How Much Will A New Roof Cost ?

That is always the million dollar question and as with most people you might like to get an idea of what a new roof is going to cost you so that you are better prepared and able to budget for it sometime in the near future. Perhaps you’re planning on a roof replacement this spring or summer and just need a better understanding of the cost and what would be a fair price for a quality roofing job in Southern Ontario and GTA. In this article I hope to provide you a better understanding of a roofing renovation, what to expect and roofing FAQs that you should know. I will also explain how you yourself are able to calculate an average cost estimate of what you should be paying for your new residential roof replacement.

Roofing FAQs

While there are many roofing product manufactures, shingle types, styles, colors and warranties, however, we will be using today standard and most popular choice among homeowners as our base for all cost average estimating. The Limited Lifetime 50 year Fibreglass Laminate Shingle. (pro rated warranty)

Lifetime – meaning 50 years

Limited – certain conditions and pro rated

Pro Rated – meaning the warranty accounts for usage and diminishes over time.

Fibreglass Laminate – Todays standard in roofing shingles. A 2 ply shingle having the designed 2nd layer laminated on to the first layer. Fibreglass refers to the shingle mat that the asphalt and protective coloured stone coating are adhered to.

All Manufactures make the standard 50 year limited lifetime shingles but each will have better and best varieties as well, incorporating different design styles and warranties. Some, like GAF, will allow you to purchase an extended, non pro rated version of their shingle warranty providing certain materials conditions have been met and that your roofing contractor is a GAF Certified Contractor

Warranties Most if not all warranties are just clever marketing and we as contractors in the roofing industry know that a 50 year laminate shingle will not last 50 years. At Tops Roofing Company we have researched and asked all the questions so you can expect these shingles to last approximately 22-25 years. At that time if you decide to make a shingle warranty claim, you can expect an average of 600,00 – 800.00 returned to you by the manufacturer in either a cash or materials settlement towards the cost of replacing your roofing. If you are looking for greater longevity when replacing your roof, you can ask your roofing contractor to provide you an estimate using other or better materials and additional warranty options.

Whats Included

A Standard roof replacement should include;

Removal Removal and disposal of existing shingles

Ice Shield One course ( 3 ft.) self adhering ice and water shield protection at all eaves areas that perimeter all heated living space. (Not required or necessary at unheated garage or porch areas) One course as underlay at all valley intersections and to be installed around all chimney and skylights

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Valleys Colour steel valleys shingled as open. Minimum 28 gauge steel. Aluminum is not recommended for valleys as its expansion/contraction factor is too great causing loosening of fasteners and oil canning between fastening points. Closed or shingled valleys are not recommended as these are collection points for water. Shingles are designed to shed water evenly so all collection points or valley areas must remain open, thus preventing premature wear.

Roof Vents These should all be replaced with a quality and coloured, heavy duty steel vent. Plastic vents are not recommended. We recommend either AIR HAWK or Lomanco steel vents.

Exhaust Vents Replace all too new. Kitchen and bathroom vents as/if required

Stack Flashings Replace all plumbing stack flashings too new.

General Caulking All areas where required.

Cleanup Grounds and garden protection where required. A complete cleanup and magnetic sweep to retrieve nails

Whats Not Included

Underlay Protection – Installed over the entire roof deck. Synthetic or felts.

Flashings – Any chimney or wall flashings as these may still be in good condition and re usable

Plywood – Damaged or rotten plywood needs to be replaced and in most cases cannot be accurately determine until the removal of old roofing is complete. Typically priced per sheet as required . Approximate cost is 80. 00 per sheet.

Height Premium – Base pricing is typically for 1 – 2.5 storey homes. Anything above may require special access or hoisting equipment Surcharges typically apply.

Access Premium– Difficult access to home or property will be surcharged based on additional time and difficulty of access.

Skylight Replacement – These will be quoted at an additional cost per unit if replacement is required

How To Calculate Roof Area

Aside from flat roofs of course, all roofs have a degree of pitch or a slope to facilitate water run off. Pitches are often different on different areas of the roof and are calculated according to the rise. For example, an easy walkable roof will have a 4 in 12 rise. That is to say, that for every 12 inches of rafter the vertical depth to level would be or would be increased by 4 inches. In order to do our calculations without ascending the roof we need to know and measure from the ground, and accounting for the soffit or roof overhang, the length X the width X the multiplier for a given pitch or degrees of pitch in order to calculate area. Some but not all homes are perfectly rectangular in shape so you may have to divide up areas of the roof and measure by section. If all roof areas have the same degree of pitch, the calculation is simplified, however, if the do not, you will have to divide the areas having different degrees of pitch into sections and measure them independently of each other.

It will be easiest to first draw a sketch of the building them to measure the the length X the width and any individual jut outs, sections or areas as required. Calculate your total area for each section as measured then ascertain the pitch of said areas. This can be done most easily with a free phone app called Pithchfactor or by standing back and simply holding up a protractor to level against a hip or gable edge to acquire the angle/pitch in degrees. Once you have acquired the flat area and also the pitch or degree of pitch, using the coordinating area multiplier in the table below, you can now calculate the entire pitched/sloped area of your roof.

Pitch	Pitch in Degrees Area	Multiplier
4/12	18.43	1.054
5/12	22.62	1.083
6/12	26.57	1.118
7/12	30.26	1.157
8/12	33.69	1.202
9/12	36.87	1.250
10/12	39.81	1.3052
11/12	42.51	1.356
12/12	44.89	1.414

Whats Next

Once you have calculated the total roof area, add another 15 percent to your total, which will account for any cutting waste at hips, gables and valleys and provide for ridge and hip cap shingles. Next, look in the table below and multiply the coordinating pitch pricing by your total square feet of materials needed

Calculate The Average Cost Of Your Roof

The next chart will give you an average market price to replace your roof as per the standard average as previously discussed. Remember, this is only an average of what to expect. The cost may be higher or possibly lower depending on how many different sections and elevations will comprise your total roof area. As an example a 2 sided bungalow roof is less time consuming to install than is a multi level home home with many different roof sections.

These pricing averages are based on the average price Tops Roofing Company and its qualified competitors are charging. Our pricing does and cannot compete with uninsured, (Liability, WSIB & OHIP ) unskilled or fly by night roofing contractors or contractors using inferior Chinese knock-off shingles that work solely on a cash basis and pay no taxes. If it sounds to be good to be true, it definitely is. Caveat Emptor as they say, and be very careful as working at heights is a dangerous profession and you are most likely to be sued in civil litigation in the event of a workplace accident involving uninsured roofing contractors.

This average cost chart would pertain to Mississauga Roofing, Oakville Roofing, Milton Roofing,Burlington Roofing,Stoney CreekRoofing and Hamilton Roofing plus many other areas in and around Toronto and GTA Roofing areas.

Roof Pitch/Slope	Price per/Square Ft.
4, 5 & 6/12	2.85
7 & 8/12	3.15
9 & 10/12	3.45
11 & 12/12	3.75
Above 12/12 & Mansard Roofs	4.00 -5.00
Example: 3000 square ft 5/12 pitch x 2.85	= 8550.00
	HST/Tax 1,111.50
Average Total Cost	$ 9,661.50