We are not going to print a price per square here, because any number published on a website is wrong for somebody's house. What we can do is explain exactly what moves the number, so you can read three estimates and understand why they differ.
1. Size: measured in squares, not square feet
Roofing is priced in "squares," where one square equals 100 square feet of roof surface. Note: roof surface, not floor area. A steep roof has considerably more surface than the footprint of the house beneath it.
This is why a 2,000-square-foot single-story ranch and a 2,000-square-foot two-story home with a complex roof can differ dramatically in price.
2. Pitch and complexity
Steep roofs require staging, harnesses and slower work. Above a certain pitch, crews cannot walk the roof normally at all, and labor cost rises accordingly.
Complexity compounds it. Every valley, hip, dormer, skylight, chimney and roof-to-wall transition is a detail that must be flashed correctly. A simple gable roof with two penetrations and a cut-up roof with fourteen are different jobs at the same square count.
3. Material system
In rough order of installed cost: three-tab shingles, architectural shingles, impact-resistant (Class 4) shingles, designer shingles, exposed-fastener metal, standing-seam metal.
Class 4 impact-resistant shingles deserve a second look in Texas. They typically cost modestly more than standard architectural shingles, hold up better to hail, and often qualify for an insurance premium discount that recovers part of the difference every year.
4. Decking: the variable nobody can quote in advance
Nobody knows the condition of your decking until the old roof comes off. Honest estimates handle this with a per-sheet price for replacement decking, disclosed up front.
Watch for estimates that omit it entirely. That cost does not disappear. It shows up as a change order mid-job, after the roof is open.
5. The line items that separate a real estimate from a cheap one
Two quotes can both say "new roof" and describe very different work. Look for these specifically:
- Full tear-off vs. overlay. Layering new shingles over old is cheaper and traps heat, hides deck damage and shortens the life of the new roof.
- Underlayment type. Synthetic underlayment versus felt, and whether ice-and-water shield is included at valleys, eaves and penetrations.
- New flashing. Reusing old flashing is a real cost saving and a real future leak.
- New pipe boots. They cost very little and cause a large share of leaks when reused.
- Drip edge. Code-required in most jurisdictions and routinely omitted from budget quotes.
- Ventilation correction. If the attic is under-ventilated, the estimate should address it.
- Cleanup and magnet sweep. Dumpster, hauling, and a nail sweep of your entire property.
- Both warranties. The manufacturer's material warranty and the contractor's workmanship warranty are separate documents. Get both in writing with their terms.
How to compare quotes fairly
Put them side by side and normalize the scope. If Quote A includes synthetic underlayment, new flashing and a ten-year workmanship warranty, and Quote B is 20% cheaper without specifying any of the three, you are not looking at the same job.
Ask each contractor these four questions and compare the answers as carefully as the prices:
- Are you licensed and insured, and can I see current certificates?
- Who is actually on my roof, your crew or a subcontractor?
- What is your per-sheet decking price if you find damage?
- What exactly does your workmanship warranty cover, and for how long?
Cheapest is rarely least expensive
A roof installed correctly reaches its rated life. A roof installed carelessly leaks at a detail in year four, and the second roof costs more than the difference you saved on the first.
Our estimates are line-itemed, free, and come with photographs of what we found so you can see what you are paying for. If we think a repair or restoration serves you better than a replacement, we will quote that instead.
Want this checked on your own roof?
Inspections are free and come with photographs of everything we find. No obligation, no pressure.
