From Top to Bottom: Understanding Roof Repair Costs

If every year you get feet of snow where you live, you know that you’re always living in fear of how much it can take before it buckles. If you’re thinking about roof repair costs for any reason, you’re going to start being stressed out before you even get a figure. However, if you know what to anticipate, you can understand the costs before you end up going bankrupt over them.

Here is everything you need to know about anticipating roofing costs.

What Type of Shingles Are You Using?

The cost of your roof is going to depend on a lot of elements but the most obvious cost is the type of shingles you choose to put on your roof. If you’ve already got expensive roofing, repairing your roof is going to cost that much more. If you’re considering upgrading to better material, that’s going to cost you as well.

If you have a standard asphalt roof, you’re going to pay a few hundred dollars to replace a small 10 x 10 section of your roof.

When you’re dealing with a metal roof, expect to pay even more. You’re often going to spend more than $1,500 just to fix a bit of your roof that’s approximately the same size. One of the big elements of roof replacements, in this case, is going to be in the cost of the fasteners that you need to keep all of the metal shingles down.

For high-end roofs that are made of stone or slate, the costs are going to climb even higher. Costs for this average around $2,000 for that same 10 x 10 space.

People who live in calmer climates who don’t get a lot of bad weather year-round can expect to pay less than most of the other types. It might cost $500 or less to replace those missing or damaged shingles.

If you have a chimney, expect that entire section to cost a lot more, as working around a chimney adds an additional challenge.

Replacing the Whole Roof

While there’s no prescribed cost for replacing a roof, there are some general rules to abide by. Every roof is going to be a little different and will cost different prices depending on size, seams, and what’s underneath the shingles. The structure could impact the cost if you need to make any major changes.

The cost that you’ll pay to replace your roof is going to also be impacted by whether or not you have a commercial or residential roof. Commercial roofing jobs always cost more than residential ones. A lot of this has to do with the way that commercial buildings are structured, the cost of transporting material up several stories, or even just working odd hours.

However, put aside at least $12,000 if you’re going to start thinking about replacing your roof. It’s going to cost you at least that much to get started on any job and ensure that you can get it completed. If you’re ready to pay at least that much up front, you can get a much bigger job started and going once you’ve built a relationship with the roofer.

Expect Labor Costs

Ask around to any business owner and they’ll tell you, again and again, the biggest expense on any type of project is labor. The cost of labor is a massive frustration to anyone who is trying to get any type of repair done and will cost you not only by the hour but per worker.

Most contractors charge you from $50 an hour to $75 and up. While this might seem like a lot, this can get you access to a professional who is going to stand by their work. Then, expect that it’ll take from 10 to 20 hours to get the work done on your roof.

Ask who they’ll be bringing to work on your roof. If they hire contracted day laborers, they might get good talent but they won’t be as reliable and as professional as permanent employees. When a professional brings their own team, you can rest assured that they’re only going to work with people who they get along with and respect.

Those staffers who populate the team for any roofing contractor are going to experienced, dedicated, and know how to work with the rest of the team. People who are working together for the first time on a day job aren’t going to be as dedicated as the people who work together daily.

Just Fixing a Leak

When you need to get a quick fix done on a leak, then you don’t need to worry about the high costs that come with replacing a large section of roofing. Leak patching won’t keep you from problems forever, but it’ll ensure that you don’t suffer any of the internal of structural damage you would otherwise.

Fixing a leak with a quick patch job can cost you less than $100. The materials used, however, are intended to only cover you for a short period of time. If you’re hoping to avoid any future issues form this leak and have a warranty to back the whole thing us, get a full replacement done.

Leaks could also be due to problems in your gutters, which sometimes have nothing at all to do with your roof. If you want to make sure you’re getting a fair play, check out this article for more about avoiding scams.

Roof Repair Costs Are Predictable

While it might end up costing you a lot, roof repair costs are often predictable and sometimes covered by your insurance company. Ask around to see if you’ve got insurance to cover your repairs.

If you’re hoping that your roof ends up leading to higher resale value, check out our guide to figure out just what that could mean for you.