What drives the price of a roof replacement
A re-roof is priced on far more than shingles: tear-off and disposal, pitch and stories, weather risk, and the decking you can't see until the old roof is off.
Here are the cost drivers that decide whether this job makes money — build each into your quote:
Tear-off, layers, and disposal
Stripping the old roof creates heavy, costly waste that scales with layers. Count them before you quote.
Pitch, height, and access
Steep and multi-story roofs are slower and need more safety setup than a walkable roof.
Decking surprises
Rotted decking found at tear-off is unplanned. A stated per-sheet rate makes it an approved change.
Weather and reschedule risk
Rain days still cost you. Seasonal pricing should carry schedule float.
A method that protects your margin
- Count layers and measure pitch — don't quote from memory.
- State a per-sheet decking-replacement rate up front.
- Include dumpster and dump fees.
- Price steep/multi-story labor above walkable-roof rates and add weather float.
A worked example
A re-roof at $9,500 (32% margin on $6,500 cost) that hits rain and bad decking can fall under 20% without a decking rate and weather float. With both built in, the decking becomes an approved add and the margin holds.
Numbers are illustrative to show the method — your real costs and local market differ. Price from your own books.
Common mistakes pricing a roof replacement
- Quoting price-per-square from memory.
- No per-sheet decking rate before tear-off.
- Forgetting dumpster and dump fees.
- Walkable-roof labor rates on a steep roof.
Stop pricing from memory
The Contractor Authority System™ turns this into a repeatable process — burdened labor & overhead, change-order protection, and client-ready proposals. One-time $97.
FAQ
Put a clear per-sheet replacement price in the contract so it's pre-agreed when you find it — no renegotiation on the roof.
Storm work has its own documentation rhythm. Price your real costs and keep accurate records; verify the carrier's scope against your own estimate rather than assuming they match.