Roof replacement, cost per foot average? (diy)

[LinuxRandal]

Anyone here replaced their house roof? Is there an average per (foot?) cost? What did you use? (still thinking the old standard shingles).

Edit: How long have your roofs lasted? Were they the only layer? (reason for replacement, age, hail ?)

[Tom Slick]

Are you looking at asphalt shingles? cedar shingles?

roofing is figured in "squares" which is 10'x10' (100sqft) or IIRC 3 bundles of asphalt shingles.

[Knottscott]

We did a roof-over on our 2700 sq ft house with 30 year architectural shingles for ~ $2100 in 2005, which includes nails, nailer, trim, tax, delivery, etc. Pay the extra to have the shingles put on the roof...it'll be the best money you've ever spent.

Also, regarding the nailer...I bought a used refurbed PC, and sold it used for $12 less than I paid...cheaper than renting and no time contraints.

[Pappy]

My last roof was 15 yrs into a 25 yr shingle when it had to be replaced. I tore it down, removed all vents and went back with R Panel steel and full rodge vents. Total cost for materials, dumpster fees, and a couple of days day labor was about $4,000 on a 2,000 sq ft house.

Should be the last roof I need.

[Thalermade]

My insurance company just spent about $7700 to replace my roof.

Wind damage from September wind storm and February thunderstorm
Roof was 11 years old. Builder grade 25 year shingle.
Tear off down to sheathing.
96 bundles (32 squares) of 30 year architectural shingles (free upgrade as long as I kept a sign in my yard for a month)
New felt, vent hoods, and ridge vents.
Done in one day. I guess time will tell.

hope this helps some.
Russ

[germdoc]

My neighbor is a roofer. I asked him to give me a bid on my house. I do a lot of things myself, but I have seen a lot of injuries due to falling off roofs, and my disability insurance is not good enough to make me want to climb up there.

I want a steel roof--anybody had one of these installed? Any idea of costs?

[crokett]

My shop is going to cost me somewhat less than 1.00/sqft for the roof but then I am doing the work myself and I am not overly particular that the shingles all match exactly. They are all dark grey but the 3 lots I bought won't be an exact match. OTOH, I will have paid 30.00/square for the shingles and that includes the roofing felt.

[billwmeyer]

Roof

Doing your own roof at least with asphalt shingles is not complicated, but extremely hard work. My wife and I did most of our house ourselves. We hired out the last of it due to time constraints. I had 5 and 6 layers of shingles on my house, and stripped them all off down to the original cedar shingles that were original to my house in the 1890's or so.

I feel good about the job we did, because a couple of weeks ago we got hit by what they called a derecho, which was straight line winds of about 100 MPH. I lost 3 shingles. Homes built after my roofing job and other new roofing jobs are being replaced. Mine is fine.

Check your local ordinances. I would have no trouble putting on a second layer, but if you have 2 layers of shingles, I would tear down to bare wood. Some places require tear off of a single layer.

I also recommend a roofing nailer. I bought the Harbor Freight cheapy and it worked like a charm.

Good luck.

Bill

[LinuxRandal]

Thank you all, and keep the info coming! I know the high bid on my mom's house, was 21K (remove cedar and replace with architecual asphalt) so I was worried (my house is much smaller). So I was worried that is was something freaking like average 1500 square foot house would be 10K (didn't have a clue).

I just talked to my good neighbor, and found out about how much his cost (about 30 linear feet smaller house), and he did it himself (including tearoff). My other neighbor (roofer) may be moving back (having to evict the renters), and I helped him replace his house and garage roofs. I have only one layer (known, I was here when it was put on in 87 visiting my grandmother), so I am getting told that they would put the new over the old.

A lot of stuff has been going on. Work is wanting to give me one of the old company vehicles (just turned 100K), as they told me the trade in on it. (reason for the two vehicle posts) I really don't need another vehicle (also a truck, but full size 4x4 verses my Ranger), although it is nice to have a backup. Yet the one boss (current driver of it), knows I know people looking for a truck (it is a 2001), and said I could sell it and pay off the house (owes less then what he said the trade in was, haven't verified that). But I am thinking of the possibility of selling it, and getting a new roof, and any left, paying extra towards the house (non traditional mortgage). Yet more wierd stuff going on, and I am trying to wrap my mind around everything.

[crokett]

If work gives you the truck, you will most likely have to pay some sort of income tax on the value of it. Talk to an accountant before you accept it and factor the taxes into your decision. I am certain your work will report it and write it off if they give it to you.

[Kristofor]

If work gives you the truck, you will most likely have to pay some sort of income tax on the value of it. Talk to an accountant before you accept it and factor the taxes into your decision. I am certain your work will report it and write it off if they give it to you.

It may already be at $0 book value if it has 100K miles on it. But that doesn't mean that you don't still need to claim some portion as income (fair market value?). Consult your tax guy/gal is probably worthwhile advice.

[herb fellows]

I had mine done 'off season', in November. The labor was cheaper because the guy just wanted to keep his men busy until the spring.
That being said, the construction market is so un-busy right now, you may be able to get it done cheaply at any time.

[Hellrazor]

If you are going to do a DIY cost, you need to do your homework with the following things:

You will need to know the square footage and dimensions of the roof.

1. Pick your shingle type and order 115% of what you need. (I would get 40yr dimensionals)
2. Either buy starter strip rolls or 3tab shingles for the starter rows.
3. Measure the lineal feet of the ridge of the roof to buy cap shingles. Order 120% since overlapping too much can kill your estimate.
4. Decide on the type of roof vents (can, turbine, ridge, etc) (ridge stink IMO)
5. Order 120% of the tarpaper required
6. Measure the lineal feet of all areas that require drip edge or guttor apron. Order 120% of what you measure since you don't want to use small cutoffs.
7. check how much flashing/counter flashing is used around chimneys,etc
8. Order new boots for all plumbing vents, etc
9. Decide if you need ice/water dam membrane in any valleys or over the eaves of the house. Measure and order as needed.
10. You really should replace the valleys if there is any sign of damage.
11. Buy a lot of nails
12. Plan to nail the tarpaper if you are going to let it sit open for more than a day or 2. Staples stink if you get some wind or a tstorm.

[LinuxRandal]

If work gives you the truck, you will most likely have to pay some sort of income tax on the value of it. Talk to an accountant before you accept it and factor the taxes into your decision. I am certain your work will report it and write it off if they give it to you.

Well, the truck has been a depreciated asset, so that would play a factor (brother works for the IRS), but one easy way around that, is to sell me the truck for (can be as little as $1, last time I checked). I have a friend who worked for the license bureau that I need to check with. Even if it was taxable, it would mean very little out of pocket, compared with either a new roof/and/or less house principle/payment.

[iceman61]

Right now in my area 30 yr Architect shingles are going for $170 to $180 a SQ. (100 sf) installed to start off with. This is on a straight gable low pitch roof with no more than one valley.

There are many things that will drive the price up. Steep pitch roof, number of layers over one layer, number of roof pipe penetrations, roof vents, number of valleys, is there enough access around the house to get a truck or trailer or will the shingle have to be moved in a wheel barrow to the dump trailer, any flashing that needs to be replaced or installed, any drip edge that needs to be replaced or installed. These are just a few of the things that will start to drive the installation prices up.