How Much to Build a Roof?

Basics

• With prices accurate at the time of publication, Cost Owl estimates that a 2,000-square-foot roof averages about $2,500 to $3,000, with lows near $2,000 and highs at $5,000 to $6,000 or more. Prices include the disposal of the original roof, materials and labor. Factors affecting the price include height and pitch of the roof, accessibility to the structure and the amount of cutting required to remove old shingles. Homeowners on a budget can save both money and time by allowing contractors to lay new material over old. The old roof then acts as additional energy-saving insulation.

Flat

• Modern architecture often specifies flat roofs, since they do not interfere with surrounding natural landscapes. These structures are also easier to build than pitched roofs, safer to access and provide outdoor living space in which to hang out. Flat roofs will typically have a slight pitch to allow water and snow to drain. A 2,000-square-foot flat roof can average from $4,000 to $8,000 including insulation but not including disposal of the old structure. This latter process costs about $0.50 a square foot, or a total of about $1,000.

Materials

• The price of materials can affect the final total. A warm-looking wood shake roof, which can assume many colors and designs, costs about $1,000 to $6,500 for 2,000 square feet but requires constant upkeep. More popular in modern homes because of their durability and low maintenance requirements, asphalt shingles cost about $5,500 to $9,000 for the same number of square feet. A concrete tile roof costs from $8,000 to $18,000, while one made out of ceramic runs $12,000 to $24,000. Installation takes longer because you cannot walk on the tile during the process.

Labor

• A major part of building a roof is labor, with costs that vary according to location. As of May 2010, the Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the average roofers’ wages at a mean $18.21 an hour, with lows near $10.59 an hour and highs at $29.14 an hour. Cities with the highest wages for these professionals were Rockford, Illinois, at a mean $32.04 an hour and Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, at a mean $29.51 an hour. Cheaper rates were available in Morristown, Tennessee, at a mean $11.59 an hour and Great Falls, Montana, at a mean $10.87 an hour.