Guide
What shingle grade and old layers add to a roof replacement
Four combinations of shingle grade and tear-off layers, priced the same way, so the difference each one makes is visible.
Reviewed by TheCostDesk on : the working features and the sources were checked by hand, and the wording read for tone. What a review involves.
Data last checked . Figures are the US average; the calculator adjusts them for a state.
The four combinations
A 2,000 sq ft roof at the US average, priced the same way each time. The typical figure is the middle of the range.
| Choice | Typical | Range | Against the first row |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard shingles, one old layer | $11,000 | $7,200 to $14,700 | Starting point |
| Standard shingles, two old layers | $13,200 | $8,400 to $18,100 | +$2,200 (+20%) |
| Premium shingles, one old layer | $13,000 | $9,300 to $16,700 | +$2,000 (+18%) |
| Premium shingles, two old layers | $15,300 | $10,500 to $20,100 | +$4,300 (+39%) |
The last row combines the second layer and premium shingles. Its difference is the sum of the other two, up to rounding to the nearest hundred dollars.
Where each difference comes from
Two separate costs, added to the same base.
A second layer of old roofing. It adds one more tear-off pass: 20 to 32 labor-hours at this size, using the trade-blog figure of 1.0 to 1.6 hours per roofing square for tear-off, and about twice the old roofing to haul away, $300 to $800 before the contractor's overhead and profit. At the typical figure the second layer is +$2,200 (+20%). The tear-off hours are reported by trade blogs, not measured in a study.
Premium shingles. The shingle price is the difference. At Lowe's on 4 and 5 November 2026 a standard architectural bundle cost $42.97 to $52.98 (about $1.29 to $1.59 a square foot) and a premium line $64.98 (about $1.95). Taking standard shingles at $1.29 to $1.59 a square foot against premium at $1.95 to $2.15 (the $2.15 is our estimated top, since only the $1.95 price was captured), and comparing the low ends and the high ends of each range, the gap over 2,000 sq ft with 12% waste is $1,254 to $1,478 in materials; the high-to-high gap is the smaller because the standard range is also wider at the top. With overhead and profit of 40% to 60% added on top (the Census 2022 figure for roofing contractors is 59% above direct cost), the gap becomes +$2,000 (+18%) at the typical figure. Installation hours are held equal in the table; heavier premium lines can take more time on the roof, which the table does not capture.
Installation labor, permit fees and the contractor's percentage markup are the same in all four rows. The markup is a percentage, so the dollars of overhead and profit grow with the direct cost.
Why a real quote can sit elsewhere
Things the four rows do not capture.
- What is under the shingles. Damaged or rotted decking is the most common hidden condition found after tear-off and is not in any row. Neither are more than two layers, skylights, chimney work or gutters.
- Slope and shape. Steeper and more cut-up roofs take longer and use more shingles. The bundle calculator shows how slope changes the surface area, about 12% more at 6 in 12 and 41% more at 12 in 12.
- Prices move. Shingle prices are read from shelves on one day and change often. Wages come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics survey of May 2025. Neither shows the local market today.
- Season and demand. Contractors' schedules and prices can shift with the time of year and with local demand, for example after hail or wind damage in an area. Our figures do not capture either, so a quote taken at a busy time can read higher than the range and one at a quiet time lower.
- Your town. Permit fees, wages and material prices vary by place. The state picker on the roof page adjusts wages, materials and permits by state.
Work it out for your own job
The figures above are examples. These take your numbers.
Sources
Where each figure comes from, and when we last looked.
- Checked sourceU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data year 2025, checked 2026-11-04.
- Checked sourceU.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Economic Census, table EC2223BASIC (Construction: Summary Statistics), NAICS 238160 Roofing Contractors, United States; fringe benefits are 25.5% of payroll and revenue is 59% above direct cost. Data year 2022, checked 2026-11-04.
- Checked sourceLowe's shelf prices read on lowes.com, Central Columbus OH (43211) and E. San Jose CA (95131) stores, 4 Nov 2026. Data year 2026, checked 2026-11-04.
- Published, secondhandTrade-blog productivity figures: Projul (26 Apr 2024) asphalt shingles 3 to 5 squares per roofer per day and tear-off 5 to 8 squares per person per day; RoofSnap (15 Jan 2026) crews 18 to 24 squares a day on simple roofs, 12 to 18 moderate, 6 to 12 steep. Neither cites a study; crew size and day length are not stated by Projul. Data year 2026, checked 2026-11-04.
- Published, secondhandNAHB Remodelers' Cost of Doing Business Study, 2026 edition (fiscal 2024), as reported by NAHB's Eye on Housing blog, 8 Apr 2026: cost of sales 70.1% of revenue, operating expenses 23.6%, net profit 6.3%; 2021 gross margin 24.9%; 2018 30.1%. Data year 2024, checked 2026-11-04.
- Checked sourceOfficial city building permit fee schedules read 5 Nov 2026: City of Auburn CA (building fees, 24 May 2025), City of Pleasanton CA (building permit and plan review fees) and City of Albany NY (building and zoning permit application fees, revised Feb 2026). Three small or mid-size cities, not a national survey; fees in larger cities and valuation-based schedules can be higher. Data year 2026, checked 2026-11-05.
- Published, secondhandU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state (US = 100), as republished by FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis). Goods parity is used for materials and all-items parity as a rough stand-in for permit fees. Data year 2024, checked 2026-11-04.
- Our estimateIn this guide: The tear-off hours for a second layer (1.0 to 1.6 labor-hours per roofing square, from trade blogs), the second-layer disposal allowance ($0.30 to $0.80 a sq ft, twice the one-layer figure) and the top of the premium shingle range ($2.15 a sq ft, extending the one premium price captured). Data year 2026, checked 2026-11-05.
For information only: not advice, a recommendation or a quote. We take care, but our sources can lag and so can we, so a figure may be out of date. Prices change with wages, material costs, the season and local demand; a real quote can fall outside any range.