A roofing square is 100 square feet of roof surface. Pricing by the square is how most roofers quote, and it is the number homeowners compare. Pick it by feel and you either lose the bids you should win or win the jobs that lose money. Here is how to build it from your own costs.
Start with the measurement
You cannot price per square until you know the squares. The roof surface is bigger than the footprint because the roof slopes:
- Footprint (from a satellite outline or a tape around the eaves) times the pitch factor gives roof surface
- A 6/12 roof has a factor of about 1.12; an 8/12 is about 1.20; a 12/12 is about 1.41
- Divide by 100 for squares, then add 10 to 15 percent waste when you order material
A 2,000 square foot footprint at 6/12 is about 2,240 square feet of roof, or 22.4 squares, and about 25 squares of shingles with waste. The roofing calculator has the full pitch table.
The five parts of a price per square
1. Material. Architectural shingles, underlayment, starter, ridge cap, drip edge, flashing, vents and nails. Price it from your supplier, per square ordered. Many roofers land around $150 to $200 per square ordered for a standard architectural shingle system. Get your own quote; it moves with the market.
2. Labor. What you pay your crew or your sub per square, plus extra for steep pitch, multiple stories and layers. Sub crews often charge per square for tear-off and install.
3. Disposal. A dumpster or dump trailer trips, and the landfill fees. Usually a few hundred dollars per job.
4. Permit. Varies by city. Put it on the job, not in overhead.
5. Overhead and profit. Insurance, the truck, the office, your phone, your marketing, and the profit the business needs to survive a slow month. For a small roofing company, overhead and profit together are often a third or more of the price.
A worked example
A one-layer, walkable 6/12 shingle roof on a 2,000 square foot footprint, 22.4 squares installed, 25 squares ordered:
- Material: 25 squares at $180 = $4,500
- Labor: 22.4 squares at $150 = $3,360
- Disposal: $600
- Permit: $250
- Direct cost: about $8,700
- Overhead and profit: about $4,800
- Price: about $13,500, or roughly $600 per installed square
That $13,500 is exactly what the sample rates in our roof replacement cost calculator show for a 2,000 square foot footprint: $7,500 for the first 1,000 square feet plus $6 for each foot after that. On a 1,500 square foot footprint the same rates give about $10,500. Smaller roofs cost more per square because the trip, the dumpster and the setup do not shrink.
Adders that keep you profitable
The base price assumes the easy roof. Price the hard ones separately so you do not eat them:
- Steep pitch (8/12 and up): more labor, more safety gear, slower work. The sample rates add $2,000 on shingles
- Second story or more: longer carries, more ladder time. The sample adds $750
- Extra layer to tear off: double the debris and the labor. The sample adds $1,500
- Decking repair: rotten plywood found at tear-off. The sample includes about five sheets for $600, and your contract should state a per-sheet price beyond that
- Ridge vent, skylights, chimneys, valleys: extra flashing and time
Put the per-sheet decking price in the contract before you start. It is the most common surprise and the most common argument.
What the market pays
Across the US, many roofers land between $450 and $700 per installed square for architectural shingles, with big metros and high-insurance states at the top. If you are well below that, check your overhead. If you are well above it, make sure your website and your reviews explain why. Either way, show a ballpark on your site, so the homeowners who book an inspection already know the range. Read roof replacement cost by material for metal and tile.
Show the price before the inspection
Homeowners call three roofers and wait for three appointments. The one who showed a range at 9 p.m. usually gets the first inspection. With a roofing estimate calculator on your site, the homeowner outlines the roof on the satellite map and sees your ballpark, with a clear note that you confirm pitch, layers and decking on site.
Frequently asked questions
How much do roofers charge per square?
Many US roofers charge $450 to $700 per installed square for architectural shingles, with steep pitch, extra stories, extra layers and decking repair priced on top.
How many squares is a 2,000 square foot house?
It depends on the footprint and the pitch, not the living area. A 2,000 square foot footprint at a 6/12 pitch is about 22.4 squares of roof, or about 25 squares of material with waste.