Roof replacement cost by material

Shingles, metal, tile or flat? See what each one costs and how long it lasts, side by side.

Quick answer

Shingles cost the least. Metal lasts longer.

In 2025, a big shingle roof averaged $31,871^[1]. The same roof in metal averaged $51,865^[1]. Metal lasts about 40 to 80 years^[13]. We have no public price yet for tile, slate or flat roofs.

The roof type you pick sets most of the price. It also sets how long the roof will last.

We use two kinds of numbers. One is what the material costs at a big store. The other is what a finished job costs, from published pricing data.

If we could not find a number we can point to, we say so. We do not guess. For a price on your own roof, try the roof cost calculator.

Every roof type in one table

Store prices come from Home Depot's website on the day we checked^[6].

Roofers buy from supply stores. They often pay less, then add their markup. So treat store prices as a guide, not what you will pay.

Finished-job prices come from the Cost vs Value report^[1] and from Xactware pricing data shared by Thumbtack^[5]. How long each roof lasts comes from InterNACHI^[13].

Per-square prices are our math from the listed bundle, panel or roll price and its stated coverage. Shingles use 3 bundles per square^[12]; the Owens Corning Duration bundle covers 32.8 sq ft; an SM-Rib panel covers 36 in by 12 ft^[10]. Underlayment, flashing and fasteners are extra^[7].

Metal vs shingles, region by region

Cost vs Value priced both roofs on the same house in all nine regions^[3]. So it is the fairest side-by-side test we have.

The gap was smallest in the East South Central region (Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee). It was biggest on the Pacific coast.

Cost per year: the long view

A roof that costs more today can still be the better deal. It just has to last long enough, and you have to stay.

Here is a simple test. Take the price and divide it by the years it lasts. That gives a rough cost per year.

• Thick shingles: $31,871 over 30 years is about $1,062 a year.
• Standing-seam metal: $51,865 over 40 to 80 years is about $648 to $1,297 a year.

If metal only lasts the low number of years, it costs more per year than shingles. If it lasts the high number, it costs about half as much.

Selling soon? Then this matters less. The report guessed a shingle roof pays back 67.5%^[1] of its cost when you sell. Metal pays back 50.1%^[1].

This test leaves out loans, fixes along the way and the roof's value when you sell. But it shows why metal is worth a quote if you plan to stay.

Example: what the materials alone cost for one roof

How much of a roof bill is the material? To find out, we priced materials for a 2,500 sq ft^[5] roof. That is the size Xactware uses. We added 10%^[12] extra for cuts.

Xactware says materials make up $5,019^[5] to $6,809^[5] of a shingle roof that size. For a metal roof, it is $5,799^[5] to $8,168^[5].

Flat and low roofs

Porches, add-ons and many homes in Florida and the Southwest have flat or low parts. Shingles do not work there.

The usual choices are:

• Modified bitumen: tar-like rolls with a gritty top layer.
• A single sheet: TPO (often white) or EPDM rubber (often black).
• Built-up roofing (BUR): layers of tar and felt. InterNACHI says it lasts about 30 years^[13].

We have not found a public price for a whole flat roof on a house. So we do not show one. Flat roofs need special skills. Ask if the roofer puts on that type often, and who stands behind the warranty.

Why do shingles stop at a certain slope? The model building code says so. Shingles need a slope of at least 2:12^[14]. Below 4:12^[14], they need two layers of underlayment^[14]. Flatter than that, you need a flat-roof system. That is one reason those parts cost more per square foot.

Wind and heat: two things to ask about

1. How much wind can it take?

In Florida, the code says shingles must be tested for wind. The wrapper must show the wind class. Places with stronger winds need a higher class^[15].

The parts used with a shingle matter too. CertainTeed rates its shingles for 110 mph^[17] winds. That goes up to 130 mph^[17] with its matching starter and ridge parts^[17]. Ask each roofer which rating their quote is for.

2. How hot will it get?

The Department of Energy says a normal roof can reach 150°F^[16] or more in summer sun. A cool roof can be up to 50°F^[16] cooler. That can cut your air-conditioning use^[16].

A cool roof can be a paint, a sheet, or light-reflecting tiles or shingles. It does not have to be white. We have no public price gap for cool roofs, so we do not show one.

Ways to pay less on the roof you pick

• Ask for two roof types in each quote. Many roofers put on both shingles and metal. Then you see the real price gap where you live.
• Ask which shingle line is in the quote. One maker can sell lines with different prices and warranties. Make sure two quotes name the same product.
• Check the bulk price. At Home Depot, Timberline HDZ dropped from $42.97^[6] to $38.67^[6] a bundle at 39^[6] bundles or more. Roofers often pay less still.
• Don't buy too much. GAF says up to 10%^[12] extra. A simple roof may need less. Unopened bundles can often go back to the store.
• Think about how long you will stay. Selling in a few years? Then today's price matters more than cost per year.

Fix, cover over, or replace?

Before you switch roof types, find out what your roof can hold. Tile and slate weigh much more than shingles. You may need a builder to check the frame.

Some places let you put new shingles over one old layer. That skips the tear-off. But it adds weight, hides damage and can shorten the new roof's life.

If your roof is still young, fixing the bad spot is often cheaper. See roof cost by state for signs a roof is worn out.