When it comes to starting a roofing job, there are a few ways to figure out a ballpark cost prior to getting a professional roof estimate. Though it may seem simple to try and get an estimate based on your home’s square footage, this is not an accurate estimate for the job. A lot goes into a roof replacement, and it is important to know the many aspects that go into pricing a roofing job. Read on to find about what can impact the cost of a roof repair or roof replacement.
Square Footage of Your Roof
Determining the square footage of your roof is a better way to get a proper estimate for how much it will cost to have your roof replaced. The size of your roof is not the same as the size of your home’s living space.
How many square feet is my roof if my house is 2,000 square feet?
Just because your house is 2,000 square feet doesn’t mean that your roof is going to be. A good rule of thumb to follow when it comes to trying to figure out the size of your roof is to multiply the size of your house times 1.5. If you multiply a 2,000 square foot house by 1.5, you get 3000 square feet. This is a rough estimate and while it does not work for every home, it may work for some in order to give you a better idea. The more complex your roof design, the higher the multiplier will need to be.
How many square feet is my roof if my house is 3,000 square feet?
The rule is the same for a 3,000 square foot house. Your roof will probably be a different size. Simply multiply 3,000 by 1.5, and in this case you’ll get 4,500 square feet. Keep in mind, if your roof is complex, you will need to multiply your home size by a higher number to get a closer estimate.
How many square feet is my roof if my house is 4,000 square feet?
Of course, you can also follow this rule even if your house is 4,000 square feet large. All you have to do is multiply 4,000 by 1.5 and you get 6,000 square feet. Again, some roof designs are very unique and elaborate. If your roof fits this description, you will need to consider a higher multiplier.
Roof Material
The shingle material and type you choose will also affect the price of a roof replacement. For example, architectural shingles, also called dimensional shingles, offer higher quality and better protection when compared to a basic 3-tab shingle. On the other hand, metal roofs offer even higher protection and longevity, but will be more expensive to install than asphalt shingle roofs. The price of your roof materials will also increase depending on how complex your roof is. The higher the complexity of your roof, the more materials are required to complete your roof replacement. This is because more shingle cuts are made during the process which creates more waste. In addition, more labor and attention to detail is required for complex roofs which increases the labor costs for the job as a whole. Of course, this will cause the total price to rise.
Roof Complexity
The complexity of your roof doesn’t just determine how many shingles you’ll need. It can also affect the price of your roof replacement if your roof has a difficult design to work with. To understand how complex your roof is, we’ve broken down roof complexity into a tier list for you to see what makes up a complex roof.
Tier 1- Low Complexity
The more simple your roof, the less it’ll cost to work on it. A basic gable roof with no dormers or valleys will be very easy to work on in most cases, and it’s likely to be a lot less expensive to work on than other roofs.
Tier 2- Medium Complexity
If your roof isn’t too simple, but also not extremely complex then you probably fall into the medium complexity tier. A roof in this tier may be a hip roof with a dormer and minimal valleys. Though this one would be slightly more challenging to work on than a low complexity roof, you probably won’t see an extreme price increase.
Tier 3- High Complexity
A high complexity roof will have tons of difficult-to-work with features that will certainly increase the price of the job. A high complexity roof may be in a hip and valley style or in the intersecting style and will have several valleys and may also have dormers. A roof like this will be harder to work on at certain angles and may require additional materials to complete the job, making it a more expensive job overall.
Roof Penetrations/Protrusions
Another thing that may raise the price of your roof replacement is the presence of many roof penetrations or protrusions. Having many things like skylights, vents from various rooms in your home, chimneys and dormers can be hard to work around and increase the complexity of your roof. Many of these protrusions require flashing to be laid to prevent water from seeping into them, which adds another important step to the job with each one that exists.
Ease of Access
The process of getting onto your roof and navigating it will also have an effect on the price of your roof replacement. As we mentioned, a more complex roof may be harder to work on because it is difficult to gain access to certain areas of the roof and also harder to move about the roof once you’re on it. If this is the case, certain precautions are going to have to be taken and it may increase the price of the job on its own. The pitch of your roof also plays into this.
If your roof pitch is steep, 9/12 or higher, then more safety precautions will have to be taken to ensure that the people working on your roof stay safe while they work. If your roof has a lower pitch, 5/12 – 8/12 or less, then it may not be as difficult to work on. Some roofs have a few different pitches throughout their structure, these may also be difficult to work on. Having different roof pitches on certain parts of the roof may require the use of additional or different materials to accommodate them. Overall, the landscape, design and pitch of your roof can have a huge effect on the price of the job.
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Contact Advanced Roofing & Construction for an Accurate Assessment of Your Roof
As you can see, simply using the square footage of your home is not an effective way to build an estimate for how much a roof replacement will cost. At Advanced, we consider several aspects when estimating the cost of a roof replacement. We want you to have an accurate estimate so you know what to expect when it comes to costs. If you are looking for ballpark numbers, try to take into account everything we’ve talked about here today. When you’re ready for more concrete costs, contact our office at 256-603-9171 to schedule your free roof estimate in order to get a more accurate cost for what it would take to replace your specific roof.