Roofing
Roofing Cost Calculator
Build a roofing price from squares, material, crew labour and everything a tear-off exposes.
Result
Steep or cut-up roofs cost considerably more in labour than the flat rate here. Anything above 8/12 typically carries a steep-pitch surcharge, and a second storey adds access cost.
Get a Free Business AuditWhat moves the number
- Squares and pitch, since both drive labour as well as material.
- Number of layers to remove, which changes tear-off time and disposal volume.
- Access, staging and whether a dumpster can reach the property.
Where this one goes wrong
Quoting without an allowance for deck repair. What is under the old covering cannot be seen from outside, and a fixed price with no stated allowance means any rot you find comes out of your margin.
Before you quote
- How many existing layers there are.
- Whether the deck can be inspected anywhere before quoting.
- Whether the price includes a stated allowance for sheathing replacement.
Questions
About this calculator
How should deck repair be quoted?
As a stated allowance with a per-sheet rate beyond it, agreed before work starts. A fixed price with no allowance means you absorb whatever is found, and an open-ended one worries the customer.
Does the number of layers matter much?
Considerably. Each additional layer adds tear-off labour and disposal weight, and multiple layers frequently have to come off entirely where code limits how many can remain.
What is most often missing from a roofing quote?
Disposal, permit, deck allowance and the accessory materials. The cheapest quote is usually the one that excluded the most rather than the one that priced most keenly.
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How to use this calculator
- Roof size (squares) (sq). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 26 sq.
- Material per square ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $145.
- Labour per square ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $210.
- Existing layers to remove. Enter your own figure; the page starts at 1.
- Tear-off and disposal per square per layer ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $55.
- Flashing, vents and repairs ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $900.
The result updates as you type, so you can try a figure, see what it does to total installed cost, and change it back. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved.
A worked example
These are the figures the calculator opens with. Every number in the results column below is produced by the same calculation the page runs, so you can follow it through before putting your own figures in.
What goes in
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Roof size (squares) | 26 sq |
| Material per square | $145 |
| Labour per square | $210 |
| Existing layers to remove | 1 |
| Tear-off and disposal per square per layer | $55 |
| Flashing, vents and repairs | $900 |
What comes out
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Total installed cost main result | $11,560 |
| Cost per square | $444.62 |
| Tear-off and disposal | $1,430 |
| Cost per square foot | $4.45 |
A 26-square roof costs about $11,560 installed, $444.62 per square, including $1,430 of tear-off.
How sensitive the answer is
Holding everything else steady and changing only material per square, this is what happens to total installed cost. It is worth knowing which of your inputs the answer actually hinges on, and which barely move it.
| Material per square ($) | Total installed cost |
|---|---|
| $73 | $9,688 |
| $109 | $10,624 |
| $145 example above | $11,560 |
| $218 | $13,458 |
| $290 | $15,330 |
Every other input is held at the example value while this one changes, which is not how a real job behaves. Treat it as a guide to which number matters most, not as five separate quotes.
What each figure means
- Roof size (squares) (sq)
- Measured in sq, starting at 26 sq.
- Material per square ($)
- A money amount, starting at $145.
- Labour per square ($)
- A money amount, starting at $210.
- Existing layers to remove
- A number, between 0 and 5, starting at 1.
- Tear-off and disposal per square per layer ($)
- A money amount, starting at $55.
- Flashing, vents and repairs ($)
- A money amount, starting at $900.
What the results tell you
| Result | What it is |
|---|---|
| Total installed cost | The headline result. A money figure. |
| Cost per square | A money figure. |
| Tear-off and disposal | A money figure. |
| Cost per square foot | A money figure. |
What this cannot see
Material quantities assume a clean rectangular plane and the waste factor you enter. Valleys, hips, dormers, penetrations and a steep pitch all raise real waste, and a tear-off frequently uncovers decking that was not in the quote.
Keep going
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