Asphalt Shingles – Home Remodeling Costs Guide

Average Cost to Tear Off & Replace a Roof on 2,000-2,200 Sq.Ft. House

April 5, 2023April 5, 2023

We all want to get the best possible deal when it comes to spending our hard-earned money on home remodeling upgrades. However, there are some items that fall in the “never bargain shop” category. A new roof ranks high on that list. 😉

How Much Does a New Roof Cost?

A new asphalt shingles roof for a typical 2,000 to 2,200 square foot single-family house can range in price from $10,000 to $19,800 fully installed, including the tear off and disposal of the old roof (up to two layers). The pricing can range greatly depending on the choice of contractor, roof size and difficulty, and local real estate market conditions.

Asphalt Shingles $8,500 Average Cost	Metal Roof $15,500 Average Cost	Flat Roof Membrane $11,500 Average Cost
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Average Price Per Square Foot Across the US, a typical architectural asphalt shingle roof will cost between $5.00 and $7.00 per sq. ft. to install, depending on the brand and type of shingles, and project specifics variables. — This pricing range normally includes all the necessary materials and supplies, tear off and disposal of the old roof (up to two layers), dumpster and disposal fees, site plans and building permits required by the local building departments, professional installation, and a comprehensive contractor’s workmanship warranty.

In the high cost of living areas like San Francisco Bay area, San Jose, Los Angeles, San Diego, Portland, Seattle, Portland, Boston, NYC, the greater Washington DC, and Northern Virginia, homeowners can expect to pay between $6.00 and $9.00 per sq. ft. to replace a roof on a typical 2,000-2,200 square foot house with mid-range architectural shingles like GAF Timberline or OC Duration. — This range does exceed the national average figures due to the disproportionately higher cost of living in expensive coastal cities compared to American heartland.

Note: The actual estimates homeowners receive can vary widely, depending on the location of the property (local real estate market), roof’s overall complexity, and the type of system you choose to install. Quotes can also vary greatly from contractor to contractor in the same area, which is why it’s so important to get several professional estimates.

Did you know? The average house size in America is roughly 2,200 square feet, with older homes usually being smaller in size and measuring between 1,500 Sq.Ft. to 2,000 Sq.Ft., on average. Newer built homes are typically larger in size, measuring between 2,400 Sq.Ft. and 2,600 Sq.Ft., on average.

However, the actual size of the roof surface can vary depending on how many levels or stories there are, the slope and type of the roof shape, and complexity of its architectural design (think a simple gable roof vs. a more complex hip and gable roof shape with dormers and valleys).

Varying factors that can affect your cost are the brand and type of shingles; the type of underlayment; roof slope; complexity of the job; the company installing the roof, and local real estate values.

Average Total Cost of Replacement on a 2,000-2,200 Square Foot House:

3-Tab Asphalt Shingles: $10,000 to $12,500
30-year Shingles: $10,500 to $19,800
50-year (Thicker) Premium Shingles: $11,500 to $20,500
EPDM Rubber Membrane: $10,500 to $17,500
TPO or PVC Membrane: $11,500 to $20,500
Wood Shingles: $15,500 to $27,500
Steel Shingles: $15,500 to $27,500
Aluminum Shingles: $16,500 to $29,500
Standing Seam: $18,500 to $31,500
Natural Slate: $25,000 to $50,500
Concrete Tiles: $25,000 to $40,500
Clay Tiles: $25,000 to $45,500

* These are approximate total job prices based on the national average. Costs may vary depending on your region and home’s location, the roof’s slope and number of stories, overall complexity of the roof, the number of layers of old shingles to be removed and disposed of the type of roofing underlayment (15 or 30 lbs. felt, and/or synthetic underlayment and whether it’s breathable or non-breathable), roof accessories (like snowguards, solar vents or ridge vent) used, and any workmanship warranties or guarantees the contractor offers.

Getting a roof replacement is expensive. Seeing the total price of getting it done properly can cause a justifiable sticker shock. However, when homeowners have a better understanding of where the money is going and how they will save money in the long run, it’s easier to see a quality roof as the investment it truly is.

Roof Shingle Colors: How to Pick the Best Color for your Roof

April 13, 2023April 1, 2023

The best shingle color for your roof is one that completes your home’s exterior by giving it what it is lacking. It creates balance and helps to emphasize the best features of your home, maximizing curb appeal.

IKO Armourshake ShadowBlack Designer shingles roof

A house with a bland exterior needs shingles with color to provide visual interest.

A home exterior that already features multiple colors benefits from a solid color to prevent the overall look from being too busy.

If the home’s siding is a “warm” tone, like beige or brown, then the roof should be a neutral or warm color.

“Cool” tones like gray and blue exteriors are best complemented by black or colors on the “cool” side of a color wheel.

Black is a safe choice for any roof.

If what you’ve heard so far makes sense, read on for:

Tips on choosing the right shingle color for your home based on your home’s color, style, climate and more.
Tools available that can assist you in your search for the “perfect” asphalt shingle color.
A summary of Do’s and Don’ts when choosing a roof color.
Plenty of sample pictures to illustrate the content.

Roof Visibility, Curb Appeal & Shingle Choice

Choosing the best shingle color for your roof is critical for curb appeal and your personal enjoyment of your home.

25% – The roof accounts for around 25% of what’s visible from the curb on two-story homes or single-story homes with a moderately sloped roof.

40% or more – On single-story homes or any home with a very steep/tall roof, the roof structure is an even larger part of the view from the street.

Those aren’t just random numbers – there are important tips to be shared from the information.

The larger the roof, especially with a steep pitch, the more it makes sense to choose a medium-colored or lighter-colored roof. Large, dark roofs overwhelm a small or medium-size house, making it look top-heavy.

On the other hand, a light-colored roof that isn’t steep looks underwhelming on a two-story home. Small roofs need robust, darker color to achieve visual balance.

Start with What you Have – Siding, Trim, Shutters, Front Door

Finding the right shingle color isn’t an isolated choice. Simply picking a shade you like may or may not produce a good-looking home.

The process should start with evaluating what’s already on your house unless you are doing a complete exterior renovation. Even then, since the siding is the largest part of the picture, consider starting there. A few of the visualizers listed below allow you to choose a siding color and a roofing color.

There are two key considerations here – the “temperature” of your current exterior and how many different hues are used.

So, what are the colors of the siding, trim, shutters, gutters, and the front door – a visual focal point on any home?

Are they warm colors? Then your roof shingles should ideally be warm. And cool-colored roofing shingles best complement cool tones of siding, doors, trim, shutters, etc.

Note that complimenting your home’s siding and trim, necessarily, does requires some degree of contrast between siding and trim/shutters, and the roof.

Below is a quick explanation on what the warm and cool colors are and how to make sense of it all.

About Colors – Warm and Cool Colors

This wheel is typical of those referred to by designers and artists – anyone working with color.

*Brightness: Roof shingles are rarely as bright as the colors in the wheel, but their highlights can be.

Here are the most common color hues. As you can see, most are medium dark, other than white, rather than light. As a rule, light roofing isn’t as attractive as darker, richer tones.

Instead of being extra-bright, most have granules of more than one color with highlights that can be bright.

Average Cost To Install a new Roof Typical Range: $5,960 - $12,740

See costs in your area

IKO Roofing Shingles Review: Quality, Costs, Pros & Cons

April 1, 2023January 29, 2023

IKO shingles are available in most regions of the country, though they certainly don’t sell as well as GAF, Atlas, Owens Corning, CertainTeed, and selection is more limited than what’s available from other leading brands.

Yeah, but aren’t IKO shingles junk?

Problem: Reputation is a major reason why IKO asphalt shingles remain a second-tier player in market share.

The brand was once notorious for poor quality. Particularly bad was the issue of granule loss.

Granules are the colored ceramic beads embedded in the surface of the shingle for various purposes that include reflecting the sun to protect the asphalt from heat damage and from drying out and cracking.

Solved: However, IKO seems to have solved the issue. The company spent millions of dollars in the last few years to improve this aspect of manufacturing. Granules are staying on better than they were just a few years ago in tests of brand-new shingles.

While IKO’s reputation still needs rehabbing, the products have improved to the point IKO asphalt shingles are worth considering alongside the names mentioned.

Cheap, good, and premium: To be sure, IKO still makes shingles at various quality levels, just like the other brands, so making blanket statements about quality is meaningless.

This IKO asphalt shingles review breaks down the IKO lines with information and quality ratings for each.