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Size and pitch
Roofing is priced by area, and steeper roofs take more time, more safety setup, and more labor per square foot. Two houses on the same street can be very different jobs.
Updated August 2026 · Written by the APX Roofing team in Fruita, CO
The honest answer: it depends on your roof — and anyone quoting you a price before they've been on it is guessing. Here's what actually drives the number, and how to compare bids like someone who's done this before.
Roofing is priced by area, and steeper roofs take more time, more safety setup, and more labor per square foot. Two houses on the same street can be very different jobs.
Valleys, hips, dormers, skylights, and chimneys all add flashing work — and flashing is where quality shows. A simple gable roof and a cut-up roof of the same size are very different numbers.
Architectural asphalt shingle is the valley's workhorse. Metal costs more up front and lasts decades longer. Tile and composite sit in between. Each has a right time and place — that's an honest conversation, not an upsell.
Removing the old roof, and repairing any decking underneath that's soft or damaged, is part of a job done right. Beware quotes that skip it — a new roof over bad decking is a countdown, not a roof.
Drip edge, ice-and-water barrier, and proper ventilation are code and manufacturer-spec items, not extras. Bids that omit them look cheaper on paper and cost you at inspection time — or years later.
Landscaping to protect, driveways to keep clear, and how close equipment can get all play in at the margins. We walk the site before we quote so none of it surprises anyone.
Roofing is measured in "squares" — one square is 100 square feet of roof surface. A bid starts with your square count, adds a waste factor for cuts and ridges (higher on complex roofs), and layers in tear-off and disposal, materials, labor, and the fixed costs of doing it right: permits, dumpsters, and site protection.
Two useful things fall out of that. First, roof area isn't house area — a steep or cut-up roof over a modest house can carry more squares than a big simple ranch. Second, labor and material move together: a cheap bid can't shrink the shingle price, so it's almost always shrinking labor (crew quality) or scope (what gets skipped). That's why the comparison checklist below matters more than the bottom-line number.
Timing is honest to mention too: after a big hailstorm, everyone's schedule fills and materials get tight valley-wide. Getting an inspection early — before the rush, or early in the season — never hurts the number.
All three traps have the same antidote: an itemized written quote from a contractor you've actually vetted.
The trick isn't finding the lowest number — it's making sure every bid covers the same scope. A quote that's dramatically cheaper is usually missing one of these, and you'll pay for it later:
Beyond the scope: ask who actually does the work, how payment is scheduled (be wary of large up-front deposits), and whether the contractor is local enough to stand behind the roof next year. On the Western Slope, out-of-town storm chasers are a real thing — here's how to spot them.
Averages you read online blend different markets, materials, and roof types into a number that fits nobody. The only price that matters is the one for your actual roof — and getting it costs nothing: we inspect free, photograph everything, and give you a written quote with the full scope spelled out.
Three things that can change the math entirely: if a storm caused the damage, insurance may cover more than you expect. If your shingles qualify, Roof Renew can buy years for far less than a replacement. And if the timing is bad, financing spreads the cost out.
Weighing materials first? Start with our honest metal vs. shingle comparison, or go straight to the shingle and metal pages.
Because they'd be wrong for your roof. Size, pitch, complexity, material, and deck condition swing the number too far for a published price to mean anything. We measure your actual roof and give you a written, itemized quote instead — free.
Really free — the inspection, the photos, and the written quote. No fee, no obligation, and if a repair will do the job instead, we'll quote the repair.
See: What the free inspection covers →Almost always scope: an overlay instead of a tear-off, reused flashing, skipped ventilation, or no deck repair line. Put the bids side by side against the checklist above and the difference usually explains itself.
If a storm caused the damage, dramatically — an approved claim means insurance covers the approved scope and you pay your deductible. If it's age and wear, insurance won't apply, but financing can.
Read: How a roof claim works →Architectural shingle covers a house for the least money up front, which is why it's on most of the valley. Metal costs a real multiple more but lasts decades longer — the right call depends on how long you're staying.
Read: Metal vs. shingle, honestly →Yes — financing through our partner Acorn Finance lets you pay over time, with offers from multiple lenders and a soft credit check to see your options. Get the estimate first so you're financing a real number.
See: How financing works →Free inspection, written itemized quote, full scope spelled out. Shop it around — we're comfortable being compared.
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