How Much Does a New Roof Cost in Utah?

How Much Does a New Roof Cost in Utah?

No home is complete without a solid, stable roof. After all, no part of your property is more important for protecting the beauty, integrity and overall functionality of your house. But there’s more than one way of achieving that goal. Take a look around your city in Utah, and you’ll find a huge variety of roofing materials and styles in play; from asphalt, to slate, to metal.

While any roof installation represents a significant investment, with national estimates pegging the cost of new roofing at anywhere from $2000 to $30,000; the amount you pay is dependent on a variety of factors.

Here’s a handy guide for determining how much you could be paying for your new roof.

Main Factors that Affect Roofing Costs

Size and Pitch of Roof

As you might expect – larger roofs require more material, labor and time to install; and all that translates to higher expenses. The average American roof is calculated to be around 3000 feet, but if you want to estimate the likely cost of your roof then you’ll need to get out a tape measure. Rather than risking life and limb by climbing on top of the roof yourself, you can just measure the length and width of the base of your home to come out with a square footage.

The second part of this equation requires figuring out the pitch of your roof (how steep it is). Generally steeper roofs are more complicated to replace as they’re difficult to walk on. Commonly roofs in Utah are pitched at an angle of 6:12, which means they rise 6 feet for every 12 inches across; if your roof is angled at anything above an 8:12 ratio then you have a very steep roof.

A conversion table will provide you with a multiplier based on this pitch ratio; multiply this against the square footage of your home and you’ll arrive at the total roofed area. Now you have an approximate roof size in mind.

Account for Wastage

When you hire a roofer, they’ll have to estimate the amount of material required to cover your entire roof that includes the ridges as well as the underlayment (used to waterproof your roof). A good rule of thumb if you’re applying shingles is to account for 1.3 shingles for every foot of roofing. Even with precise measurements, there will be some material left over. Roofers always prefer to overestimate; otherwise they run the risk of causing lengthy delays.

Generally, 10% of material is wasted during a new installation, either due to calculation errors or general breakage.

Figure out the Material

The choice of material will play, perhaps the biggest part in calculating the total cost of your roof installation in Utah.

• Asphalt is by far the most widely used roofing material used in Utah, and it offers a good blend of form and functionality, as well as affordability. These shingles come in a variety of colors and styles. You can expect an asphalt roof to cost anywhere from $1700 to $8400 on the average sized home; depending on the quality of asphalt used.
• Metal is a great choice for Utah residents looking for a slick, streamlined exterior design. Steel the most popular material offering good durability, a steel roof can cost anywhere from $5000-$22,000 depending on the quality of material. Aluminum is more expensive at $12,000-$24,000 and beautiful copper roofing is by far the most pricey coming in at $25,000-$40,000
• Tile offers great functionality, flexibility and ease of installation; tile roofs are also generally easier to maintain. Tiles can come in either concrete or ceramic finishes. Concrete is a more durable option ranging between $7500-$21,000; while slightly more fragile, ceramic tiles cost around $12,000 to apply.