Roof Replacement Cost Calculator

How this roof replacement cost calculator works

Think of it as a roof cost estimator for Chicago-area homes: it answers what a new roof costs on a house like yours before anyone climbs a ladder, and the free roof inspection confirms the real number.

Roofers price by the square, which is 100 square feet of roof surface. The calculator starts from your footprint, adds about ten percent for the overhangs at eaves and rakes, then multiplies by a pitch factor because a steeper roof has more surface over the same footprint. A waste allowance follows: more hips, valleys and dormers mean more cut shingles that end up in the dumpster.

Each roofing material has an installed price per square that includes tearing off one layer, synthetic underlayment, ice barrier at the eaves and valleys, drip edge, standard ventilation, the permit where one is required, and cleanup. Steep roofs and taller homes take longer to work safely, so labor multipliers raise the price for those cases. Extras such as chimney flashing, skylights and gutters are added as separate lines so you can see what each one contributes.

What can move the final price

• Rotted decking. Nobody can see it until the old roof is off. We price replacement sheets individually and show you photos before replacing anything. The roof replacement cost guide explains why.
• Hidden layers. Some homes have a second layer under the first. Removing it adds labor and disposal cost.
• Access. Tight lots, heavy landscaping or no driveway space for a dumpster can add time.
• Ventilation corrections. If the attic has too little intake or exhaust, fixing it is part of doing the roof right.

Prices in the Chicago suburbs also shift with material costs and the season. That is why every range here shows the date its assumptions were last reviewed, and why the inspection estimate is what you should budget against.