Cost
What a roof actually costs here, and why nobody can quote it over the phone
This page will not give you a number for your house, because anyone who does that without seeing it is guessing, and the guess is always low. What it will give you is every variable that moves the price, so you can read your own estimates properly.
Licensed underCCC 1334241
The short answer
The price of a roof is driven by six things: the covering you choose, the squares of roof area, the pitch and complexity, how much decking has to be replaced once it is opened, the permit and inspection fees of your municipality, and disposal. Of those, only the first is a decision. The rest are facts about your house, which is why an honest estimate follows an inspection and never precedes one.
The six things that move the number
The covering
Architectural shingle is the least expensive per square and the shortest lived in this climate. Concrete and clay tile cost substantially more and last substantially longer. Standing seam metal generally sits above tile. A flat or low-slope section is priced differently again, because it is a membrane system rather than a covering.
Squares, not square feet
Roofing is priced in squares, one square being a hundred square feet of roof surface. That is roof surface, not floor area: a house with a steep roof has considerably more roof than its footprint suggests, and a single-storey house with wide overhangs has more than people expect.
Pitch and complexity
A simple hip roof over a rectangle is the cheapest thing to install. Every valley, dormer, skylight, chimney and plane change adds flashing, and flashing is labour and metal rather than covering. Two houses with identical square footage can differ by a third on complexity alone.
The decking underneath
Nobody knows the condition of the deck until the covering comes off. This is the single largest source of honest surprise on a roof, and it is why our estimate states a per-sheet price for replacement decking before we start rather than after we find it.
Permit and inspections
Every municipality in Broward, Palm Beach and St. Lucie sets its own fees and its own required inspections, and they are not trivial on a full replacement. They also set the schedule: the permit queue is frequently longer than the work.
Tear-off and disposal
Removing the old covering and paying to dispose of it is real money, and it scales with weight. Tile is heavy. A second layer of shingle that somebody installed over the first is heavier than one, and it is why a re-cover is a false economy the next owner pays for.
Why this page has no price table
Because a table would be marketing rather than information. Material prices move, labour availability moves, and the range across the variables above is wide enough that any figure broad enough to be true would be too broad to be useful. What we will do instead is come out, get on the roof, photograph what is there and give you a written line-item estimate with quantities on it, free, and yours to keep whether or not you hire us. Compare that against two others. If ours is higher, it should be obvious from the line items why.
How to read the three estimates you are about to collect
- 01
Is the covering specified by name?
Manufacturer, product line and colour. "Architectural shingle" is not a specification, it is a category, and the gap between the cheapest and the best inside that category is years of life.
- 02
What does it say about decking?
An estimate silent on decking is an estimate with a change order built into it. It should state a price per sheet, agreed before anyone starts.
- 03
Underlayment and flashing, or just the covering?
On a tile roof the underlayment is what keeps water out, and on any roof the flashing is where leaks start. If the estimate prices the covering and says nothing about either, you are not comparing the same job.
- 04
Who pulls the permit?
If the answer is that the homeowner pulls it, walk away. It usually means the contractor cannot, and it puts the liability on you.
- 05
What is the warranty, and on what?
There are two: the manufacturer's on the material and the contractor's on the workmanship. Ask for both in writing, and ask how long the company has been at the same address, because a workmanship warranty is only worth the company behind it.
Six Florida state licenses, one contractor
Most home service companies hold one. Every number below is verifiable at myfloridalicense.com.
CCC 1334241
Roofing
EC 13011540
Electrical
CVC 57206
Solar
CBC 1265942
Building
CFC 1431872
Plumbing
CAC 1822245
Air conditioning
If the number is the problem
A roof rarely fails at a convenient moment. We work with home improvement lenders who can quote a monthly payment during the estimate, so the budget conversation happens before you commit rather than after.
See financing optionsCommon questions
- Is it cheaper to repair than replace?
- Almost always in the short term, and not always overall. A repair on a roof with ten years left is good money. The same repair on a roof with two years left is money spent twice, because the replacement is coming and the repair goes in the skip with everything else. The deciding factor is remaining life, which is what an inspection is for.
- Can you just go over the existing shingles?
- Sometimes it is permitted and we would still rather not. A second layer hides the decking, adds weight, runs hotter and shortens the life of the new covering. It also makes the next replacement more expensive, which is a cost the next owner discovers.
- Why is tile so much more than shingle?
- Material cost, weight and labour. Tile is heavier, so it needs more structure, more handling and a longer install, and the underlayment system beneath it is a real part of the job rather than a layer of felt. In exchange it lasts substantially longer in this climate, which is why the cost per year of service is closer than the cost per square suggests.
- Will a new roof lower my insurance?
- Usually, and the mechanism is the wind mitigation inspection rather than the roof itself. That report records the features that resist hurricane wind, several of which are decided at the moment the roof is installed. Have it done immediately after the work, not two years later.
- How long does it take?
- A shingle replacement on a typical single-family home usually runs two to four working days. Tile takes longer, often seven to twelve, because tear-off, dry-in and tile loading are separate stages with an inspection between them. Add the permit queue in front of all of it, which varies by municipality and is often the longest part.
Homeowners
What people say after the crew leaves
I recently had my roof replaced by Qualitech Home Services, and I couldn't be more impressed! From start to finish, their team was professional, efficient, and highly skilled. The installation was flawless, and the quality of workmanship truly exceeded my expectations. What stood out even more was their financing program, hands down one of the best I've come across. It was flexible, transparent, and tailored to fit my needs without any hidden surprises.
We recently completed a roofing project with Qualitech Home Services, and we couldn't be more pleased with the outcome. The team was professional, efficient, and easy to work with throughout the entire process. We are now ready for the new solar panel installation project that Qualitech will be completing soon.
Qualitech was the best company I reached out to. They are quick, efficient, and reliable. Their prices are great, and they're very honest about their work. Another great thing is the free quote they offer. My husband and I couldn't be happier with our new roof and will definitely use them again in the future.
Get the number for your house
An inspection, photographs of what we found and a line-item estimate with quantities. Free, no obligation, and yours to keep.