How To Price A Roofing Job

Roofing Prices Will Fluctuate Based On Several Factors

Where you live, the square footage of your roof, the roofing materials you choose, and whether you own a residential or commercial property will dictate how much you spend on a new roof.

As you begin to shop around to get quotes from contractors in your area, youll quickly find that most roofing cost estimates are based on:

• Roofing materials
• Roof pitch
• Labor

To help you better understand how contractors come to an estimated price, you must first grasp how roofing is measured. Most roofing materials are measured by the square at 100 ft.², or 10 x 10. A roofing contractor will use this standard price of a square of roofing material to estimate how much material is needed to cover a roofs square footage.

Here are a few other factors that will impact a roofing price estimate:

• Roofing material prices will increase as quality, or weight, increases.
• Cost of labor will increase as material weight increases.
• Cost of labor will increase significantly as roof pitch increases.

Based on the guidelines above, most roof contractors will charge based on roof pitch and material weight. The reason why? As a roof pitch gets steeper and materials get heavier, a typical roofing job becomes much more difficult.

With that being said, the cost of a roof replacement will be calculated by taking into account:

• Roof Length

• Roof Tear Off Needed Yes

Total: $7291

Making simple changes to the roofing needs in the example above could alter the price significantly.

Labor Costs For Roofers

On top of the cost of materials, roofers will charge for labor, usually per-worker per-hour.

Your roofers hourly labor rate will depend on the quality of his or her work and years of experience, the cost of living in your city, and the type of work to be done.

Nationally, roofing contractors will usually charge between $35 and $90 per hour for repairs. Labor makes up a significant percentage of your total project cost.

How Much Does A Roof Repair Cost

• National average cost: $767
• Typical price range: $348 to $1,186
• Extreme low end: $140
• Extreme high end: $4,380

While most homeowners pay between $348 and $1,186 for a roof repair, you cant always assume your cost will fall in that range. Countless specific factors of your project will impact your budget, so you could end up spending much more or less than the average cost.

A minor repair on a roof with standard shingles might only take a pro a few hours or less and could cost as little as $140. On the other hand, if your roof has structural damage and you need new underlayment, soffit, fascia, or roof trusses, you might pay closer to $4,380.

One of the biggest factors in the cost of a roof repair is the roofing material used. Your choice of a roofing material will affect both the cost of a roof repair and the associated labor costs.

Lighter materials, such as asphalt shingles or flat single-ply roof membranes, will cost the least to repair. Specialty materials like slate, metal, and tile are heavier and require more work from your contractor, so their repairs will usually be more expensive.

Some of the most common roofing materials for homes in the U.S. include:

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Your Roofing Contractor Should Assess Your Roofing Plans

Be sure to ask precisely what roofing material your contractor recommends and why.

Its okay to expect the contractor to handle the bulk of the work in research after all, one of their value propositions is expertise in the field and local knowledge about the best roofing material to increase your homes home value and longevity.

The type of roof you plan to have installed on your home makes a big difference in how it performs, what it looks like, and how long it will last. Thats why you should have a basic understanding of the different roof types and what you can expect from each of them. Your contractor should address all of these variables with you ahead of your final quote. You may have your own notions of what should occur, but check them against what the contractor recommends.

You want to be as best prepared as possible to ask about different materials during your negotiation. If you want, you can ask about material costs and even consider buying them yourself if there are cost savings involved. Options to explore include:

• Asphalt shingles
• Tar and gravel
• Rubber Roofing

Whether youre installing a new choice of roofing or upgrading your existing roofing, you should have a solid understanding of what it is and how it affects your home, now and in the future.

How Do I Calculate The Height And Pitch Of My Roof

You can get the height and pitch of your roof without getting on the roof. These methods involve measuring from the ground with weighted string and taking measurements in your attic. Knowing these measurements ahead of time can help you get more accurate quotes from pros in your area, and it can help you get an accurate understanding of the budget youll need. Reference our roofing calculator and measurement guide for detailed steps and formulas.

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Create A Winning Roofing Bid With Jobber

Jobber not only saves you time and minimizes human error but it also lets you:

• Build professional bids in no time
• Manage all your roofing quotes centrally
• Upsell services with optional add-ons and packages
• Invite clients to approve bids online in one click
• Easily accept deposits, so youre never out of pocket

The Costs Of Different Shingles

So, now that you know that basic asphalt shingles can cost you around $6,000-$10,000 for a new roof , we can look at some other materials that are commonly used for roofs around North America:

• Synthetic Shingles or Shakes: $13,000-$31,000 (price depends on the roof frame reinforcement that is needed
• Clay Tiles: $17,000-$31,000 .

Because every market is different, companies in Ottawa will charge different prices for the materials they use. Get a couple of quotes from trustworthy roofing contractors before making your selection.

You may also opt to pay a little extra for an extended warranty on the shingles you have purchased, which will also increase the price.

Other materials you need to consider include nails, cement, ridge vents, flashing, starter shingles, and moisture barriers. Again, the price will rise with these additions.

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Metal Roof Installation Cost Can Vary Depending On Location

Another important factor that affects installation costs is your geographic location. Roofers that operate in high-income suburban areas, expensive cities, such as: San Francisco, Seattle, New York or Boston, usually charge as much as 15-18% more than the national average labor prices for the exact same job.

On the other hand, pros that are located in less affluent regions may charge 10-15% less than the average, depending on local economic conditions.

This is exactly why roofing prices you see online are not exactly 100% accurate, because your location will ultimately dictate how much a roofer will want to charge for his work.

Calculate Your Hourly Base Rate

Your hourly base rate is the amount you pay yourself before you factor in overhead or material costs.

Your billable hours are how many hours in your week you can charge customers for plumbing services, installations, or repairs. This doesnt include time spent driving to and from the job site or completing admin tasks.

To determine your hourly base rate, divide the amount of money youd like to earn every week by the number of hours of work you can bill customers for.

Weekly earnings ÷ # of billable hours per week

For example, if you want to earn $800 per week and you can bill customers for 28 hours of work, your hourly base rate would be $28.57.

Pro Tip: To offer competitive pricing and still turn a profit, compare your hourly rates with the average rates in your state.

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The Cost Of Installation & Labor

For most professionalslicensed and insured roofersthe cost of labor and the installation will about around 60% of the total estimate you receive, and thus the most expensive thing you are paying for. It is worth it, though, to have professionals do the job right.

However, it is difficult to determine what contractors charge for labor. In 2017, the median cost of hiring a roofer was around $18.00-$20.00 an hour. If your old roof is being replaced, you can expect a higher labor cost, since more time needs to be taken on the project.

Repairs and reinforcement are not as costly as a new roof. Sometimes a roofing contractor will charge around $100 for a patch-up job. Reinforcements, on the other hand, can cost you around $10,000.

Whats The Cost Of Slate Roofing

A slate roof scores highest on the curb appeal scale, hands down. Its made of 100% natural stone and its colouring is always intact . In terms of practicality, slate roofs are fireproof, environmentally friendly and do a great job of insulating from above. Theyre also the most durable of any roof surface if you take care of your slate roof, it could last up to 150 years!

However, slate roofs have two significant drawbacks: price and weight. Theyre most certainly on the expensive side of things which is partly due to their weight. Most roof decks will need reinforcement to hold the additional weight of 800-1,200 lbs .

These two drawbacks make slate roofs quite uncommon, meaning roofers generally have less experience installing them, creating potential issues if you choose to go with this roofing option.

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How Do You Apply Markup To Your Roofing Bid

In order to achieve your desired margins, you need to markup your break-even cost by a percentage greater than your margin. For our example, if you want a 13% margin, youll need to add a 15% markup.

This gives you a final price of $14,426.52 for the roofing job, and a profit of $1,881.72 .

Want to learn more about value-based pricing?

Get Your Free Roofing Estimate Template

Another common mistake is to give unclear or unprofessional bids. If your client doesnt understand exactly what youre charging for or what value youre bringing, they might haggle you down to a lower price or worse, go with a competitor.

If youre unsure about your roofing business pricing strategies, chances are that youre in the 90% that has underbid a roofing job.

The good news? You can learn how to price and bid roofing jobs and be among the 10% that know how to price for profit.

Heres how.

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Metal Roof Installation Prices

Professional metal roof installers charge about $350-400 per square for labor. Standing seam installation can start out as high as $500 per square, because its more difficult and time consuming to install this roofing system.

Typically, roofers charge 2/3 of the total roof installation cost for labor and overhead. Cost of roofing materials is 1/3 of the total price. When estimating the total materials cost, roofers will include a waste factor of about 5-20% depending on the architectural design of your roof and the metal roof style you choose. For example, on a complex roof, there will be more waste if you want to install standing seam panels, than if you install metal shingles or tiles.

Keep in mind that price quotes that you get online are for a basic install on a one storie ranch of cape style home. If your roof has a lot of penetrations , valleys, curves, your installation cost can significantly go up.

Roof pitch is another factor that can increase your labor costs. Installing a metal roof over a low pitch is much easier and quicker compared to a high pitch roof architecture. If your roof is curved, expect to pay at least 50% more for labor compared to a standard roof install.

Some roofing contractors can initially quote you a very low installation price, around $260-280 per square. However, they will then charge you extra money for every item of labor that they perform, such as:

ridge hip ventilation

Make Sure To Consider The Surface Area

Knowing the square footage of the roof and the number of squares it equates to is just the first step. To calculate the surface area and your material costs, you have to include the roofs pitch.

There are several ways to measure or calculate the pitch of a roof. One way is to:

That number is the rise of the roof.

Roof pitch is expressed as rise over run, with the run being 12 inches. So if your vertical measurement was 6 inches, the roof pitch is 6:12.

A roofs pitch adds surface area to your calculations. Below are basic roof pitch multipliers to calculate your surface area.

Pro-tip: Add these ratios to your roofing estimate spreadsheet for quick and easy calculations.

So if a roof is 1,500 square feet and the pitch is 6:12, the surface area is:

1,500 x 1.24 = 1860 sq. ft.

You round up to account for wastage when buying materials, so your total number of squares is 19 in this roofing estimate example.

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Roofing And Your Home

Your contractor is well versed in how your specific project is going to impact your house. They have visited your home and assessed the projects potential, needs, and challenges. On this front, it is in the contractors interest to ensure the highest possible roofing installation. The initial, ongoing, and continued success of their installation is paramount to their near and future prospects.

Your contractor should be able to tell you whether you need to replace, repair, or remove insulation before the project begins. Likewise, they should be able to advise you on whether to tear off the old asphalt roofing and replace it or add new asphalt roofing over the existing material. Their recommendations should be tied to their predictions about your roofso its okay to ask about guarantees. Your roofing is critical to protecting your home from the elements and protecting the integrity of your home. Be sure your roofing contractor has explained to you specifically how your upgraded roofing will protect your house now and into the future.

While its hard for a contractor to make exact promises, they can certainly help you understand what to expect in the future. The less deep that future is and the more susceptible to damage your roofing is, the less your installation should cost.

Find local roofing pros

What Is Roofing Markup

Youris the amount you add to the cost of your services to realize a profit. Markup is usually expressed as a percentage. The formula is Profit/Cost*100.

The markup percentage you choose to add to your break-even cost price will depend on your desired profit margin. That is, how much profit you want to earn for this job. The formula to determine your margin is Profit/Sales*100.

A general guideline for pricing roofing jobs is to aim for a margin above the industry average of 6%.

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Roofing Cost Per Square Foot

When calculating roofing costs per square, asphalt shingles run from $350 and $500 per square, metal or tin roofs costs $600 to $1,200 per square, and concrete or clay costs between $1,200 and $1,800 per square. If you are replacing your current roof, add $125 to $500 per roofing square for old roof removal.

When looking at roofing materials prices, the term per square is used to describe a 10×10 area . The term Per Square in a bid is used as an all-inclusive phrase that covers all materials and labor.

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How Much Is An Elastomeric Membrane Roof

Seeing as installing an elastomeric membrane can be done at practically any time of year, it is often the go-to roofing choice for Canadians. Besides its installation being highly practical, there are many benefits to choosing this material. For instance, seeing as it is installed in 2 layers, it is more durable for accessible rooftops. This elastomer coating can last from 25 to 30 years and requires fairly low maintenance, rendering it a pretty good investment.

However, this process isnt without downsides. It requires highly specialized contractors and there is a fire risk. Additionally, the material isnt a friend to the environment and is not recycled in Ontario, nor Quebec. As for its cost, elastomeric roofing can cost up to $30 per square foot.

What’s The Average Cost To Tear

The average cost of a roof installation will vary quite a bit.

The typical range is somewhere between $5,100 and $10,000, but again, these prices can vary a lot.

A replacement could be as low as $1,200 or as high as $30,000.

With that said, on average, most roofing companies will charge somewhere between $3.50 and $5.50 per square foot, or $350 to $550 per square to install or replace an asphalt shingle roof.

So you can expect the average cost of a roof installation to be about $4.50 per square foot or $450 per square to replace an asphalt shingle roof on your average single-family house.

Typical roof replacements will be quoted including the removal and disposal of up to two layers of old shingles.

Your quote should also include a roofer installing new underlayment, chimney re-flashing, and ice-and-water shield at the eaves and valleys of the roof as your local building code requires them.

Many quotes will also include a 5 or 10-year workmanship warranty.

Keep in mind that every market is different, but companies in the same market can still charge different prices.

Thats why you should get at least a few quotes from reputable roofers in your area and know what they include in their quote.

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