How to Price Roofing Jobs

Bid by the square

A roofing square is 100 square feet. Bidding by the square is the standard way to price residential roofs because it lets you compare materials, labor, and overhead consistently from job to job.

For a basic asphalt shingle tear-off and replacement on a typical residential roof, all-in pricing usually lands between $400 and $700 per square. That covers tear-off, materials, labor, dump fees, and your profit. Higher-end shingles, metal roofs, and tile all bid higher.

Tear-off vs overlay

Overlay (going over an existing layer) costs less because you skip the tear-off and disposal. But most building codes only allow one overlay, and a lot of inspectors will flag a second one. Most modern jobs are tear-off, even if the customer asks about an overlay.

Tear-off adds roughly $100 to $150 per square depending on how many layers come off and where the dumpster goes. Two layers costs more than one. A walk-up to the curb costs less than a haul through a back yard.

Pitch and complexity

Pitch is the slope of the roof, measured in inches of rise per foot of run. A 4:12 roof is gentle. An 8:12 is steep. A 12:12 needs roof jacks, harnesses, and slows the crew way down.

• 4:12 or lower: standard pricing. Crew walks the roof.
• 6:12 to 8:12: 10 to 20 percent surcharge. Harnesses and slower pace.
• 9:12 to 12:12: 25 to 50 percent surcharge. Roof jacks, full fall protection, much slower.
• Over 12:12: bid by the day, not by the square. These are dangerous and slow.

Complexity also matters. A simple gable roof bids low. A cut-up roof with lots of valleys, hips, dormers, and chimneys takes longer and uses more flashing and waste. Add 10 to 25 percent for complex roofs.

The materials, labor, overhead, profit breakdown

On a typical asphalt roof, your costs break down roughly like this:

• Materials (shingles, underlayment, flashing, nails, ridge, vents): 30 to 40 percent of the bid.
• Labor (crew wages or sub costs): 25 to 35 percent.
• Disposal and dumpster: 5 to 8 percent.
• Overhead (insurance, marketing, office, vehicles): 10 to 15 percent.
• Profit: 15 to 25 percent. Anything under 10 percent is dangerous.

If your bids consistently come in around break-even, work backwards from your overhead and target profit and raise your square pricing until the math works.

Insurance work

Storm damage and insurance jobs follow a different process. The adjuster writes the scope and the carrier pays based on Xactimate line items. Your job is to make sure the scope is complete, supplement what they missed, and execute clean.

Insurance work can be very profitable for contractors who learn the system. But it requires patience, paperwork, and a Xactimate license (or a relationship with someone who has one). Do not undercut yourself trying to win the homeowner.

Common roofing pricing mistakes

• Forgetting waste. Real-world material use runs 10 to 15 percent over the measured square footage. Always bid with waste built in.
• Skipping the deck inspection. If the deck is rotten, you are repairing it. Build in a per-sheet allowance and add it to the final invoice if needed.
• Underestimating dump fees. A typical residential roof generates 2 to 4 tons of waste. Dumpsters and tipping fees vary wildly by market. Know your numbers.
• Not charging for permit fees and inspection time. These are real costs. They go on the invoice.
• Forgetting profit. A bid that covers your costs is not a job. It is volunteer work.

Closing thought

A roofing business that bids tight without padding for surprises does not last. Every roof has at least one unknown. Build in a 10 percent contingency and stop apologizing for your number. The customers worth working for will pay it.

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