The planned installation
The defined roof area, product, installation work, accessories and removal scope. Check what the quoted total actually includes.
ROOFUNO / SEATTLE & THE EASTSIDE
The price of a roof.
And what sits behind it.
The material matters. So does everything needed to install it on your home. Here is how to read a roof budget without confusing a starting figure with the final bill.
Start with the systems used around here.
In local roofing conversations, composition shingles usually means asphalt shingles. Architectural and designer grades belong to that family. Synthetic shake or slate is a separate category designed to resemble natural materials.
Cedar, standing seam metal, and composition systems are all options worth discussing for pitched roofs. Flat roofs and low-slope additions need their own conversation about TPO, PVC, torch-down/modified bitumen, or an assessed EPDM system. These are options to assess, not a claim that every system suits every roof.
One home can have more than one roof system.
A pitched main roof may sit above a flat porch, garage or addition. Measure and price those sections separately. A main-roof area cannot stand in for a different low-slope section.
What can the baseline look like locally?
The bands below are planning context from local-market research. Some published figures describe a standard installation; others exclude tax or extra work. They are not a statistical average, a fixed offer or the maximum a real project can cost.
| Roofing system | Planning range / sq ft |
|---|---|
| Architectural composition shingles | $4.50–$10.50 / sq ft |
| Designer composition shingles | $6.50–$10.00 / sq ft |
| Standing seam metal | $10.00–$22.00 / sq ft |
| Cedar shake / shingles | $10.00–$18.50 / sq ft |
| TPO membrane | $5.00–$9.00 / sq ft |
| PVC membrane | $6.00–$11.00 / sq ft |
| Torch-down / modified bitumen | $4.00–$8.00 / sq ft |
| Synthetic shake / slate | Product-specific assessment |
| EPDM rubber membrane | Product-specific assessment |
Research-based local planning bands, reviewed November 8, 2026. They combine published baseline references with different scope assumptions; they are not a complete bid, a guaranteed market price or an upper price limit. Tax, hidden repairs and additional scope need confirmation. Understand the pricing assumptions →
Composition has a particularly broad spread because product grade and scope vary. A designer shingle is not simply the same roof with a new color. Metal pricing depends on the panel, attachment and fabrication details. Natural cedar and synthetic alternatives also need a specific product and installation scope.
For membranes, compare the whole assembly: insulation, cover board, drainage, attachment and wet-material removal can matter as much as the exposed surface. A low baseline rate for a membrane does not establish the full price of a flat-roof replacement.
Roof area is not living area.
A two-story home’s living area is not its roof footprint. The roof surface also changes with slope, overhangs, dormers and additions. Use measured roof surface area for a project estimate; do not substitute the square footage from a real estate listing.
A roofing square is 100 square feet. A 2,000-square-foot roof is therefore 20 squares before material-order waste. Waste affects quantities ordered; it should not be used as a reason to charge the same roof area twice.
CHANGE AN INPUT. SEE THE DIFFERENCE.
Explore the baseline, before the unknowns.
This is an educational example, not a measurement or private estimate for your home.
Still to confirm: tear-off and disposal scope, deck condition, flashing, ventilation, insulation where needed, access, permit requirements and the applicable tax. These figures do not allocate each item or add fictional allowances.
Why a per-square-foot example is still only a starting point
Two equal-size roofs can have different labor, setup and detailing requirements. Small jobs may have minimum charges, while complex roofs may require more cuts and flashing. The example above only multiplies area by a planning band. It does not pretend to measure those site conditions.
Read the price in three layers.
Known project additions
Items identified during assessment: difficult access, skylight work, insulation, ventilation changes, additional layers or a planned deck upgrade. These should appear in the proposal before you sign.
Concealed conditions and tax
Hidden deterioration may only be visible after tear-off. Agree on approval and unit prices in advance, then compare totals on the same tax basis.
Tear-off & disposal
How many existing layers are included? Who handles debris, protection and the final cleanup? An included disposal charge should not be added again as if it were missing.
Decking & cedar conversions
Ask whether the existing deck suits the replacement system. An older cedar assembly may need a deck-scope review; full re-sheeting is not something to assume for every house.
Flashing & roof transitions
Specify the work around chimneys, sidewalls, valleys and penetrations. Ask which existing details will be replaced, reused or excluded.
Ventilation & insulation
Confirm attic intake/exhaust work for the proposed assembly. On a low-slope roof, define the insulation, cover board and drainage scope rather than comparing membranes alone.
Pitch & access
Steep surfaces, multiple stories, hillside sites or long material carries can change setup and labor. There is no universal percentage that fits every Seattle home.
Skylights & rooftop equipment
Clarify flashing versus full replacement and who handles any solar equipment. Do not assume those services are included in a roof-surface allowance.
Confirm the tax and the jurisdiction.
Washington construction quotes need a clear sales-tax treatment. Ask whether the displayed price includes the applicable tax, and compare proposals on the same basis. RoofUno does not invent one tax rate for the whole Eastside. Washington construction tax guidance →
Permit requirements depend on the city, building type and work proposed. A detached-home re-roof is not automatically the same as a multifamily project or a structural change. Have the contractor confirm requirements for the actual scope. Check Seattle or Bellevue rather than adding an assumed permit fee to every roof.
Make three proposals actually comparable.
- Match the area and sections. Confirm roof surface area and which structures each contractor priced.
- Match the exact system. Product, grade, underlayment, attachment and flashing details should be identified.
- Match the removal and repairs. Compare layers, disposal, deck allowances and the process for concealed damage.
- Match the final total. Check tax, known additions, exclusions, payment terms and actual warranty documents.
A higher per-area figure may include work that a lower one leaves out. A more expensive proposal can also simply be more expensive. The written scope is how you tell the difference; price alone cannot explain it.
How RoofUno uses pricing research.
We reviewed several Seattle/Puget Sound contractor guides and calculators, along with manufacturer information and local government guidance. Our internal research records each source, review date, scope and limitations. Public figures are contractor-published references, not independently audited bids or an approved RoofUno contractor catalog.
Where references differ, the planning band reflects that spread; it is not presented as a citywide average. The metal band is rounded outward for readability. Specialty systems without a defensible product-specific band receive an assessment instead of a made-up price.
The estimator multiplies eligible roof surface area by the selected planning band. It does not add an invented labor percentage, margin, permit fee or contingency to an already installed-cost reference. It also does not claim that missing scope is included. A written proposal must confirm what is covered.
This preview still uses synthetic property fixtures. Real estimates require reliable measurements, a local installation scope and an approved contractor price. Phone-code verification remains disabled; marketing is optional.