A roof is one of those items on our list of necessities that we don't think about until we need one. Many of us even take the roof over our heads for granted.
But think about it, where do we want to be when it’s thunder and lightning outside? At home, right!
Under the protection of that same roof, we often forget about. What about when we don’t feel good, where do you want to be? In the comfort of your home, where we all feel safe and secure.
Oftentimes when it’s hot outside and it rains the sudden drop in temperature is what causes an old roof to crack and leak. Once a roof gets old, it starts expanding and contracting with every rain.
The most important day for your roof is the day it gets installed. Besides the roof getting old the other thing that causes a roof to fail is poor or faulty installation practices. When mistakes happen they’ll often keep showing up for years. Hiring an unskilled roofer or getting unskilled labor to do your roofing work is the number one cause of roof leaks.
Here at RoofCrafters, we’ve heard hundreds of stories from our clients that went the cheapest route first. Only to have problems that those contractors couldn't resolve in the end, leaving them no other choice but to find another option. So, we want to help educate you by going over the labor cost for different types of roofing. By the end of this article, you’ll have a better understanding of what skilled roofing labor costs. Let’s get started.
Key Factors Influencing Roofing Labor Costs
Three main factors impact the cost of roofing labor, which include:
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Roof pitch
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The complexity of the roof
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How many stories up is the roof
Roof pitches range from 3/12 up to 18/12 for most roofing projects. Pitches are determined by measuring the rise of the roof in 12-inch increments. A 3/12 pitch roof has 3 inches of rising for every 12 inches. A 12/12 roof has 12 inches of rising for every 12 inches. We call anything between a 3/12 and a 7/12 an easy pitch. We consider difficult roof pitches to be 8/12 to 18/12.
The complexity of a roof impacts the labor cost by slowing down the installers. Complexity implies details. Chimneys, skylights, and dormers. Along with other important flashing details that need a greater understanding and skill set to do right.
The stakes are greater when a roof is 2, 3, or 4 stories off the ground. The higher the roof is up, the slower the installers will work. The safety of the installer is the most important thing on a roof. By paying installers more on difficult jobs, they don’t feel rushed.
Detailed Breakdown of Skilled Roofing Labor Costs by Roof Type
Notice we’ve added skilled roofing labor. Everybody has a brother-in-law that also has an uncle, that has two cousins that are car mechanics but they’ll do roofing on the side. Today, we will not be going over Uncle Bob’s cousins, tank-top Tommy, and Chuck-in-a-truck roofing labor prices.
We’ll be providing you with skilled roofing labor prices. From roofing crews that get training from the top roofing manufacturers. Training that is continued throughout the year. Most of the top manufacturers require continued training to maintain their installation certifications.
Because all roofing labor costs aren’t the same, we’ll provide you with the labor cost for the following roof types:
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Shingles roofing
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Screw-down metal roofing
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Standing seam metal roofing
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Tile roofs
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Slate roofs
Shingle Roofing Labor Cost
Installing shingles labor will be the least expensive of all the roofing types we’ll cover. This is because It requires less skill. Also, more people than ever are doing it, which helps keep the prices down. Shingle roofs are the most popular roofing materials in the United States.
Easy shingle roof the labor cost will range between $1.50 and $1.85 per square foot. Average shingle roof the labor cost will range between $1.90 and $2.20 per square foot For complex shingle roofs, the labor cost will range between $2.25 and $3.10 per square foot.
Screw-Down Metal Roofing Labor Cost
You have two options when choosing metal roofing. Screw-down metal roofing will be the least expensive of the two options. It requires less detailed work to install the flashings. It has fewer roofing accessories and components. All this makes the installation quicker and therefore will cost less.
Easy metal screw-down roof labor costs between $1.75 and $2.25 per square foot. Average metal screw-down roof labor costs between $2.30 and $2.65 per square foot. Difficult metal screw-down roof labor costs between $2.70 and $3.30 per square foot
Standing Seam Metal Roofing Labor Cost
Standing seam metal roofing will be the most expensive of the two options. It requires the greatest skill set for performing the detail flashing work. The standing seam metal has more components to install for a watertight roof system. It also takes more than a screw-down metal roof to install correctly.
Easy standing seam metal roof labor costs between $2.50 and $3.00 per square foot. Average metal screw-down roof labor costs between $3.05 and $3.95 per square foot. Difficult metal screw-down roof labor costs between $4.00 and $5.25 per square foot
Concrete or Clay Tile Roofing Labor Cost
Tile roofing will be another higher-end roofing option. Like the standing seam metal, a tile falls under luxury or specialty roofing. It requires craftsmanship and knowledge. Your installer must be able to work with concrete and mortar to install the hips and ridges. They’ll also be required to work with special lead and copper flashing.
Easy tile roof labor costs between $2.50 and $3.50 per square foot. Average tile roof labor costs between $3.55 and $3.95 per square foot. Difficult tile roof labor costs between $4.00 and $5.00 per square foot
Slate Tile Roofing Labor Cost
Slate tiles are one of the rarest roofing materials used. It requires the highest level of craftsmanship. A contractor must be an experienced slate installer(a "slater" as we call them). They’ll be required to perform difficult roofing details and use tools most roofers don’t even own.
Easy slate roof labor costs between $3.00 and $3.50 per square foot. Average slate roof labor costs between $3.55 and $4.10 per square foot. Difficult slate roof labor costs between $4.15 and $5.50 per square foot
Now that you know the costs for these different roofing materials. You have a better idea of what you can expect to pay to hire an experienced roofing contractor.
Choosing the Best Roofing Contractor for Your Project
Choosing the right contractor for the job is just as important as the materials, if not more. That being said, we've put together a checklist list to help you choose a great roofing contractor. It also has some frequently asked questions along with the answers, so you'll be able to interview and find the best contractor in your area.
Finding and hiring a skilled roofing contractor for your upcoming roofing project will be an important decision. One that you'll live with, hopefully, safe and secure for many years to come.
Our family at RoofCrafters has installed thousands of roofs over the past 30 years. If you're in one of our service areas of South Carolina, Georgia, or Florida, and would like to speak to one of our experienced roofing estimators, Schedule your inspection here.
