The noise of the wind is a little too loud, an inexplicable wet spot appears on top of your desk, or perhaps a yellow discoloration begins to grow on the ceiling — these are all things that homeowners dread. People often refer to their home as the “roof over their head,” so when something happens that stops your roof from doing its job, it’s only reasonable that you might start asking how much it costs to replace your roof.
The answer depends on a few factors, such as the material you’d like for your roof and the size and structure of the roof itself. Additionally, the price may vary depending on where you live in the United States. Below, we examine the average cost of replacing a roof under several circumstances. As always with contracting work, you may find better prices by shopping around rather than just accepting the first offer from the first company you speak to.
The Cost of Different Roofing Materials
There are many different materials that you can choose from to replace your roof. Often, you’ll want to replace it with the same material that was there before, but if your budget allows, you may want to consider an upgrade. Some common materials are asphalt, vinyl, foam, rubber, wood shake, metal, slate, concrete, and clay. You can also do other treatments to strengthen the lower-end materials, such as silvering an asphalt roof.
Generally, materials such as slate, concrete, and clay will provide the best long-term protection but will also need an engineering review if your home is not already prepared to support the weight. Slate, for example, can last nearly a century but requires the appropriate infrastructure and will be significantly more expensive than asphalt.
On the other hand, cheaper materials such as asphalt will serve for several years but will generally require more servicing and maintenance costs. They are also more likely to develop cracks or seams if they’re not installed correctly. Therefore, you will save money upfront, but you will suffer some additional expenses over the years and perhaps experience more holes or cracks.
Ultimately, the biggest determining factor regarding your costs is how large the roof is. Also, if you have a flat roof, your surface area will be less, whereas a roof with gables will have to cover a larger area than the roof’s actual footprint. The tradeoff is that flat rooftops are far more likely to develop areas of pooling that can promote water damage, while gabled roofs are more resistant to this kind of damage.
For a 2,000-square-foot roof, you can expect to spend anywhere from $6,000 for a low-end asphalt roof to upwards of $30k for a slate or clay roof. Depending on your budget, the contractor may be able to work with you, but also remember that higher-end roofs will last longer. If you intend to live in your home for 30 years or more, you may actually save money by investing in a higher-quality roof today.
Determining the Best Material for Your Needs
It’s not always easy to figure out what is best for your home, especially as you often rely on contractors who are interested in you spending more money. Despite their self-interest as businesspeople, they can still provide helpful information and appropriately guide you. The best way to make this decision with complete information is to get quotes from several contractors and cross-reference their suggestions and proposals.
If you live in a row home that has always had an asphalt roof, you’ll likely need to spend even more money to re-engineer the support structure beneath the roof itself. On the other hand, a larger home from the 1800s is more likely to be able to support — and deserve — a roof composed of the highest quality materials. Naturally, factors such as curb appeal and overall appearance may play a part in your decision. Regardless of the material you choose, be certain that you rely on a contractor with a track record of successful and timely installations.
When you get your roof replaced, it should be a source of comfort. It’s worthwhile asking the contractor if they guarantee their work for a time. Even the least expensive materials should be free of regular cracks and leaks for several years, so if you experience any issues within a few years, they should complete the work for you. If you know that it’s been a decade or more since your home has had its roof replaced, you may want to start putting some money away for the inevitable repairs or replacements you’ll need. After all, it’s better to get the job done completely rather than settle on a patch job that will just cost you more money a year or two down the line.
By Christopher Gallagher
Christopher is a homeowner in Pennsylvania. He has worked with contractors to find the best prices for roof replacements and weighed the costs and benefits of different roofing materials.