Roof Costs
How Much Will New Shingles Cost Me to Install?
A common question from homeowners before they really start to get serious about putting a new roof on their home is wanting a ” ball park ” figure on what a roof will cost – after all, it’s one of the biggest investments you can make in the maintenance of your home. In this article, I’ll discuss how prices are determined by a roof and why one company will have a completely different price from another.
There are many factors that go into the pricing of what we call a ” reroof ” and these costs can dramatically effect the cost of your quote. Most roofing companies – including ours – use a formula to figure out how much to charge and this has to take into account all the materials needed – the removal & disposal of the old shingles – bringing the roof up to Alberta Building Code for ventilation and plumbing stacks and the cost for labor for the work to be completed.
Often when discussing a roof quote with clients – I’ll run into a case where they have received a quote from a fellow on Kijiji who really low balls the bid. That isn’t to say that there are not some fine roofers on their website – but when it comes to roofing the old saying ” you get what you pay for ” still holds true.
At the home show a retired couple was telling me how they had put a new roof on their bungalow two years ago and the shingles were already coming off and they had an ice damn leak in February. The fellow they hired no longer was in business and when they contacted the manufacturer they were told the shingles were fine – but were installed wrong and the 25 year warranty didn’t cover improper installation. They were now faced with spending another $7200 to completely re-roof their home and the $1500 they saved on the first job now made their out of pocket expense nearly 70% higher than if they had used a reputable roofing company that was around to back their work if something went wrong.
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We’ve all watched the Holmes on Homes show where nightmare contractors do terrible work – and you would be mistaken to think it doesn’t happen here in Edmonton just like other parts of the country.
Low quotes in almost all instances are from contractors that don’t have a ”real company” but instead are based out of their trucks and only charge you for labor and the cost of shingles which are typically purchased at Home Depot (often called 3 tab shingles which are not known for their quality and most larger companies won`t install because of the problems that are sure to follow in a few years )
When we quote a roof – we use something called a ”roofing system” that has numerous components that when used properly together create a long-lasting roof that doesn’t ever leak until many many years down the road, if at all.
In this poorly finished roof completed by an installer with poor practices – you can see that the new shingles are raising up in places – which is caused by the roofer not sinking their nails into the proper depth during the installation. This roof will likely start to leak as soon as the snow starts backing up on the roof.
Here Are The Factors That Affect Your Price:
Cost Factor #1 – The Pitch
The pitch of a roof is the slope measured in how many inches it rises in a 12-inch run. For example, if a roof rises five inches in a 12-inch span – the roof pitch is 5/12 or a 5 pitch. The most common roof pitch is either 4 or 5 and is the least expensive to re-roof. ( standard bungalows are almost always a 4 or 5 pitch ).
Low Pitch roofs present special challenges and require more materials and in particular what is called Ice & Water, which covers the entire roof under the shingles to prevent potential leaks. ( many installers will only use this on the eaves portion of the roof and neglect this part for low pitch roofs.)
High pitch roofs also present special challenges – primarily in the installation as the crews need to use extra precautions when the roof is steep such as manually loading the shingles, the use of scaffolding and/or ladder jacks and not to mention the extra time it takes to install the shingles.
Cost Factor #2 – The Brand Name of the Shingle
The shingles a professional roofing company uses are significantly different than the old 3 tab shingles sold at hardware stores, which are really meant more for garages and cottages that have no heat in them in the winter months.
For example, we are a certified GAF installer and install what is called an ”architectural” shingle and comes with a 40 to 50-year warranty. This two-layer shingle has a much thicker composition than a 3-tab shingle – and will last far longer. For those really seeking a quality shingle, we also install Owens Corning shingles which are reinforced with a woven sure nail strip at the point of nailing and are warrantied for winds up to 200 kms an hour.
