Is Putting on a Roof Cheaper Than Putting Siding on a House?

Material Costs

• A box of mid-grade vinyl siding covers two squares, and in 2011, one box sells for approximately $158. In construction, a “square” represents 100 square feet of surface space. To cover a similar two squares of roof, you will need six bundles of asphalt shingles that sell for about $30 a bundle. Additional roofing material costs include purchasing felt paper and roofing nails, which will add about $10 for every two squares of roof. Additional siding material costs include starter strip and vinyl trim for windows and doors, in addition to vinyl inside and outside corners. Vinyl siding accessories can add $10 to15 per two squares. Thus per square material costs are similar, with roofing running about $85 and siding running about $84 to $87.

House and Roof Configuration

• On a typical home, the square foot area of the roof will be less than the square foot area of the exterior walls. So, while material costs per square of average-grade siding and average-grade roofing materials are comparable, the cost to side the home takes a jump just because you’ll generally need more siding than you will roofing.

Labor

• If you’re paying someone else to install the roofing or the siding, the cost of labor could be substantially higher for siding. It takes longer to install the trim, molding and siding than it takes to install felt paper and shingles, so the labor charge is higher for siding.

Exceptions

• There are always exceptions. Factors that might increase the price of roofing include the need to tear off an existing roof, which is determined by local building codes. A roof that’s very large or very steep, or a roof with many dormers or directional changes, can also boost the cost of the project. If you want specialty roofing, such as cedar shakes, metal, slate or terracotta, you’re going to pay more, not only for materials but also for labor. The same holds true for siding. Upgrading to brick or stone greatly increases siding costs.