Cost to replace a roof; factors to consider

Oct 12, 2011 | Roofing industry

Cost to replace a roof; factors to consider

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At Integrity Roofing and Painting we are experts at evaluating and quoting the cost to replace a roof of any shape or size, and we offer free inspections! However, we understand that you take pride in being informed about all aspects of your property, and that you want to do some research on your own before you bring in the pros at Integrity Roofing and Painting. With that in-mind we’d like to give you some factors to consider when researching the cost to replace a roof.

Cost of materials impact the cost to replace a roof

Typically, the greatest expense in replacing a roof is the cost of the physical materials you’ll need. For the typical residential roof these materials include everything from standard things you’d expect like shingles, roofing nails, and caulk all the way to roof sheathing, staples, felt paper and ice and water shields. In general, the more abuse your roof has suffered the more materials you’ll need and the more those materials will cost. For a general idea of what supplies like these cost you can simply visit the websites of major suppliers like Lowes and Home Depot.

Oil prices and roofing materials

One of the major factors which determines the prices of many goods (roofing supplies being no exception) is the price of oil. In 2011 the cost of roofing materials spiked fairly dramatically. Many postulate that this spike was attributable to the rise in oil prices as they are once again at right around 100$ per barrel.  The reasons that increased oil prices had an affect on roofing material costs are two fold:

  1. Asphalt shingles require asphalt which is a byproduct of oil refinement. Cost of refining oil goes up and cost of asphalt follows.
  2. Transportation costs to ship roofing supplies were driven up due to higher oil prices. Those increased transportation costs increased the overall price to consumers.

Labor needs impact the cost to replace a roof

Obviously, unless you plan on replacing your own roof, you’ll need to hire a contractor with a skill labor force to get the job done right. Most consumers find that the benefits gained by bringing in a outside labor force to replace their roof far outweigh the costs to do so. Unless you are a trained roofer who is knowledgeable on the full spectrum of roof replacement techniques, you’ll want to leave this important work up to the pro’s.

Back end costs

Sure you can skimp on up-front costs and replace your roof for relatively cheap, but how long will the roof hold up, and how far will that initial savings last in the long run? It is important to consider this decision an factor it in with your roof replacement costs, as it may be worth a greater initial investment to ensure that your roof holds up for the longest possible amount of time.