Roof Replacement Cost Calculator
Cost data reviewed August 2026. Sources listed at the foot of this page.
Footprint is not roof area
A roof is a slope, so its surface is always larger than the ground it covers. The conversion is pure trigonometry and it is the single most common mistake in DIY roof budgeting. A 6:12 pitch adds 12 percent to the area. A 12:12 pitch adds 41 percent. On a 1,600 sq ft footprint, that difference is 464 square feet of roof — around four and a half squares, or roughly $2,000 of material and labor you did not budget for.
| Pitch | Multiplier | Pitch | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3:12 | 1.031 | 8:12 | 1.202 |
| 4:12 | 1.054 | 9:12 | 1.250 |
| 5:12 | 1.083 | 10:12 | 1.302 |
| 6:12 | 1.118 | 12:12 | 1.414 |
| 7:12 | 1.158 | 14:12 | 1.537 |
Roofers price in squares, where one square is 100 square feet of roof surface. A 2,000 sq ft roof is 20 squares. Getting quotes in squares makes them directly comparable in a way that lump-sum totals never are.
Material costs, installed
| Material | Per sq ft | Per square | Typical life |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-tab asphalt shingle | $3 – $5 | $300 – $500 | 15 – 20 years |
| Architectural asphalt shingle | $4 – $6 | $400 – $600 | 25 – 30 years |
| Standing seam metal | $9 – $16 | $900 – $1,600 | 40 – 70 years |
Architectural asphalt at $4–$6 per square foot is the most reliable number in residential roofing — HomeGuide, Angi and HomeAdvisor all independently land on the same range. Metal is the least reliable: quoted ranges run from $4 to $30 per square foot depending on whether the source means standing seam, corrugated panel or a copper roof. We use $9–$16 for standing seam specifically.
Tear-off is a separate line, and you should ask for it separately
Removing the old roof runs $100 to $300 per square, per layer. Two layers means twice the removal work and twice the disposal. Some jurisdictions allow a second layer to be laid over the first, which saves the tear-off cost now and roughly doubles it later — and it hides the decking, which is where the expensive surprises live.
On steep-slope surcharges. Roofs above 6:12 or 7:12 need staging, harnesses and slower work, and every cost guide says so — but none of them publish a tiered multiplier. Those numbers live in Xactimate’s proprietary price list. The 10–20 percent labor uplift this calculator applies above 7:12 is our own stated assumption, and we would rather label it than pass it off as sourced.
The line item that ruins budgets
Decking. Nobody knows what the plywood under the shingles looks like until the shingles come off, and on a roof that has been leaking quietly for years, some of it will be soft. Get your contractor to quote a per-sheet price for replacement decking before work starts, in writing. A crew that discovers rot on day two with no agreed price has all the leverage.
Common questions
How do I find my roof pitch without climbing on it?
From inside the attic, hold a level horizontally against a rafter, mark 12 inches along it, then measure straight down from that mark to the rafter. That vertical distance in inches is the rise over a 12-inch run — a 6-inch drop is a 6:12 pitch. A phone level app against a gable end works too.
How much does it cost to replace a roof on a 2,000 sq ft house?
A 2,000 sq ft footprint at a 6:12 pitch gives about 2,236 sq ft of roof, or 22.4 squares. With architectural shingles at $4–$6 per square foot plus single-layer tear-off, expect roughly $11,200 to $20,100 nationally before regional adjustment.
Is a metal roof worth the extra cost?
On pure arithmetic, a standing seam metal roof costs two to three times an architectural shingle roof and lasts two to three times as long, so lifetime cost per year is broadly comparable. The case for metal is stronger if you plan to stay put for decades, live somewhere with hail or wildfire risk, or want the energy performance. It is weaker if you might sell within ten years, because you will not recover the premium.
Should I get three quotes?
Yes, and insist all three price the same scope in squares, state the shingle product by name, and give a written per-sheet decking replacement rate. Quotes that differ by 40 percent almost always differ in scope, not in greed.