Home Repair Cost Lab

For an asphalt-shingle replacement, a national planning screen is about $400 to $1,200 per roofing square , or $8,000 to $24,000 for 20 measured squares. Confirm tear-off and disposal, because roof shape, access, flashing, old layers, and deck repairs can push a complete proposal beyond that range. The range is broad because a roofing square describes area, not difficulty. Twenty squares on a simple one-story ranch are not the same job as 20 squares divided among steep slopes, dormers, valleys, skylights, and a chimney. One roofing square covers 100 square feet Roofers price and order material in squares. One square equals 100 square feet of actual roof surface, so a measured 2,000-square-foot roof contains 20 squares. Actual roof surface is the number that belongs in the estimate. Interior floor area is a poor substitute because it does not capture slope, overhangs, attached garages, porches, hips, valleys, or dormers. A compact two-story house can have less roof area ...

By Home Repair Cost Lab Editorial Team · Updated September 5, 2026 Quick answer: Most homeowners replacing a standard asphalt-shingle roof in 2026 should budget $8,500–$18,000 , though the real number depends far more on your roof's measured area, pitch, and layers than on your home's square footage. Below, we break that range down by material, region, and what should — and shouldn't — be in your written quote. Editor's note: This guide was compiled by cross-referencing contractor-facing cost data with published guidance from the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It is updated periodically as material and labor costs shift. It is not a substitute for a written, itemized quote from a licensed local contractor. Why "cost per square foot of house" is the wrong question A 2,000-square-foot house does not have a 2,000-square-foot roof. A two-story colonial c...