Roofing Cost Estimator
Roofing is priced by the square, but pitch, layers and detail work decide whether that number holds.
Drop plan sheets or site photos
Up to 6 files — they're read together as one job
Ballpark for planning and bid-checking — not a quote. Confirm against local supplier and subcontractor pricing.
What a complete roofing estimate covers
- Tear-off and disposalsquare
- Decking repairSF
- Underlaymentsquare
- Field shingles / membranesquare
- Ridge and hipLF
- ValleysLF
- Flashing and penetrationseach
- Drip edgeLF
- Permit and inspectionlot
Scope most often left out
These are the lines that turn a won bid into a loss. Price them or exclude them in writing — never assume them.
- Decking replacement discovered only after tear-off — carry a stated allowance
- Additional existing layers beyond the one you priced
- Steep-pitch and multi-storey access, staging and safety
- Penetration count: every vent, pipe and skylight is detail labour
- Disposal weight, which rises fast with multiple layers
Pitch changes the labour, not the area
The same square footage takes materially longer on a steep roof, because production slows and staging and fall protection are required. If your rate was built on walkable pitches, applying it to a steep roof quietly removes your margin.
Put decking on an allowance, in writing
You cannot know how much decking is rotten until the roof is open. Carry a stated allowance for a number of sheets and put the unit rate for additional sheets in the estimate. That converts the most common roofing change order from an argument into arithmetic.
FAQ
How do you estimate a roofing job?
Take off the field in squares, then price detail work separately — ridge, hip and valley by linear foot, and flashing and penetrations by count. Add tear-off and disposal by square, a stated decking allowance, and permits. The estimator adjusts for pitch and access from what you upload or describe.
How should decking replacement be handled?
As a written allowance with a unit rate for anything beyond it. The extent of rotten decking is unknowable until the roof is open, so pricing it as a fixed quantity either loses money or inflates the bid.
Why does roof pitch affect the price?
Steeper pitches slow production and require staging and fall protection. The area is the same but the hours and the safety cost are not.
Other trade estimators
- Plumbing Cost Estimator
- Deck Cost Estimator
- Fence Cost Estimator
- Concrete Cost Estimator
- HVAC Cost Estimator
- Flooring Cost Estimator