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Roof Removal Costs
Roofing contractors are often all over the boards in terms of what they will charge for roof removal costs. We will run through some different scenarios and what you can expect in terms of cost when it comes to a tear off or roof scraping. Remember, every job is different and has it's own unique set of requirements so get at least 3 bids to make sure you're getting a fair price (and so you know what the going price is in your particular area). Most contractors will break down the bids so you can see what they charge for the tear off, material costs and labor costs for installing the new roof.
Tear offs are a pretty big part of a roofing project in general. The company needs to rent a dumpster to load and haul away the old roof material. They may bring in scaffolding to access the roof more easily. Many crews will lay down tarps to collect the old shingles and nails (no one wants errant nails on their grass or driveway). They have the cost of the labor to actually scrape away the shingles and paper, remove the drip edge, flashing and gutters. Given how high worker's comp insurance is in many parts of the country, this is the big expense.
Once the shingles and paper has been taken off, the roofers will need to look for any boards underneath that need to be repaired or replaced. They may resecure the boards to the roof studs and then install the new sythetic felt or underlayment, drip edge and gutters. These last steps are usually not part of the removal process, but they must be done
Simple Roof Removal Cost
A smaller roof project, say 1500 square feet, with 1 layer of shingles should be able to be removed by a team of two in 2 to 3 hours, give or take an hour. This assumes a flat to low pitched roof and very little to no work required to the boards. Explore more on shingle roof costs.
-- Estimated Cost: $1 to $2 per square foot --
Mid Range Roof Removal Pricing
A mid range roof project, say 2500 square feet, with 2 layer of shingles should be able to be removed by a team of three in 4 to 5 hours, give or take an hour. This assumes a little repair work to the boards underneath the shingles and paper. A mid range project will account for a slightly steeper roofline and one or two roof valleys and extra flashing etc.
-- Estimated Cost: $2 to $3 per square foot --
High End Roof Removal Costs
A large roof project, say 3500 square feet, with 3 layer of composition shingles should be able to be removed by a team of four in 5 to 6 hours, give or take an hour. This assumes some damage to the wood boards underneath that have to be repaired and replaced. They will also have to remove the old sythetic felt, drip edges and gutters. A high end project will account for a steep roofline and several roof valleys and extra flashing etc.
-- Estimated Cost: $3 to $4 per square foot --
Related Article: Slate Roof Calculator