What Does a 2,500 sq ft Roof Cost?
The figure below includes the parts of the job that do not shrink when the job does — the permit, the delivery, the crew's morning. That is why a smaller job costs more per sq ft than a bigger one.
Adjust for your state
Fixed costs of $650 are included in every figure on this page, so the per-square-foot price falls as the job gets bigger.
What the number is made of
Every figure on this page follows the same arithmetic: a fixed portion for permits, delivery and getting a crew to your address, plus a per-sq ft rate for material and labor. The fixed part is why the per-sq ft price on this page is not the same as on a larger job.
| Component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed costs (permits, delivery, setup) | $650 | $650 |
| Materials | $6,201 | $12,045 |
| Labor | $5,074 | $9,855 |
| Total | $11,275 | $21,900 |
The same size, five different states
Material prices do not change at the state line. Labor does. These five states sit at different points of the federal wage distribution for this trade.
| State | Labor factor | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | ×0.79 | $10,184 | $19,781 |
| Arizona | ×0.85 | $10,519 | $20,432 |
| West Virginia | ×0.92 | $10,869 | $21,112 |
| New Hampshire | ×1.08 | $11,661 | $22,649 |
| Illinois | ×1.40 | $13,310 | $25,852 |
Only the labor line moves between states. That is a deliberate limitation, not an oversight: state-level material pricing is not something we have reliable data for, so we do not pretend to.
By material
| Material | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| 3-tab asphalt shingles | $11,275 | $15,650 |
| Architectural shingles | $13,150 | $19,150 |
| Standing seam metal | $20,650 | $35,650 |
| Corrugated metal | $16,900 | $24,400 |
| Clay or concrete tile | $25,650 | $55,650 |
| Synthetic slate | $14,400 | $28,150 |
Other sizes
| Size | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft | $4,900 | $9,150 |
| 1,200 sq ft | $5,750 | $10,850 |
| 1,500 sq ft | $7,025 | $13,400 |
| 1,800 sq ft | $8,300 | $15,950 |
| 2,000 sq ft | $9,150 | $17,650 |
| 2,500 sq ft ← | $11,275 | $21,900 |
| 3,000 sq ft | $13,400 | $26,150 |
Does a roof this size need more than one crew?
Usually yes. Above roughly 30 squares most contractors run two crews or schedule two days, and the quote should say which.
How much do the permit and dumpster add at this size?
Around $650 in our model. It is a small share of a job this big, which is exactly why the per-square-foot price drops.
Is a metal roof worth it at this size?
The gap widens as the roof grows, because metal is priced more by material and less by fixed cost. At this size the premium is easiest to justify over a 40-year horizon.