Cost Involved in Shingling a Roof

Average

• Remodeling Magazine puts the average price of shingling a roof at $21,488, as of 2011. This figure includes removing an existing roof to the bare sheathing and then installing 3,000 square feet of fiberglass asphalt shingles. It also assumes a felt underlayment, mill-finished aluminum flashing and a galvanized drip edge. Custom treatments cover two skylights and a vented ridge cap. This expense has a return of about 60 percent or $12,780 when the house is sold.

Materials

• A major factor in the quality and cost of shingling a roof is the price of the material. Wood, for example, has natural warmth and texture and can be stained and colored in a variety of ways. According to Menard’s, 24-inch heavy cedar shakes cost about $2.35 a square foot, without installation. Fiberglass is popular because it combines durability with low cost. It runs about $1.23 per square foot in a black architectural laminate. Synthetic slate, made from alloy steel and a baked-on ceramic coat, can last 50 years and is fire-safe. It runs about $2.19 per square foot.

Labor

• Labor is a large part of the cost of shingling a roof. The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows how wages for professional roofers vary across the country. As of May 2010, these workers made a mean $18.21 per hour. They got their highest pay in Hawaii at a mean $26.20 per hour and Connecticut at a mean $26.08 per hour. Rates fell below-average in Florida at $15.36 per hour and New Mexico at $14.11 per hour. For cities, Rockford, Illinois, topped the list at a mean $32.04 per hour, followed by Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, at a mean $29.51 per hour. But below-average wages were available in Great Falls, Montana, at a mean $10.87 per hour, or Morristown, Tennessee, at a mean $11.59 per hour.

Contractors

• The National Roofing Contractors Association offers guidelines for getting the best roof at a fair price. Check that the contractor has proper licensing, liability coverage and workers’ compensation certificates. Ask for a written, detailed proposal with complete specification, schedules and payment procedures. Look for a list of manufacturers for which the roofer is an approved installer. Understand any roofing warranties, such as how long they last, what they cover and what might void them. Finally, do not go for the lowest bid. Instead, look for the best combination of experience, professionalism, quality and price.