What Does a Roof Actually Cost? A Real Colorado Roofing Bid Broken Down Line by Line

Every Category, Every Dollar, on My Own House in Longmont

I recently got a new home in Longmont and we put a new roof on it, so let's talk about how $16,500 actually breaks down, category by category.

Video coming soon.

Where the $16,500 Goes

The line items above come to approximately $16,500 all in. Percentages are rounded.

Tear-Off and Disposal: $1,800 (about 11 to 12%)

The first category is the tear-off and disposal, hauling away the old shingles and underlayment. On this project it was about $1,800, roughly 11 to 12% of the total. That is a pretty typical percentage for a smaller-to-midsize roof in our area.

Keep in mind this is for one layer of old shingles and one layer of underlayment. If there are old wood shakes or additional layers of asphalt shingles, that number goes up in proportion to the overall price, because it is a significant added cost. But for a standard one-layer tear-off, shingles and underlayment into the dump trailer with disposal fees included, this is typical.

Underlayment: $3,200 (about 20%)

The second category is underlayment. In this project I am including the synthetic felt (I recommend synthetic over paper felt), plus two courses, a total of six feet coming up from the eaves, of leak barrier, also called ice and water shield. That came to about $3,200, roughly 20% of the overall cost.

Now, 20% is a little high relative to a typical roof, and here is why: this particular home has a lot of eaves, so we had to use a disproportionate amount of leak barrier, which drives the cost up. If you did a roof replacement with no ice and water shield or leak barrier, which I do not recommend in Colorado, that is a place where this category comes down. But cutting it is not something I would do on my own home.

Shingles: $8,850 (about 55%)

The third category is the obvious one, the shingles, and it is the biggest single piece at $8,850, about 55% of the project. This includes the shingles, the ridge cap, the starter, and the installation labor for all of those materials.

On this roof I used GAF ArmorShield II Class 4 impact-resistant shingles, GAF Seal-A-Ridge ArmorShield ridge cap (also impact-resistant), and GAF Pro-Start starter, all with installation labor included. Higher-grade shingles move this number up, and cheaper shingles move it down. Some contractors separate the shingle material from the installation labor on their estimate, but it is not uncommon to combine them into one line like this.

Flashings: $919 (about 6%)

Next is the detail flashings, new drip edge and new step flashing, at about $919, roughly 6% of the project. If a bid is not including drip edge (which it should) or is not replacing the step flashing, that cost disappears, but I recommend doing both. If you have two or three chimneys or skylight flashings, that cost adds up. This is a critical expenditure, not a category to save money on, because flashing is exactly where you tend to have problems with a roof.

Ventilation: $753 (about 5 to 7%)

Ventilation, which we are replacing and upgrading, came to about $753, roughly 5 to 7% of the project. On this roof we used new slant-back vents and GAF Intake Pro to correct the ventilation. This is another category not to skimp on, because proper ventilation keeps the attic breathing and preserves the warranty from the shingle manufacturer. That makes it money well spent, and 5 to 7% is pretty typical for a proper ventilation detail on an average Colorado roof.

Accessories: $210 (about 1.3%)

Category six is accessories, about $210, roughly 1.3% of the project. This is nails and sealant. It sounds minor, but you need quite a few nails and quite a bit of sealant to get a roof done right, so it is a real, if small, line item.

Building Permit: $188 (about 1 to 2%)

The category people forget is the building permit, $188 on this project, usually right around 1 to 2% of the total. These vary quite a bit by jurisdiction, City of Longmont versus town of Erie versus City of Boulder versus Boulder County all differ. Typically you will not see the permit represented in a roofing estimate up front, because we do not know the exact cost yet, so a contractor may tell you about it and bill it later. That is common and honest. A great question to ask your roofing contractor: do we need a permit, are you pulling it, roughly what will it cost, and are you charging me for it or is it included?

Material Sales Tax and a Word on Overhead and Profit

The categories above come out a little shy of $16,500, because we have not yet added the material sales tax: $481 on this project. We are buying all of these materials, so there is sales tax on them. Add that to the total and the math lands right around $16,500. One important note: material sales tax should only be applied to the materials themselves, not to labor or to overhead and profit.

Speaking of overhead and profit, you might notice we did not break out a separate line for it. When a builder is building you a new home or doing a big remodel, they will traditionally break out their fees or overhead and profit separately. For a residential roof replacement, you are not going to see many roofing contractors do that, and we do not either. It is integrated into the line items, the material and labor costs. You might call it markup. That is how we make a living and support the company, but you typically will not see it broken out separately on a normal roofing bid.

The Bottom Line

That is a complete, honest breakdown of a real $16,500 roof, priced the way I would price my own home, because that is exactly what it is. When you look at your own estimate, these seven categories plus tax are where the money goes. If a bid is dramatically cheaper than the rest, look at which of these categories got trimmed, because that is almost always the answer.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a roof replacement cost in Colorado?

This real, retail-priced replacement on a smaller-to-midsize Colorado roof came to about $16,500. Your cost depends on the size of the roof, the shingle and material grade, ventilation and flashing needs, and how many layers have to be torn off. Use the category breakdown here to understand where the money goes.

What is the biggest cost in a roof replacement?

The shingles, which include ridge cap, starter, and installation labor. On this project they were $8,850, about 55% of the total. Shingle grade is the single biggest lever on that number.

Why is underlayment such a big part of the price?

Underlayment includes leak barrier, or ice and water shield, which is expensive material. On this home it was about 20% of the cost, higher than typical because the roof has a lot of eaves that required more leak barrier. It is not a category to cut in Colorado.

Do roofing estimates include the building permit?

Often not up front. Permit fees vary by city and county, so many contractors tell you about the permit and bill it separately once the cost is known. Always ask whether the permit is included or billed later.

Why isn't overhead and profit a separate line on a roofing bid?

For residential roof replacements, most contractors, including us, integrate overhead and profit into the material and labor line items rather than breaking it out separately. It is there, it is just built into the categories rather than listed on its own.