A Roofing Estimate, Line by Line
| Line item | Typical cost | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Tear-off and disposal | $1.00 – $1.75 / sq ft | A second or third layer roughly doubles this line. |
| Decking repair | $85 – $150 / sheet | Should be priced per sheet, not guessed at up front. |
| Synthetic underlayment | $0.20 – $0.45 / sq ft | Insist on synthetic, not 15lb felt. |
| Ice & water shield at eaves and valleys | $1.10 – $2.00 / sq ft covered | Non-negotiable in Utah. Cheap bids cut this first. |
| Shingles and accessories | $1.60 – $3.20 / sq ft | Starter strip and ridge cap should be named, not implied. |
| Flashing (new, not reused) | $350 – $1,400 / home | "Reuse existing flashing" is the most common hidden cut. |
| Ridge vent and intake ventilation | $400 – $1,200 / home | Undersized ventilation voids most shingle warranties. |
| Labor | 40 – 55% of total | Ask whether the crew is employed or subcontracted. |
| Permit | $150 – $450 | If no permit is being pulled, ask why in writing. |
| Cleanup and magnet sweep | Included | Should be stated explicitly in the contract. |
When a bid comes in noticeably under the others, it is almost never because that company found a cheaper shingle. It is because one or more lines above are missing. Ice-and-water shield coverage and new flashing are the two most commonly omitted.
Roofing Cost by Material in the Salt Lake Valley (2026)
Roofing is priced per "square" — one square is 100 square feet of roof surface. A typical the Salt Lake Valley home works out to somewhere between 18 and 30 squares once pitch and overhang are counted, which is always more than the home's floor area.
| Material | Per sq ft | Per square | Expected life | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3-tab asphalt shingle | $3.75 – $5.50 | $375 – $550 | 15 – 20 yrs | Entry level. Fewer manufacturers still push it; wind ratings are lower. |
| Architectural (dimensional) shingle | $4.75 – $7.50 | $475 – $750 | 25 – 30 yrs | The default choice on the Wasatch Front. Best cost per year for most homes. |
| Designer / premium shingle | $7.50 – $12.00 | $750 – $1,200 | 30 – 50 yrs | Heavier, higher wind rating, slate or shake look. Worth it on visible steep roofs. |
| Exposed-fastener metal panel | $7.00 – $12.00 | $700 – $1,200 | 25 – 40 yrs | Common on shops, barns, and detached garages. Screws need re-torquing over time. |
| Standing seam metal | $12.00 – $20.00 | $1,200 – $2,000 | 40 – 70 yrs | Concealed fasteners, sheds snow well. Highest up-front cost, lowest lifetime cost. |
| Concrete or clay tile (lift & relay) | $6.50 – $11.00 | $650 – $1,100 | 25 – 30 yrs (underlayment) | Reuses your existing tile. Replaces the felt underneath, which is what actually failed. |
| New concrete or clay tile | $12.00 – $25.00 | $1,200 – $2,500 | 50+ yrs (tile) | Heavy. Requires the framing to be rated for the load. |
| TPO / EPDM membrane (low slope) | $7.00 – $13.00 | $700 – $1,300 | 20 – 30 yrs | The correct system below a 3:12 pitch. Shingles are not. |
What Moves Your Number Up or Down
Two houses of the same square footage on the same street can be 40% apart. These are the reasons, roughly in order of impact.
- Access. Tight side yards, steep driveways, low-hanging power lines, and no place to stage a dumpster all add time.
- Season. Late fall and winter are slower for most contractors, and pricing sometimes reflects that. Mid-summer after a storm is the worst time to shop on price.
- Pitch. Anything above about 7:12 requires additional fall protection and slows the crew down. Steep roofs commonly add 15 to 30%.
- Layers. Tearing off two or three existing layers roughly doubles the tear-off and disposal line.
- Complexity. Dormers, valleys, chimneys, skylights, and intersecting gables are where the labor hours actually go. A simple gable ranch and a cut-up two-story with the same square footage are not the same job.
- Decking condition. Unknowable until the old roof is off. It should be quoted as a per-sheet rate, not buried in the total.
- Material tier. The spread from builder-grade to designer shingle across a full roof is often only $2,500 to $4,000 — one of the better value decisions in the project.
"Savings" That Cost More Later
- 15lb felt instead of synthetic underlayment. Tears during install, absorbs water, and offers far less protection if the roof is ever exposed.
- Skipping ventilation correction. Voids most shingle warranties and cooks the new roof from underneath.
- Skipping the permit. Saves a few hundred, becomes a disclosure problem at resale.
- Paying cash for a discount with no written contract. There is no version of this that ends well.
- Roofing over an existing layer. Saves maybe $1,500 on tear-off. Hides the decking condition entirely, traps heat, shortens the new shingle life, and doubles the tear-off cost next time.
- Reusing old flashing. Saves a few hundred dollars and is the single most common source of leaks on an otherwise new roof.
- Skipping or minimizing ice-and-water shield. In a freeze-thaw climate this is not an upgrade; it is the part that keeps meltwater out of your ceiling.
Roof Installation Cost FAQs — the Salt Lake Valley
Can I just roof over the existing shingles?
It is legal in most cases if there is only one existing layer, and it saves roughly $1,500. We do not recommend it: it hides the decking condition entirely, traps heat that shortens the new shingle life, and doubles the tear-off cost when the next roof goes on.
How long does a roof last in Utah?
Architectural shingle realistically gives 22 to 28 years here, 3-tab closer to 15 to 18, standing seam metal 40 to 70, and tile 50-plus on the tile with the underlayment needing replacement at 20 to 30 years. Freeze-thaw cycling is harder on roofs than most national averages assume.
Do I have to move out or take a day off work?
No. Most homeowners go about their day. It is genuinely loud during tear-off, so if you work from home or have someone napping, plan around the first several hours.
What happens if you find rotten decking?
We show you before we cover it, count the sheets, and charge the per-sheet rate that is already in your estimate. This is why a decking rate should be a named line item in any quote — so the number is agreed before anyone has an incentive to inflate the count.
Will a new roof lower my insurance?
Often, yes — many carriers rate on roof age and material, and some now decline to renew older roofs entirely. Send your carrier the completion documentation and ask them to re-rate. It is worth the phone call.
What does a new roof cost in the Salt Lake Valley?
For a typical valley home in architectural shingle, most fall between $8,500 and $18,500 fully installed with tear-off. Larger or more complex homes run $18,000 to $38,000. The variables that matter most are pitch, number of existing layers, and complexity — not square footage alone.
Free roof inspection in the Salt Lake Valley
Photo documented, written, and yours to keep. If your roof does not need work, we will tell you that — and we will put the remaining life in writing.
More Roofing Guides for the Salt Lake Valley
- Roofing Services in the Salt Lake Valley
- Affordable Roofing in the Salt Lake Valley
- Roof Repair Cost in the Salt Lake Valley
- Roof Leak Repair Cost in the Salt Lake Valley
- Metal Roof Cost in the Salt Lake Valley
- Tile Roofing in the Salt Lake Valley
- Flat & Low-Slope Roof Repair in the Salt Lake Valley
- Roof Inspection Cost in the Salt Lake Valley
- Roof Estimate in the Salt Lake Valley
- Roof Restoration in the Salt Lake Valley