Composite Roofing

Composite Roof Shingles Cost, Plus Pros & Cons, and Top Options

Composite roof shingles, shakes, and tiles are attractive and affordable alternatives to the real thing. They last longer than genuine cedar shakes, but cost about the same. Composite tiles cost far less than genuine slate tiles and can last 50+ years with proper installation.

Cost

Composite shingle roof cost ranges broadly from $7.50 to $14.50 per square foot installed. The average 80% range of costs for most homes is about $9.50 to $12.50 per square foot installed.

Composite Roof Shingles Cost per Sq.Ft.
Low Cost Average Cost High Cost
$7.50 to $9.50 $9.50 to $12.50 $12.50 to $14.50

* Add $0.80-$1.35/sq.ft. to remove and dispose of old asphalt shingles
* Add $1.00-$2.00/sq.ft. to remove and dispose of concrete, clay, or slate tiles.

Total Project Cost Examples

A typical house is about 2,000 square feet with a 6/12 pitched roof and an attached garage. Taking roof pitch into account, here are the average roofing material requirements for the three most common home types, each with 2,000 square feet of living space plus a garage:

Single-story / ranch with 2-car garage: 3,100 square feet of roof.

Split-level (combination single-story and 2-story) with 2-car garage: 2,495 square feet of roof.

Standard two-story with 2-car garage: 1,880 square feet of roof surface.

Most contractors factor in 5% to 10% for trimming and waste.

Using low, high, and average costs, plus 5% for waste, here’s the pricing table for the three types of homes with 2,000 square feet of living space:

Home Type: Single-story Ranch Split-level 2-story Standard 2-story
Roof surface: 3,100 sq. ft. 2,495 sq. ft. 1,880 sq. ft.
Low cost range: $23,250 to $29,450 $18,712 to $23,702 $14,100 to $17,860
High cost range: $38,750 to $44,950 $31,188 to $36,177 $23,500 to $27,260
Average Cost: $34,100 $27,445 $20,680
New Shingle Roof

$7,500
Average price
New Metal Roof

$14,500
Average price
New Flat Roof

$8,225
Average price

See costs in your area Enter Your Zip Code

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Roofing Materials & Installation Costs: Shingles, Metal, Flat Roofs

Are you exploring the most suitable roofing options for your home? If so, roofing material types and their costs must be top of mind.

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This guide will help you explore the most popular residential roofing materials, including pricing and installation costs.

Roofing Materials Costs

Asphalt Shingles:

Dimensional shingles roof on a house

Asphalt shingles are generally less expensive than other roofing materials like metal and are relatively easy to install (unlike metal roofing), resulting in a lower overall cost for a new asphalt roof. However, premium (designer) asphalt shingles, such as those from GAF, CertainTeed, and Malarkey, can be as expensive as high-end roofing materials like metal. Here’s a breakdown of different types of asphalt shingles:

3-tab shingles (strip shingles):

  • Materials Cost: $90 to $120 per square (100 sq. ft.), excluding trim.
  • Characteristics: Least costly, thin, not designed for longevity, flat appearance without much dimensionality.
  • Top Products: GAF Royal Sovereign, CertainTeed XT 25, Owens Corning Supreme.
  • Wind Rating: Up to 60 MPH.
  • Installation Note: Care needed for alignment to avoid vertical lines running off.
  • Disadvantage: No manufacturer’s warranty for hail damage.
  • Expected Lifespan: 10 years to 20 years, depending on local climate and roof maintenance.

Architectural (dimensional) shingles:

  • Materials Cost: $100 to $150 per square (100 sq. ft.), excluding trim.
  • Characteristics: Midrange, multiple layers, dimensional appearance, thicker, and sturdier.
  • Wind Rating: At least 110 MPH, up to 130 MPH with the 6-nails per shingle installation.
  • Top Products: Owens Corning Duration, GAF Timberline HDZ, CertainTeed Landmark
  • Specialty: CoolRoof rated shingles eligible for rebates in California.
  • Disadvantage: No manufacturer’s warranty for hail damage.
  • Expected Lifespan: 15 years to 25 years, depending on local climate and roof maintenance.

Premium (designer) shingles:

  • Materials Cost: $200 to $400 per square (100 sq. ft.).
  • Characteristics: Custom-looking, multiple layers, distinctive appearance, performance on par with high-end architectural shingles.
  • Top Products: CertainTeed Grand Manor, Owens Corning Berkshire, GAF Camelot, Malarkey Windsor.
  • Disadvantage: No manufacturer’s warranty for hail damage.
  • Expected Lifespan: 20 years to 35 years, depending on local climate and roof maintenance.

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Synthetic Composite Slate & Shake Roofing Costs: Davinci Roofscapes

Slate and clay tiles for roofing have a long history and a beauty that is unique. But they do come at a notoriously high cost. So, asphalt shingles are often used as an alternative, becoming the number one roofing material in North America. However, wouldn’t it be nice if there were another option that had the beauty and durability of slate or even cedar shake, with lesser cost? With synthetic shingles, there is.

Costs and Value

For synthetic composite shingles, shakes, tiles and slates, a fair price range is $7.50 to $12.50 per sq. ft. installed, depending on the roof difficulty, accessibility, and your home’s location. The price will likely be higher in densely populated coastal areas with high costs of doing business including professional labor and contractor’s insurance costs.

With that in mind, the total projected cost of composite roofing installed would be about one third to one half the price of installing natural slate, and roughly twice the cost of installing asphalt shingles.

And it is nearly the same price as installing a cedar shake roof. The difference though is that synthetic roofing materials are lighter and easier to install than other materials, plus they are actually as durable as stone! 😉

New Shingle Roof

$7,500
Average price
New Metal Roof

$14,500
Average price
New Flat Roof

$8,225
Average price

See costs in your area Enter Your Zip Code

Did you know? Total Costs Installed are largely determined by the choice of materials, location, shape and slope of the roof, and quality, reputation and experience of the installer.

Durability and longevity provide enormous advantage when it comes to the return on investment (ROI). Did you know? Asphalt shingles and cedar shakes are going to go through a minimum of three life cycles on the same sized roof that a synthetic shingle occupies.

Generally, synthetic shingles will carry a 50 plus year warranty. Yet, this is not the only advantage (see below). We estimate a 70 to 80 percent ROI with synthetic roofing products, which likely holds true, if not better for fake or simulated slate.

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