The Cost of Replacing a Flat Roof

Advantages

• The long, low lines of a flat roof do not obscure landscapes and blend a home more easily into its natural surroundings. A flat roof uses less material and less structure than pitched roofs, making it easier to install. It is also easier to access, and with appropriate safety guards can provide a raised outdoor living space. Despite its designation, a flat roof is actually slightly pitched to allow for snow and water drainage. They are more popular in the American South and West, where the climate is relatively dry, and there’s little danger of snow piling up on the surface.

Metal

• Roofs are generally priced according to the square, which equals 10 by 10 feet, or 100 square feet. Metal is a popular material for flat roofs, especially in areas with severe weather, since it lasts longer. In harsh climate areas such as the Midwest and Northeast, flat metal roofs can range from $200 per square for galvanized roofs up to $1,000 per square or more for more durable copper. In milder climate areas such as the West and South, the average 2,000-square-foot (20-square) roof costs $2,000 or less. The material is especially desirable in areas like Southern California, where it is impervious to wildfires and more stable during earthquakes. All costs are from Signature Contracting and are accurate at the time of publication.

Rubber

• Rubber roofing is popular for flat roofs because of its lower cost and ease of installation. However, it is not as durable or invulnerable to damage as metal varieties. In harsh weather areas like the Midwest and the Northeast, rubber roofing material is rolled and overlapped across hot tar to prevent leaking more effectively. In these areas, a 200- to 300-square-foot roof runs $1,500 to $3,000. In the South, costs run about $2,000 for an average 200-square-foot roof. In hotter areas of the West, rubber roofing can keep home interiors cool for $1,500 to $3,000.

Roofers

• A big part of the cost for replacing a flat roof is labor, which can vary in urban and rural areas. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of May of 2010, mean wages for these professionals ran $18.21 per hour across the country. Their highest rate in cities was in Rockford, Illinois, at a mean $32.04 per hour. This compares to the highest mean of only $25.12 per hour in rural areas, which was in Northwest Illinois. Lower city pay was available in Great Falls, Montana, at a mean $10.87 per hour while in rural Western Central North Carolina, rates were slightly higher at a mean $11.97 per hour.