Sources: This Old House (updated October 2026) and Bob Vila, citing HomeAdvisor and Angi (updated April 2024). National figures, not a quote.
The national average roof replacement cost for an asphalt shingle roof is about $5.16 per square foot installed, or roughly $10,320 for a 2,000 square foot roof, according to This Old House. Most replacements land somewhere between about $5,700 and $12,400. Where your house falls in that range depends on how big the roof really is, how steep and cut-up it is, what is under the old shingles, and which shingle you pick.
This guide walks through the published numbers, what pushes a price up or down for homes in Memphis and DeSoto County, and what a written estimate from Advance Roofing & Restoration covers. If you already know the roof is done, our roof replacement page explains how the job runs, and the estimate is free.
What’s in this guide
- Average roof replacement cost
- Cost by roof size: 1,000 to 3,000 square feet
- How to estimate your own roof
- What is the cheapest way to replace a roof?
- Why replacing a roof is so expensive
- What changes the price around Memphis and DeSoto County
- What goes into a quote from us
- When to call about a replacement
- Roof replacement cost questions
Average Roof Replacement Cost
The published averages agree more than they disagree, once you know what each one measures. This Old House’s cost guide, updated in October 2026, puts asphalt shingles at about $5.16 per square foot installed. Bob Vila’s roof replacement guide, which quotes HomeAdvisor and Angi, gives a typical range of $5,727 to $12,418 and a national average of $9,072.
This Old House also breaks the cost out by region for an 1,800 square foot house. The South came in at $9,312, close to the Northeast ($9,504), the West ($9,481) and the Midwest ($9,056). So a fair starting point for the typical price of a roof replacement on an average Mid-South house is the high four figures to low five figures, before anything specific to your roof.
Material moves the number more than anything else. This Old House lists these installed prices per square foot:
| Roofing material | Installed cost per sq ft | Typical lifespan |
|---|---|---|
| Asphalt shingles | $5.16 | 30–35 years |
| Wood shake | $13.15 | 30–50 years |
| Metal | $19.30 | 40–70 years |
| Clay tile | $22.21 | 50–100 years |
Source: This Old House, “How Much Does a New Roof Cost?”, updated October 7, 2026.
Most houses around here have asphalt shingle roofs, and that is the roof we spend most of our time on, so the rest of this guide uses asphalt roof replacement cost as the baseline.
Cost by Roof Size: 1,000 to 3,000 Square Feet
Here is what the This Old House per-foot price works out to at common roof sizes, next to Bob Vila’s shingle ranges for houses of the same square footage.
| Size (sq ft) | Asphalt, by roof area (This Old House) | Shingles, by home size (Bob Vila) |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $5,160 | $4,000–$5,500 |
| 1,500 | $7,740 | $5,500–$8,000 |
| 2,000 | $10,320 | $7,400–$10,500 |
| 2,500 | $12,900 | $9,000–$13,000 |
| 3,000 | $15,480 | $11,200–$16,000 |
So the average cost to replace a roof on a 2,000 square foot home runs about $7,400 to $10,500 for shingles, and replacing 1,000 square feet of roof is about $5,160 at the national asphalt rate.
One catch: your house and your roof are not the same size. A roof hangs past the walls and climbs at an angle, so its surface is larger than the floor under it on a one-story home. This Old House estimates that a one-story, 1,800 square foot house has about 2,231 square feet of roof, while a two-story house with the same floor space has about 1,153. A sprawling ranch can cost more to roof than a two-story house with more living space.
How to estimate your own roof
Roofers price by the “square,” which is 100 square feet of roof. To calculate a rough roof replacement cost:
- Find the roof’s area, not the home’s. Measure each slope, or start from your floor area and allow for overhangs and pitch.
- Divide by 100 to get squares. A 2,200 square foot roof is 22 squares.
- Multiply by a per-square price. At This Old House’s $5.16 per square foot, that is about $516 a square, or about $11,350 for 22 squares.
- Leave room for what a calculator can’t see: steep slopes, extra layers, and damaged decking.
That gives you a cost estimate for roof replacement that is good for budgeting. It is not a price, because the last item on that list only shows up on the roof.
What Is the Cheapest Way to Replace a Roof?
The cheapest replacement is a standard asphalt shingle on a simple, low-slope roof with one old layer and sound decking. Every step away from that adds cost.
You will also hear about an overlay, where new shingles go on top of the old ones. This Old House notes that where codes allow a second layer, an overlay is often faster and less expensive than a tear-off. We don’t do it.
We take the old shingles and underlayment off on every replacement, because stripping the roof is the only way to see the wood underneath and lets the new roof fasten into solid decking. A cheaper roof that hides rot is not a saving.
Where you can save without cutting corners: a mid-range shingle rather than a premium line, a color that hides granule wear, and getting the work done before a small leak turns into rotted decking.
Why Replacing a Roof Is So Expensive
It is mostly labor. This Old House says labor accounts for about 65% of a roof project, and Bob Vila puts the split near 60% labor and 40% materials. A replacement is skilled work done on a slope, often in the heat, and it takes a full crew.
The rest of the price is the parts of the job that don’t show from the street:
- Tear-off and haul-away. Bob Vila suggests adding $1,000 to $1,500 for removing the old roof.
- Decking. Rotted or soft boards have to be replaced before anything new goes down. Bob Vila lists rotted or old timbers at $1,000 to $10,000, depending on how far the damage goes.
- Flashing, boots and vents. Valleys, walls, chimneys and pipes get new flashing and boots, since old metal and cracked rubber are where a new roof leaks first.
- Pitch and shape. Steep slopes need extra safety measures, and dormers, valleys and skylights all add cutting and time.
What Changes the Price Around Memphis and DeSoto County
Storm season
The Mid-South gets a lot of hail and wind. A National Weather Service Memphis climatology study found hail is most frequent from March through June, with May the most active month, and that June is the busiest month for damaging winds, with a smaller second peak for both in November. That matters for cost in two ways: storm damage may be covered by insurance, and a hail-bruised roof can need replacing years before its age says it should.
Insurance
If a storm damaged the roof, insurance may pay for part or all of the replacement, minus your deductible. What the policy pays is decided by your insurer, and whether to file is up to you. If a claim is approved, we work from your insurer’s approved scope, and we can be on the roof when the adjuster comes out.
Permits
Permit rules depend on where the house sits. In Memphis, permits go through the joint Memphis and Shelby County Office of Construction Code Enforcement. On the Mississippi side, cities set their own rules: the City of Senatobia, for example, has its own roofing permit application, which asks for the project’s value and a copy of the accepted bid. Permit fees are an extra cost that often doesn’t appear in a first estimate, so check whether yours includes them.
What Goes Into a Quote From Us
We don’t publish a price, because two houses on the same street can need very different roofs. Here is what we look at and what a written estimate from Advance Roofing covers:
- A free inspection first. We go over the roof, check for soft spots in the decking from the attic and from above, and tell you plainly whether it truly needs replacing. If a repair will do, we will say so.
- Tear-off down to the decking. The old shingles and underlayment come off.
- Decking repairs where needed. Rotted or soft boards only show once the old roof is off. When we find them, we show you, and they are replaced before the new roof goes on.
- New underlayment, flashing and pipe boots, plus a look at the attic ventilation.
- The shingle you choose. We lay out the options for your house and explain how they differ in durability, look and cost.
- Ridge cap and cleanup. The old roofing, loose nails and debris leave the property with the crew.
It is in writing and spells out the work, and you get it before anyone asks you to commit.
When to Call About a Replacement
A roof is usually near the end when you see several of these together: shingles curling or cracking across several slopes, granules piling up in the gutters, leaks in more than one place or leaks that come back after a repair, a sagging roofline, or wind and hail damage on every slope rather than a few loose pieces. Bob Vila adds roof age, suggesting replacement be considered once a roof is over 20 years old.
If one or two apply, start with a roof inspection. If the problem is local, roof repair may buy you real time. If water is coming in now, emergency roofing comes first.
We are based in Hernando and replace roofs in Hernando, Southaven, Olive Branch, Horn Lake, Senatobia, Holly Springs and across the state line in Memphis. For a real number on your own house, see our roof replacement service or use the form on this page.
Roof Replacement Cost Questions
How much does it cost to replace a roof on a 2,000 square foot home?
Bob Vila, citing HomeAdvisor and Angi, puts asphalt shingles on a 2,000 square foot home at about $7,400 to $10,500. This Old House prices a 2,000 square foot asphalt roof at about $10,320. Your roof's area, pitch and decking condition decide where you land, so a written estimate is the only real number.
What are five signs that my roof needs to be replaced?
Shingles curling or cracking across several slopes, granules piling up in the gutters, leaks in more than one place or leaks that come back after a repair, a sagging roofline, and wind or hail damage on every slope rather than a few loose pieces. One or two of these usually means an inspection first, not a new roof.
Can a roof be replaced in one day?
Some can. Size, pitch, rotted decking and weather all decide how long it takes. You get an expected timeline from us with the estimate.
Is roof replacement tax deductible?
Not on your own home in the year you pay for it. IRS Publication 523 lists a new roof as an improvement that adds to your home's basis, which can lower the taxable gain when you sell. The federal energy efficient home improvement credit covered property placed in service before December 31, 2025, and does not list roofs. Ask a tax professional about your situation.
Can you repair a roof without replacing it?
Often, yes. If the damage is in one area and the rest of the roof is sound, a repair to that section can buy real time. We tell you plainly whether your roof truly needs replacing or still has repairable life in it.
Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Memphis or DeSoto County?
It depends on the city or county. In Memphis, permits go through the joint Memphis and Shelby County Office of Construction Code Enforcement. In Mississippi, cities set their own rules; Senatobia, for example, has its own roofing permit application. Check whether your estimate includes any permit fee.