Why is roofing so expensive?
Published On:  April 25, 2022
commercial roof

There are many factors that determine the cost of something.  The 3 biggest factors though include:

 

  1. Material Cost
  2. Labor Cost
  3. Insurance Cost

 

Roofing Material Cost

Material cost includes all the materials used in roofing including shingles (residential) or roof membranes (commercial), insulation, nails/screws, flashing, and other materials.    It also includes the other costs that a roofing company incurs such as gas, vehicle insurance, vehicle wear and tear, etc. Anything that costs a company money ultimately must be included in the cost to the consumer.  For profit companies need to make a profit so they must include their total costs plus a profit margin into the final cost to the consumer.

Many of these roofing materials are oil or concrete based.  As oil costs continue to rise, roofing materials also rise in cost.

Includes: shingles/roof membranes, insulation, felt paper, underlayment, gas cost, vehicle insurance costs, vehicle maintenance costs, etc

 

Roofing Labor Costs

Labor is also a large part of the cost of a roof.  Skilled labor is always expensive.  You do not want unskilled amateurs with no roofing experience working on your roof!  Hiring skilled workers with years of roofing experience is going to add to the expense of your roof, however.   According to ca.talent.com, the average hourly wage of a roofer in Canada is $26 / hour.    These average wage calculations from sites such as ca.talent.com include both skilled workers and newly hired workers.   The most highly skilled roofers are likely earning at least $30 / hour.   For residential roofs, you may only need a couple workers to complete the roof in a reasonable time frame.   If you have a large commercial roof, the expense for labor could be even greater as a large team of roofers may be required.

 As you can see, material and labor costs can add up quickly.  Additionally, roofers must carry large amounts of insurance which also adds to the cost of your roof.   Roofing tends to be expensive due to large material costs, large labor costs, and insurance costs.

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