Chicago New Roof Pricing
How much does a new roof in Chicago cost? Below is a guide to show you what goes into calculating the price of a new roof. Let’s not kid ourselves, shopping for a roof in Chicago can be stressful. With so many companies claiming they offer the best deal in town, how do you choose a contractor that is going to give you the best bang for your buck while adhering to all your roofing wants and needs? In order to answer that, there are many factors you have to take into consideration. This price varies depending on the quality of the shingle you want, the size of the roof area, the roof design, the height of the roof, the number of dormers and wall junctions, the number of layers on the roof, accessibility, permit costs, etc.
Price & Size
To cut straight to the point– the bigger the roof, the higher the cost. Roofs are measured in squares (1 square = 100 square feet [SQ/FT]).
The price of standard asphalt shingles falls between $4.5 – $6.5 per square foot.
To give you an example, the average roof in Chicago is approximately 18 squares or 1800sq feet, so for a roof measuring 18 squares, you are looking at spending between $8,100 – $11,700 for asphalt shingles.
How to Price a Roof
Materials
Different shingle manufactures have different prices. The most common shingle types are: three-tab shingles, architectural shingles and designer shingles. All three carry different warranties and designs, which reflects in material costs.
Roof Design
Not all roofs are the same. There are over a dozen different roof types; gable, hip, and mansard, just to name a few. Roofs are also classified as walkable and non-walkable. Depending on the roof type and its classification, the more difficult the roof is to replace, the higher the cost. A non-walkable roof, for example, will require more time to complete due to extra precautions in place to ensure the safety of the workers and the homeowner, which, in turn, will come with a higher price point.
Roof elevation and dormers
Changes in elevation of the roof will require re-flashing of the current roof-to-wall junction. The roof-to-wall junction is an area where the roof meets the wall of the house. The type of flashing varies depending on the house. The re-flashing can be as simple as pulling back the vinyl siding and running new ice and water and step flashing behind it. Another is cutting the side of the wall of the home if siding is aluminum/ Hardie/ brick and installing new custom flashing.
Height of Roof
The height of the roof from the ground also plays a part in the time it takes to complete a roof installation. A roof on a one-story home will be easier to install than a roof on a two or three-story home. This is due to the time it takes the workers to get the materials from the ground to the top of the roof and the extra precautions required when climbing ladders and working on a structure further off the ground.
Accessibility
Unlike in the suburbs where there is more room between homes, a lot of Chicago homes are built very close together. When removing the old roofing structure, debris has to be handled with care and passed to the ground or carefully placed on the tarps to ensure the protection of the homeowners and their neighbors’ property. Protecting the homes from debris will require additional materials and additional manpower for cleanup and installation.
Roof Decking
Replacing your roof requires more than changing your shingles. While installing new shingles is great, in order to fasten the shingles onto your roof you need to check if your roof deck is in proper condition. We will check for mold, soft spots, deck buckling and deterioration. You want to avoid fastening shingles to soft decking, as they will be more likely to blow away with high winds and will not be covered by the warranty.
Attic Ventilation
Check for adequate ventilation. If you do not have a proper ratio of air intake to air output, you will experience moisture build up in the attic, which will lead to deterioration of your roof deck. This will cut down the lifespan of your roof dramatically and will end up costing you a lot more money in the long run.
So what is the best roofing system?
At Wolf Development, we install a GAF Lifetime Roofing System; a system that will withstand the test of time. Our system is backed by a Lifetime Manufacturer’s warranty and a 10-year workmanship warranty offered by us. We go over every detail of the roof installation process as well as our calculations for how much your new roof in Chicago will cost because we believe in being transparent and answering all questions up front.
