How Much Does a Roof Installation Cost in Seattle?

Pretty much every time you try to look up roofing costs in your area or call up a roofing company to ask, they give you a vague non-answer. It's usually something along the lines of "We cannot give a price until we see your roof." 

So, why are roofers so secretive when it comes to pricing? They don't want to quote you a price that might be inaccurate.

There are many factors that go into figuring out how much it will cost to replace your roof. Every roof is unique, so there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Roofers are hesitant to even give an estimate because there are so many variables, and they don't want to be held to any amount they might say to you. 

While it's technically true that a fully accurate estimate cannot be given until you have your roof inspected, it's frustrating to be dismissed without even getting an estimate.

This page is the solution. It allows you to walk into an inspection with your roofer ready to have a realistic discussion about roofing costs.

The roof material you choose can drastically change the price of your roof work, but there are also other factors that you need to consider when thinking about cost. 

Other Factors:

1. Roof Size and Shape: The square footage of your roof will help determine the cost. The bigger your roof is, the more expensive it will be. But also, the more slopes, corners, valleys,  and levels your roof has, the more that will add to the cost. If your roof has a complicated layout (even if it's only in a few spots), then it will take longer for the crews to roof it. The same thing applies to the steepness of your roof. A steeper roof requires more safety precautions, which adds to the cost. 

2. Limited Yard Access: If you have a wide open yard that makes it easy to back a trailer up to your house, then this isn't a problem. But a lot of homes in the Seattle area have narrow driveways or small properties that are close to their neighbors. This can make it tough for roofing crews to access your property. If they can't back up a dump trailer to your house for disposing of old shingles, then they'll have to transport them by hand from the roof to the dump trailer. This will add a little bit to the total job cost. 

Hidden Costs:

It's a good idea to anticipate that there might be some unexpected costs during your roof installation. We recommend setting aside a contingency budget of at least a few thousand dollars.

3. Rotting Roof Decking: In some cases, your roofer might notice that your roof decking is rotting as they are removing your old roof. Sometimes, rotting wood cannot be seen until this point in the roofing process. It's a pretty common issue in the Seattle area. If this happens, you have to pay a little bit more to replace the rotting boards. If it's only a few, this won't be too much extra (like a few hundred dollars). If the rot is pretty extensive, this might cost several thousand dollars.

4. Replacing Insulation: If your insulation is too low or it needs to be replaced for some reason, then you'll have to pay an extra few thousand dollars to replace it. Usually, the reason that it all needs to be replaced is that it is moldy. This can't really be cleaned off.

5. Mold Remediation: Mold is another common issue in the Seattle area due to the constant dampness and large quantities of rain. Mold remediation typically costs a few thousand dollars. If your attic is moldy, you might also need to replace your insulation and some of your roof decking.

6. Updating Attic Ventilation: A lot of houses in the Seattle area were built a long time ago and do not meet current attic ventilation code requirements. This means that your attic isn't getting proper airflow. At RoofSmart, we check to see if your ventilation is working properly and then fix it if needed (it usually is). The added cost for this can vary widely. Sometimes you only need to pay a few hundred dollars to add a few vents, while other times you need to pay several thousand dollars to completely redo your attic's ventilation system. 

Although replacing shingles is a big part of installing a roof, it's not the only thing that happens. Every roof is unique, so some of these extra expenses might apply to your home while others won't.  

This is something that your roofer should warn you about ahead of time. And, as they notice problems that will cost extra, they should clearly communicate this with you and send you change orders in writing. 

Get an inspection so we can spot the hidden costs before you sign anything.

In addition to the initial price that you pay for your roof, you can also expect that you might occasionally pay for maintenance or repairs throughout the life of your roof. 

Repairs and maintenance are the two big lifetime expenses that you might face. It's hard to say how much you'll spend on these because it's different for everyone. 

Most roofers charge a minimum of $300 to $500 for maintenance (an annual cleaning and inspection). You probably won't spend much more than this in maintenance in a year unless you're having a lot of problems with moss or algae.

The amount you pay for maintenance is mostly up to you. A lot of homeowners choose to do roof maintenance on their own to save money.

Repairs are also tricky to calculate because ypu might need several, or you might never need a repair. There are a lot of different things on your roof that might need to be repaired, so you might spend anywhere from $600 to $5,000. If the repair is really extensive, then you might spend even more than this.  

It can be shocking to learn that an asphalt roof, which is the cheapest option, will cost around $30,000. You might think to yourself, "Wait, how is that even possible?"

But keep in mind that the total estimated costs on this page aren't just for materials (which is what a lot of people focus on). There are other factors that impact the total cost of your roof replacement. This can be broken down into 3 categories: 

1. Materials: Materials and labor each take up about 1/3 of the total job cost. These are generally pretty straightforward costs and are consistent throughout the country. You'll need to pay for the new roofing material and a handful of other materials (like plywood or vents).

2. Labor: Labor costs in the Seattle area are higher than the national average because of the high cost of living in this area. That's why it's much more expensive to install a new roof in Western Washington, even just compared to Eastern Washington. 

3. Taxes and other government-mandated fees: And, of course, you also have to pay for the labor to install all of these products. Taxes and other government-mandated fees take up the rest of the project cost. This includes things like sales tax, permit fees (if applicable), worker's comp fees, and other assorted taxes. 

In a typical roof estimate or proposal, you’ll get the cost breakdown for the materials and labor needed to install your new roof. On top of that, there are a few other fees that are included in the total job cost:

• Permit fee: This will vary depending on what city you live in and what kind of work you want to get done. Some cities in the Seattle area do not require permits for certain roof work, while others do. Your roofer can help you figure out if a permit is needed for your roof. The permit price is different for different types of roof work, so your roofer won’t be able to tell you exactly how much it costs until the city charges them.
• Workers’ compensation: Part of making sure that our employees are insured is paying an additional charge per person per hour. For the roofing industry in Washington State, the charge is around $5.80 per hour. This rate can add up when you have a 3 to 5-person crew working on a roof for 3 days. This can add to the labor costs for your project. Some roofing companies don’t insure their crews, so their labor costs are much lower than others. It might be tempting to lower the total price of your job, but choosing a roofer who doesn’t insure their crews can be a big risk and hassle to you if they get injured on the job. If they don’t have insurance…you do.
• Payroll tax: Just like workers’ comp, payroll tax is an additional charge that roofing companies face to legally pay their workers. While this isn’t a direct charge that you pay, it can contribute to labor costs. Similar to workers' compensation, if your roofing company does not include this in the final proposal, it might seem like they’re charging less, but it’s possible that they’re just excluding this charge.
• Sales tax: After everything else is included in your bid, you’ll also have to account for sales tax, which makes up at least 10% of the total job cost.

These fees are usually included in other costs, making them hidden. They’re most noticeable when you’re comparing costs between roofers and see an increase in cost for the same amount of work

Another thing that can increase the cost of your roof installation is when your roof is damaged or doesn't meet code and needs to be fixed. This adds to labor and material costs: 

• Roof decking (plywood boards): If your roof decking is rotting, it definitely needs to be replaced. The problem is that your roofer can’t tell it’s rotting until they tear off the old roof. This means that you might need to pay some additional money to replace the rotten wood. This could be a few hundred dollars for a small patch or a few thousand dollars for the whole roof. 
• Ventilation: You might need to replace some air vents on your roof or redo your entire ventilation system to make sure that it is up to code. Improper ventilation is a common problem in the Seattle area because many homes are old and outdated compared to modern building codes. But more than being up to code…does the ventilation plan actually seem to work? It should be up to code and actually be able to work. 
• Hip and ridge cap: Most homeowners in the Seattle area choose asphalt shingles because it is the most affordable option. With this type of roof, you also need to get hip and ridge cap, which are specialized roof pieces that cover the peak of your roof. These aren’t usually expensive, but they do add to the total cost. If you’ve never had your roof done before, you might not anticipate this cost. 
• Flashing: Flashing is an important part of the roof, especially in a rainy area like Seattle. Flashing is installed around the outer edges of your roof and in other vulnerable areas to help direct water off the roof and into the gutter. Without it, your roof is at a higher risk of leaking. Flashing doesn’t usually cost much, but it is a factor that not many consider if they aren’t familiar with roof work. 
• Pipe boots: Pipe boots, also referred to as pipe flashing, are another key item that can help protect your roof from leaks in the rainy Seattle weather. There are different types of pipe flashing that you can get, depending on how much you want to spend. The more expensive, higher-quality options will give you better protection. 
• Underlayment: Before the shingles can be installed on your roof, your roofer will need to install some form of underlayment to help protect your roof. There are different kinds of underlayment you can choose from. Your roofer can help you decide what kind of underlayment you need to protect your roof from Seattle weather.

In an ideal world, you get the best work for the lowest price. But in the world of roofing, if someone tells you that they can do the same work for a lower price, it's not true. A lower price means lower quality and the potential to have roof problems as soon as a few years down the line. 

If you get a roof proposal that is significantly cheaper than the others, this means that they are skipping important steps or only choosing the cheapest materials. 

Vague descriptions in a roof proposal are the easiest way for roofers to get away with sketchy practices that make the job cheaper. Avoid anyone who is vague and unwilling to answer your clarifying questions.

When you're evaluating a roof work proposal, make sure that the scope of work is clearly explained. You should be able to tell what steps your roofers will take to replace your roof and the specific materials they'll use for each step.

Ways roofers make their proposals cheaper include:

•  Skipping steps to cut down on labor costs
• Reusing materials that should actually be thrown away (ex. like flashing or starter shingles)
• Using the wrong materials (ex. using extra regular shingles as ridge cap to save money on materials)
• Buying the cheapest materials possible (ex. a neoprene pipe boot that will fail in 10 years or less)
• Not getting permits or avoiding other government-mandated fees

There are a ton of ways that roofers can cheap out on your proposal. If you want a quality roof that will last as long as possible, avoid the cheapest roofer (especially if their price is suspiciously lower than everyone else). 

If you're worried about paying for a roof replacement, you can also consider looking into our financing options. Financing is a great option if you're not sure that you can afford a roof right now, but are really in need of a replacement.

There is a wide variety to choose from, so you can find a plan that works best for your budget. 

A lot of homeowners are tempted to put off roof replacements due to the high cost. 

We understand the urge to wait, but before you make that decision, keep in mind that it could potentially cost you more money. 

If your roof has a hidden leak or is vulnerable to leaks, then your roof will start to rot, grow mold, and could even face structural issues. 

You might have to pay thousands of dollars more to repair the damage from the leak, which can include:

• Rotting wood
• Mold remediation
• Redoing framing

Waiting just one more year can potentially wreak havoc on your roof and cost you thousands more than you were expecting to pay. If you decide to wait to replace your roof without checking for leaks or potential leaks, then you're likely only adding to the cost of your roof.