A new house would need plywood decking. The cost of plywood for roofing is about $20 dollars per sheet. This can go up to around $30 dollars. The cost of laying them and the material cost can work out to around $40. The cost of roofing shingles will be around $20 dollars per square foot.

What is the cost of re-roofing an old house? Note that the old shingles have to be removed, decking needs repairs and new roof shingles need to be put in.

An old roof will need similar work as new roof with the added extra cost of removing and hauling away old roof shingles. The cost of which will be added to the labor cost by your roofing contractor. Roughly, this will work out to about $1000 dollars extra for an average size home. Transport and landfill costs will be usually extras. But, you should be able to negotiate something cheaper. The cost of decking materials works out to $20-$30 per sheet. So, after a visual inspection you can work out how many sheets need replacement. If the felt layer needs replacement that will work out to $20 dollars for a roll of the 30 pound felt which is recommended. Next, the cost of repairing any damaged portions in the decking will cost around $20 to $50 per sheet plus labor. The roofing shingles prices will work out to around $185 per 100 square feet. Labor cost works out to around $75 per 100 square feet. That should give you a general idea about the prices of roofing an old house.

Can you give an idea about re-roofing an old roof with cedar shake shingles?

Roofing shingle prices vary with materials. The cost of cedar or wood shake shingles is around $5 to $7 per square foot. So, that works out to around $500 to $700 per 100 square feet. For an area of 1700 square feet the cost of materials alone will be in the range of $8500-$12000. Add to the installation cost and any repair costs that an old roof might need. Also, you need to remove the old shingles and dispose it off. So, add around $1000 dollars for that part of the job. But, in return for your extra cost, you can be assured of a long-life of around 30-50 years for your wooden roofing. This is a green option and the wood shingles can be disposed off easily as they are bio-degradable. They also provide better insulation properties than asphalt shingles roofing.

Do location and brand make a big difference in roofing shingles prices?

Yes, location is a major factor in cost difference. The price of the raw materials and labor cost are major factor in production of roof shingles. If these costs are lower in an area naturally the prices of roofing shingles in that location will be lower compared to other parts of the country. Prices also vary by Roof shingles hail damage . Having said that you should remember that quality is the most important factor in roofing shingles prices. So, you pay higher prices for good quality shingles that last longer and have few problems. Cheap, low quality shingles can fail within a few short years of laying and you will end up having to re-lay your roof. The cost of installation and labor costs will remain the same whether you use low or high quality shingles. You will end up paying a lot more for low-cost shingles in the long run.

Also, there is more wastage, breakage during the installation with low-quality shingles. There is absolutely no question that you should invest in the best quality shingles from reputed brand names who offer long warranties on their products.

Cost of transporting shingles over long distances is high. So, there is no point in trying to get a price advantage by buying shingles in different location than where you live as you will any way end up paying more. Moreover locally made shingles are better suited for the local climate and weather conditions. So, buying locally made shingles from reputed brands gives best performance over the long-term.