At some point in time, most homeowners will be faced with having to replace their roof. Time takes it’s toll on everything and roofs are no exception. It can be stressful, after all replacing a roof is one of the costliest upgrades a homeowners can make. When the time comes the number one question is “How much will this cost?”.
Of course every roof is different and with the number of variables determining the price, estimates can vary drastically. Estimates range as low as $5000 for the cheapest asphalt shingle roofs on smaller homes all the way up to $25,000 and up for higher end residential roofs. The average to tear off and replace an old roof, depending on where you live, is in the ballpark of $12,000 or so.
What goes into estimating a roof replacement?
SIZE
The largest cost factor is the size of the roof. Roofers charge per “roofing squares” (a 10 foot by 10 foot (100 square feet) area is one roofing square), so a 3000 square foot roof is broken down to 30 squares, the more square the higher the cost and vice versa.
ROOF PITCH
The pitch or slope of the roof also affect the price. As this can affect how the job gets done. If it’s a steep pitch that isn’t walkable, crews have to use specialized safety equipment, you can’t stack materials safely so it takes more labor just to transport materials.
As safety is a factor insurance rates are higher for more dangerous roofs and those costs are passed on to the homeowner in the form of higher costs.
ACCESSIBILITY
Getting materials and vehicles as close to the house as possible reduces labor costs by eliminating the need to carry materials back and forth, if trucks are unable park against the house or even close to the house, costs will be higher to make up for the added time.
ROOF MATERIALS
Like the job itself, materials are priced according to area (square feet). The more expensive the material the higher the cost. Metal roofs can cost twice as much as shingle roofs of the same size and five times more for slate.
The cost of these materials is far from a negative however as while asphalt shingles are cheaper they last on average 20 years while metal or slate lasts 50 or more!
OTHER FACTORS
Tearing an old roof off sometimes reveals damage that has been hidden for decades. Significant water damage has been known to turn many a repair job into a complete roof replacement due to being overlooked or maintenance not being performed regularly. If damaged is found it must be repaired and that can add to costs.
If your home has chimneys or skylights this can also increase costs as workers have to work around these.
Finally outside of all these, the most important factor of all is knowing who you hire!
Be sure to do your homework and check out the roof contractor before your hire them, Hiring an well known, established roof contractor with excellent customer reviews will help ensure the bid you get is accurate and the work will be done correctly. Don’t go for the lowest bid, as lower bids are lower for a reason, and if it’s lower by a lot, chances are you are going to regret it later on.
Atlanta Roofing Specialists has been replacing Metro Atlanta roofs since 1993 as one of Atlanta’s most recommended and highest rated roof contractors, you can’t go wrong! Call us today at 770-419-2222 for a free estimate on your roof replacement!