A roof replacement costs $5,700 to $16,000 on average in 2026, by national published figures, and the same source puts Washington at $5,500 to $15,400. We do not publish a Bellevue price list. Many Eastside roofs are large, steep and cut up with valleys and skylights, and that is what sets the price.
Price ranges on this page are national figures published by HomeGuide for 2026. They are not our quotes. Eastside labor rates, the material you pick, the pitch and height of the roof and what we find under the old one move the number up or down. Last checked October 2026.
How much does a new roof cost?
Nationally, a new roof cost runs from $5,700 to $16,000, with an average of $10,800. HomeGuide lists a low of $2,700 and a high of $26,800. Its range for Washington State is $5,500 to $15,400.
Those figures are for a typical asphalt shingle roof. A large two-story home in Somerset or on Cougar Mountain with a steep, complex roof can sit above them. A small rambler in Lake Hills with a simple gable roof can sit below.
How much does a roof replacement cost per square foot?
A roof replacement costs $3 to $6 per square foot installed, by the national figures. That is for asphalt shingles. Other materials cost more.
| Material | Installed, per square foot | Typical total |
|---|---|---|
| Asphalt shingles | $3 to $6 | $7,500 to $14,000 |
| Metal | $5 to $16 | $7,500 to $40,000 |
| Wood shakes | $7 to $15 | $12,900 to $28,200 |
| Tile | $7 to $25 | $10,500 to $62,500 |
| Slate | $10 to $30 | $22,000 to $70,000 |
| Flat roof | $3 to $11 | $4,000 to $16,800 |
What is a roofing square?
A roofing square is 100 square feet of roof surface. Roofers measure and price by the square, so a 2,400 square foot roof is 24 squares. The national figure is $300 to $600 per square installed. Roof area is always larger than the floor area of the house, because of the pitch and the overhangs. So no, a roof is not priced by the square footage of the house. It is priced by the measured roof surface. Two homes with the same floor area can have very different roofs: a one-story rambler has far more roof than a two-story house of the same size.
How much does a roof cost for a 1,500 or 2,000 square foot house?
For a 2,000 square foot house, the national range is $6,700 to $13,400. For a 1,500 square foot house it is $5,000 to $10,100. These rows are by the floor area of the house, not the roof.
| House size (roof size) | National range |
|---|---|
| 1,200 sq ft (1,340) | $4,000 to $8,000 |
| 1,500 sq ft (1,675) | $5,000 to $10,100 |
| 2,000 sq ft (2,235) | $6,700 to $13,400 |
| 2,500 sq ft (2,795) | $8,500 to $16,800 |
| 3,000 sq ft (3,355) | $10,100 to $20,100 |
| 4,000 sq ft (4,470) | $13,400 to $26,800 |
How much does it cost to tear off the old roof?
Tear-off alone costs $1 to $3 per square foot nationally for asphalt, metal or composite roofing, and $1 to $2 for wood shakes and flat roofs. Tile and slate cost $2 to $5 to remove. A full tear-off and replacement together is $3 to $6 per square foot.
Many Bellevue re-roofs are cedar shake coming off. Shake was often nailed to spaced boards with gaps between them, not solid plywood. Composition shingles need a solid deck, so new sheathing over the whole roof becomes part of the job. That is a real cost and it should be on the quote from the start.
How much does new plywood or decking add to the cost?
Replacing roof decking costs $2 to $5 per square foot installed, by the national figures, or $2,400 to $8,600 for an average roof. Plywood runs $16 to $64 a sheet and OSB $9 to $60 before labor.
On a shingle-over-plywood roof we usually replace only the soft or rotten sheets, most often at the eaves, in valleys and around chimneys and skylights. The quote should give a price per sheet so you know the cost before we find any.
How much does a metal roof cost compared with shingles?
A metal roof cost is $5 to $16 per square foot installed nationally, against $3 to $6 for asphalt shingles. Standing seam is $9 to $16, metal shingles $6 to $14 and corrugated panels $5 to $12.
Metal costs more up front and lasts longer: 30 to 80 years or more by the published figures, against 20 to 30 for architectural shingles. It also sheds needles and resists moss better than shingles, which counts for a lot under fir trees.
How much does a flat roof cost to replace?
A flat roof cost is $3 to $11 per square foot installed nationally, or $4,000 to $16,800 for a typical job. By material, TPO and EPDM run about $4 to $10, PVC $5 to $12 and modified bitumen (torch-down) $4.00 to $7.50 per square foot.
Low-slope sections are common on mid-century Bellevue homes. They are priced apart from the pitched part of the roof because the material and the labor are different.
Why are my roof quotes so far apart?
Roof quotes land far apart because the roofers are not pricing the same job. Check these lines first:
- Full tear-off, or a new layer over the old one.
- New sheathing over the whole roof (common after cedar shake) or a per-sheet allowance.
- Type of underlayment, and whether flashing, pipe boots and vents are new or reused.
- Shingle grade: 3-tab, architectural or luxury.
- Ridge and intake ventilation.
- Permit, disposal, clean-up and gutter work.
- Whether the roofer is registered, bonded and insured, which costs money to keep up.
How do I know if a roof quote is fair?
A roof quote is fair when it is complete, written and close to other complete quotes. Line the quotes up item by item. If one is far lower, find what is missing from it. The lowest number is often the one that leaves out decking, flashing or disposal and adds them back later as extras.
What should a roof estimate include?
A roof estimate should include the whole scope in writing, with nothing left to a handshake:
- Roof size in squares and how many layers come off.
- Brand, line and color of the roofing.
- Underlayment type, drip edge, flashing, pipe boots and vents.
- A unit price for replacing bad decking.
- Who gets the permit if one is needed.
- Clean-up, disposal and protection of plants, decks and driveways.
- Total price, payment schedule and the contractor's L&I registration number.
Can I finance a new roof?
Many homeowners do pay for a roof over time, through a home equity loan or line of credit, a personal loan or a lender that works with contractors. Ask us what financing options are available when you call. We have no payment figures to publish. Compare the interest rate and total cost of any loan with what your own bank or credit union offers.
Washington law has a rule here. On home roofing contracts covered by RCW 19.186, if you tell the contractor you plan to get a loan to pay for the job, the contract must say so, and you can cancel within three business days of getting the loan disclosures or a loan denial.
The roofer says the price may go up once the old roof is off. Is that normal?
Yes, within limits. Nobody can see the decking until the old roofing is removed, so rotten wood found once the old roof is off is a real unknown. In this climate it turns up most often at the eaves behind clogged gutters and under mossy north slopes. A fair quote names the unit price for new sheathing in advance, and the roofer shows you photos and gets your approval before adding cost. Extra charges with no photos and no agreed price are a warning sign.
How much do gutters cost?
Gutters cost $12 to $25 per linear foot installed nationally, or $2,200 to $5,000 for an average home. HomeGuide's page for seamless gutters gives $6 to $20 per linear foot. The two pages do not agree, so treat them as rough guides. Downspouts are $30 to $75 each.
How much should a roofer charge for labor?
Roofing labor cost for shingles is $2.00 to $3.50 per square foot nationally, or $200 to $350 per square, on HomeGuide's labor page for 2026. Metal is $4.00 to $8.00 per square foot. Those are national published figures and not our rates. Most roofers quote one price for the whole job and do not split labor out. Labor on the Eastside runs high, and a steep or tall roof needs more safety setup and more hours.
I have three quotes for the same house: $11,500, $16,800 and $24,000. Which one is right?
None of them is right or wrong until you know what each one includes. The gap from lowest to highest is $12,500, and the top quote is more than double the bottom one. A spread that wide almost never comes from profit alone. It comes from scope. Put the three side by side and check tear-off, new sheathing, underlayment, flashing, ventilation, shingle line and permit.
Often the $11,500 quote leaves out decking or reuses old flashing, and the $24,000 one includes a premium shingle or full new sheathing. Ask each roofer to price the same written scope. The numbers usually move closer together.
Is $13,500 a good price for a new roof on an 1,800 square foot ranch?
It is above the national range but can still be a fair price here. HomeGuide's 2026 table gives $6,000 to $12,000 for an 1,800 square foot house, so $13,500 sits $1,500 over the top of it. A ranch has all of its floor area under the roof, so it carries more roof than a two-story house of the same size. Add Eastside labor, a full tear-off and any new sheathing, and the figure is believable. Judge it by what is written in the scope, and compare it with one or two other complete quotes.
Should I take the lowest estimate, and does a higher price mean a better job?
Take the lowest estimate only if it covers the same work as the others. A low price that skips decking, flashing or disposal is not cheaper once those come back as extras. A higher price does not prove a better job either. It can mean a better shingle and more thorough details, or it can mean a busy roofer who does not need the work. Compare scope, registration, insurance and how clearly each roofer answers questions. Then compare price.
Are there grants or programs that help pay for a roof?
There are a few programs, and most are loans or are limited by income. They are rarely grants. The City of Bellevue runs a Home Repair Program for homeowners who qualify. The city describes it as a loan with no interest charged, recorded as a lien and repaid when the home is sold or transferred. Call the city's Human Services office to ask whether you and a roof repair qualify.
Outside Bellevue, ask your own city or King County about housing repair help. We do not run or administer any of these programs.
A free roof inspection with photos and a written quote is the only way to get a real price for your roof. Call or text The Bellevue Roofers at (425) 522-5354.