expensive a roof gets.
This is mainly due to moving slower and safely, which increases labor costs. However, a steep pitch increases square footage, so it also increases material costs.
Roof complexity
Roof complexity is how your roof is cut up with the number of facets, hips, valleys, and stories off the ground. The pitch of these different areas also plays an important role in complexity.
The complexity of your roof has a huge impact on the cost to replace it. This is simply because complex roofs are more difficult, take longer, and require 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 entire roof system is installed on. The amount of decking that needs to be replaced impacts the final cost of a roof replacement.
If your roofer knows how much is needed at the start, it'll be included in your roof estimate. But it’s impossible to tell exactly how much is needed before starting, so replacing any bad decking is usually added to the final invoice.
The rest of the roof system’s components
You already know the main roofing material and replacement decking impact the cost, but so do the other components. Every component plays a crucial role in the functionality of a roof system.
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 must be included in your roof replacement. I guarantee you’ll have problems down the road if just one is missing or left off to save money.
Overhead and profit
Just like labor costs vary by roofer, so do a company’s overhead and operating costs. The company’s operating costs plus the required profit factor into each line item.
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 tips do you need to hire a great roofer for your upcoming roof replacement?
Now you have an idea of how much it costs to tear off and replace a roof on average and based on the roofing material. You also learned the things that directly impact the price.
If you’re like most homeowners, cost is probably your biggest concern. However, something else you need to be thinking about is hiring a reputable roofer.
The one you choose impacts every single aspect of your roof replacement, from pricing to quality to warranties and much more. Trust me, you don’t want to fall victim to the bad roofers that have saturated the roofing industry.
That’s why I wrote another article to help you learn how to spot a reputable roofer out of all the available options.
Check out 9 Tips to Find a Great Roofing Contractor to ensure you make the right hiring decision for your upcoming roof replacement.
