How we calculate roof replacement costs

Every figure on this site comes from one model, published here in full. Nothing is scraped from contractor websites, and no local price is invented. Data last checked 2026-10-27.

The formula

job range = roof area (sq ft) × material range ($/sq ft) × state factor
state factor = 0.55 + 0.45 × (state roofer mean wage ÷ $27.95)

Labour is roughly 45% of a replacement job and tracks local wages; materials, disposal and overhead (the other ~55%) price close to national. State factors therefore run from about 0.92 to 1.15 — a real effect, but a dampened one, which matches how national contractors actually price.

Inputs

• Labour: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, occupation 47-2181 (Roofers). National mean $27.95/hr, median $26.65/hr. State table as republished from BLS (the BLS bulk file restricts automated download; we label the republication wherever the table appears and refresh at each spring release).
• Materials: national installed ranges per square foot, compiled from public benchmarks — the NAHB Cost of Construction Survey (2024) and published 2026 calculator benchmarks — cross-checked against each other. They are compiled ranges, not an official price series.
• Validation anchor: Verisk's 2026 U.S. Roof Report: average residential replacement $17,631 in 2025.

Why our typical range sits below the Verisk average

Our headline "typical" job is a $11,000–$15,000 architectural-shingle roof at the national factor. Verisk's $17,631 is an insurance replacement-cost average: it is priced on estimating-software line items, includes steeper and larger roofs, code upgrades and premium materials in the mix, and reflects what insurers paid — usually more than a cash-market quote for the same roof. We show both numbers rather than silently forcing the model to match either one.

What the model cannot do

• City figures use the state labour factor. Metro wages differ from state averages; we say so on every city page instead of inventing city data.
• It does not know your roof: deck damage, ventilation, flashing condition, access, and local permit practice move real quotes. Permits are included in the range as a typical allowance — we publish no city permit fees, because we have no verified source for them.
• RSMeans-grade local cost data exists but is paywalled; we do not use or imply it.
• Prices move. We re-check sources at least annually (BLS releases each spring) and stamp every page with its checked-on date.

Corrections

If a figure looks wrong, tell us via the contact page with the source you are using. Verified corrections are applied and the change is noted on this page.