Roofing costs
6 priced projects, from a $750 roof repair to a $20,000 tile roof installation. Drawn on one axis they stop being a list and become a shape.
All 6, one axis
national ranges · typical marked · $0 – $40,0002 of the 6 have a cost guide of their own; the rest are priced from the same dataset.
Price per sq ft against service life
two scales, same 10 materialsRead the two columns together: the cheapest material to install is rarely the cheapest to own.
| Material | Cost per sq ft ↑ | Lifespan | Maintenance | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Tab Asphalt ShinglesMost Affordable | $4 – $6 | 15–20 years | medium | ★★☆☆☆ | ▸ |
| Architectural Asphalt Shingles | $5 – $7 | 25–30 years | low | ★★☆☆☆ | ▸ |
| Corrugated Metal | $5 – $9 | 25–40 years | low | ★★★★☆ | ▸ |
| Concrete TileBest Value | $6 – $10 | 40–75 years | low | ★★★☆☆ | ▸ |
| Metal Shingles | $7 – $12 | 30–50 years | low | ★★★★☆ | ▸ |
| Clay Tile | $9 – $13 | 50–100 years | low | ★★★★☆ | ▸ |
| Synthetic Slate | $8 – $14 | 30–50 years | low | ★★★☆☆ | ▸ |
| Wood Shake | $9 – $14 | 20–30 years | high | ★★★☆☆ | ▸ |
| Metal Standing Seam | $10 – $18 | 40–70 years | low | ★★★★★ | ▸ |
| Natural Slate | $15 – $30 | 75–150 years | low | ★★★★☆ | ▸ |
The trade range, metro by metro
$0 – $40,000The typical project, adjusted by each metro's measured labour index. The spread between the cheapest and the dearest metro is 56% on identical work.
Price roofing work
The typical one runs $20,480 in Chicago against $13,090 in San Antonio. The calculator below does the same for all 6. Material choice moves the other half of the bill: 10 roofing materials compared. The method sets out where the factor comes from.
Cost Calculator
To get exact pricing for your project, request written quotes from at least three licensed contractors in New York.
How the scale is built
Base ranges
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025
- Published contractor and industry pricing ranges
- Manufacturer and retailer material pricing
Metro adjustment
Labor adjustment factors are measured from BLS metropolitan wage data: the median ratio of local to national hourly wages across the ten trades this site prices.
Drawing rules
Every chart on a page shares one axis unless its caption says otherwise. Bars are drawn from zero and are never truncated. Full method →
Last updated: July 2026
Estimates, not quotes. These cost estimates are based on aggregated data from public sources. Actual costs vary by project scope, contractor, and local conditions. Always obtain multiple written quotes from licensed professionals. This site sells nothing, lists no contractors and takes no payment for placement. Methodology →