How Much Does A Roof Repair or Replacement Really Cost in Seattle?

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

2. Labor

3. Taxes and other government-mandated fees

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