A roofing replacement isn’t something that’s done very often. Most homeowners will only replace a roof once in a lifetime. And so, many aren’t overly familiar with the different residential roofing materials and their costs.
If that’s your story, look no further than this guide. It provides a run-down of common residential roofing materials and how much they cost.
Asphalt Shingles
Asphalt shingles are the most popular kind of residential roofing product. Shingles are durable, affordable, accessible, and suitable for virtually every climate.
Shingles might be common, but your house doesn’t have to look like a cookie-cutter piece of suburbia if you use this roofing material. Manufacturers make them in several different colors and styles.
Basic, plainer options are available along with thicker architectural-style shingles and higher-end shingles that imitate other products like slate or the variegated color of natural stone.
Asphalt Shingles Average Cost per Square Foot
- Basic Three-Tab Shingles: $1 to $3
- Architectural Shingles: $4.50 to $8.50
- Luxury Shingles: $8 to $13
Metal Roofing
Steel, aluminum, tin, zinc, and copper are all used as roofing materials.
Metal roofing is available in long panels, shingles, or shakes. Metal panels can be installed as standing seam or exposed fastener panels – and this will change the average cost.
Steel comes in the most variety and can be galvalume (aluminum-coated), galvanized (zinc-coated), or stainless. Galvanized steel offers better durability and anti-corrosive protection without being exorbitantly expensive. You can also find steel roofing in either shingles or panels.
Aluminum is an inexpensive, corrosion-resistant roofing material. However, it doesn’t age as well as steel or other metals.
Tin roofing is an old-fashioned but durable choice. Manufacturers produce tin roofing material that’s plain, painted, or built with a steel core.
Zinc is an affordable and high-quality roofing option with a lifespan of up to 100 years. Well-made zinc roofing is completely corrosion-resistant and self-healing.
Copper is lightweight and beautiful throughout its lifetime, but expensive.
Metal Roofing Average Cost per Square Foot
- Galvalume Steel: $4 to $9
- Galvanized Steel: $4.50 to $17
- Aluminum: $6.50 to $21
- Stainless Steel: $7 to $20
- Tin: $10 to $26
- Zinc: $14.50 to $21
- Copper: $20 to $40
Wood Roofing
Natural wood can be used to roof a house. Wood roofing comes in shingles or shakes. Wood shingles are thin and smooth with a uniform, tapered appearance. Shakes are hand-split products that are much thicker than shingles and have a rustic appearance.
Wood roofing is virtually always made of insect-resistant cedar.
Wood Roofing Average Cost per Square Foot
- Cedar Shingles: $4.50 to $8.50
- Cedar Shakes: $6 to $11+
Slate Roofing
Natural slate is a durable, waterproof, insect-proof, fireproof, and rot-proof material with an elevated appearance. Slate roofing can last anywhere from 50 to 200 years.
The downside of this premium product is that natural slate is rather heavy and quite expensive. It can also get brittle over time – making it vulnerable to impact damage and a little more difficult to work on.
If you like the look of slate but not the cost or its few limitations, check out synthetic and hybrid products.
Slate Roofing Average Cost per Square Foot
- Natural Slate Roofing: $10 to $30
- Synthetic Slate Roofing: $4 to $12
- Hybrid Slate Roofing: $9 to $16
Clay Tiles
Clay is another inorganic natural product that can be used for roofing. This material is best used for houses in hotter, drier climates. However, some clay tiling is manufactured to withstand cold weather and winter’s freeze-thaw cycles.
Clay tiling is indispensable to some traditional warm-weather housing styles, like Mission, Mediterranean, and Spanish styles.
The products available today can be unglazed or glazed. Traditional unglazed clay tiles have the classic warm rust-brown earth tones. Glazed clay tiles come in different colors.
Clay Roofing Average Cost per Square Foot
- Clay Roofing Tiles: $2.50 to $18.00
Concrete Tiles
Concrete is a versatile, damage-resistant roofing product made from sand, cement, and water.
Concrete roofing can look like poured concrete panels or be shaped like roofing tiles, shingles, or shakes. Panels bring a more industrial feeling, while tiles, shingles, and shakes look like other residential roofs.
Many concrete roofing products are available today, with a wide price range.
Concrete Roofing Average Cost per Square Foot
- Concrete Roofing: $3 to $5
Rubber Roofing
Rubber is a durable, low-maintenance roofing product that used to be reserved for industrial, mainly flat roofs. It’s also eco-friendly as the material it’s made from, EPDM or ethylene propylene diene terpolymer, is 100% recyclable and usually made from recycled material.
If going green isn’t your highest priority, then cost savings might be. EDPM is energy efficient and an incredible insulator.
Plus, it’s paintable and comes in strips that can resemble regular shingles, slate, or even cedar.
Rubber Roofing Average Cost per Square Foot
- Rubber Roofing: $0.50 to $3.50
Green or Living Roofing
A green or living roof features growing plants in place of shingles or tiles. It’s eco-friendly, improves air quality, and helps to insulate the home. It also adds some nice outdoor ambiance and curb appeal.
That said, living roofing is expensive and very high maintenance.
Green Roofing Average Cost per Square Foot
- Green Roofing: $10 to $50
Rolled Roofing
Rolled roofing is a mineral-surfaced, oil-based asphalt product that’s appropriate for flat or low-sloped roofs. It’s mainly used for industrial purposes, but homeowners sometimes choose it to roof sheds, garages, and other outbuildings.
Rolled roofing is easy to install, very affordable, and quite low maintenance. It’s a practical choice for roofing accessory buildings.
Rolled Roofing Average Cost per Square Foot
- Rolled Roofing: $0.50 to $1.50
Solar Shingles
Solar shingles are photovoltaic solar panels built to function as roofing tiles. They either replace, partly replace, or overlay another roofing product.
Solar roofing is lightweight, durable, and easy to install but has a high upfront cost.
Solar Shingle Roofing Average Cost per Square Foot
- $20 to $30
Contact a professional roofing company: Midwest Roof & Solar
We hope you found this roofing material product overview helpful. Please reach out to us with any questions or to book a complimentary roofing inspection and consultation to get started on your roof installation.
