Roofing Labor Cost Per Square: $150-$300 (2026)

Roofing labor for asphalt shingle installation typically runs $150–$300 per square (100 sq ft), and $150–$500 across markets and roof conditions. Pitch, stories, layers to remove, access, and penetrations move you within that range.

This guide breaks down labor-only pricing for contractors estimating roofing jobs. For the full estimating process from measurement to final bid, see how to estimate a roofing job. For a complete material takeoff to pair with these labor rates, see the roofing material list. Or Try EstimationPro free to build labor, materials, and markup into one line-item estimate instead of three spreadsheets.

These are national ranges. Pricing varies by region, so weigh them against your own local material costs and crew rates before you bid.

Quick Answer

Labor rates for asphalt shingle roofing:

• Install only: $150–$300/square in most markets ($150–$500 across all conditions)
• Tear-off + install (re-roof): the install rate above, plus a separate tear-off line ($100–$125/square for one layer, $125–$175/square for two)
• Steep pitch (8/12+): typically adds $50–$100/square over walkable rates, reaching $250–$350/square total on multi-story steep roofs
• Second layer of tear-off: adds roughly $25–$50/square to the tear-off line ($100–$125 for one layer vs $125–$175 for two); price a third layer on-site

Note: “Per square” = per 100 square feet of roof area

Roofing Labor Rate Breakdown

Install-Only Labor

Task	Cost Per Square	Notes
Shingle installation	$150–$300	Walkable to complex roofs, most markets ($150–$500 across all conditions)
Underlayment	In the per-square rate or its own line	State which in your scope
Ridge cap	In the per-square rate or its own line	Linear footage varies; state which in your scope
Starter shingles	In the per-square rate or its own line	Eave + rake; state which in your scope
Valley installation	Price per linear foot	From your crew’s production; no standard published rate

Tear-Off Labor

According to SquareDash’s 2026 tear-off cost guide, tear-off (labor and disposal) runs $100-$125/square for one layer and $125-$175/square for two. Check whether your install rate already bundles tear-off before you add this as a separate line; some all-in quotes do, some don’t. Price it once, not twice.

Layers	Cost Per Square (labor + disposal)	Notes
1 layer (shingles)	$100–$125
2 layers	$125–$175	Many local codes cap a roof at two layers, so a two-layer roof usually has to be torn off, not re-covered; check your local code
3+ layers	Price on-site	No standard published rate; walk the roof before you bid
Wood shakes	$150–$200	Labor + disposal (SquareDash 2026)
Tile/slate	$200–$400	Labor + disposal (SquareDash 2026); heavier debris, walk the roof before you bid

Additional Labor Adders

• Steep pitch (8/12+): Typically +$50–$100/square over walkable rates, reaching $250–$350/square total on multi-story steep roofs (SquareDash 2026). Part of that adder is harness, roof jack, and toe-board setup time; OSHA requires conventional fall protection at 6 feet or more on any roof pitch, not just steep ones. Steeper or more complex than that, price the extra crew hours from your own production rate rather than a flat percentage.
• Two-story: No standard published per-square adder. Price the extra staging, ladder work, and hoisting time as its own line.
• Poor access (no driveway): Price the extra hand-carry and loading hours as their own line.
• Chimney flashing: No standard published labor-only rate. A full chimney flashing repair or replacement project (materials and labor) runs $500–$1,800; price your labor-only line from your own time and material cost, not this installed total.
• Skylight flashing, pipe boots, drip edge: No standard published labor-only rate for any of these. Price each per-each or per-linear-foot from your crew’s time and your supplier’s cost.

Production Rates (Squares Per Day)

Standard Conditions (1 crew = 2–3 workers)

Squares per day depends on your crew size, pitch, and roof complexity, and there’s no standard published rate for it. Track your crew’s actual squares/day on a walkable roof and on a steep or complex one, then divide the job’s total squares by that number to get install days.

• Tear-off adds time on top of install, more per additional layer

What Slows You Down

• Multiple layers: Each extra layer adds real tear-off and disposal time. Price it per layer, not as a time-factor guess.
• Old shingles stuck hard: Tear-off slows down. Check on the roof walk before you bid, not after you’ve started.
• Lots of penetrations: Chimneys, vents, skylights = extra flashing labor
• Complicated valleys: More valleys and more valley footage mean more cutting, flashing, and labor time
• No dumpster access: Hand-carrying debris down = major time hit
• Hot weather: Shingles stick, tear-off is harder, crew slows down

How to Price Roofing Labor

Step 1: Measure the roof

• Use a roof measurement report or measure it yourself (see how to measure a roof from the ground)
• Calculate total square footage ÷ 100 = squares
• Include all roof planes, dormers, and bump-outs

Step 2: Assess complexity

Check for:

• Pitch (4/12 = easy, 8/12+ = steep)
• Number of stories
• Layers to remove
• Penetrations (chimneys, skylights, vents)
• Access (can dumpster go in driveway?)
• Material type (shingles vs wood shake vs tile)

Step 3: Calculate base labor

Example: 30-square roof, 2-layer tear-off, 6/12 pitch, single-story. The rates below are mid-range picks from the sourced ranges above (tear-off $125–$175/square for two layers, install $150–$300/square); use your own numbers if they differ.

Tear-off (2 layers): 30 squares × $150/square = $4,500
Install: 30 squares × $200/square = $6,000
Flashing, drip edge, and other detail work: price from your own rates ([your rate])
Total labor (tear-off + install only): $10,500, before flashing and detail work

Step 4: Add complexity adjustments

• Steep pitch? Add $50–$100/square as a starting point (see Additional Labor Adders above), then adjust from your own crew’s steep-roof time.
• Poor access? Add a line for the extra carry and loading hours.
• Extra layers? Already priced per layer in the tear-off line above.
• Difficult material? Adjust the base rate up; wood shake and tile take longer to remove and install than shingles.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Forgetting the pitch factor. An 8/12 pitch takes much longer than a 4/12. Don’t price them the same.

Underestimating tear-off time. Every extra layer adds real hours and disposal weight. Price each layer as its own line.

Ignoring access. If the dumpster can’t go near the house, you’re hand-carrying every shingle down a ladder. Price that in.

Not accounting for flashing. Chimneys, skylights, and valleys are labor-intensive. Price each separately.

Assuming perfect conditions. Hot days, stuck shingles, rotten decking you didn’t see - always build a buffer.

Tips for Accurate Labor Estimates

Walk the roof before bidding. Photos and aerials don’t show rotten decking, multiple layers, or how stuck the shingles are.

Track your actual production rates. Your crew’s real-world speed decides where you land in the per-square ranges above. Use your own data once you have it.

Price by the day if pitch is crazy steep. On a 12/12 pitch, hourly or daily rates might be safer than per-square pricing.

Separate tear-off from install. Makes change orders clearer when you find extra layers or rotten decking.

Include disposal in the estimate. Dumpster fees, dump runs, or hand-loading a truck - someone’s paying for it.

Add a contingency line. Write a per-sheet decking replacement price into the contract so hidden rot becomes a priced change order instead of an argument.

Example: Full Labor Estimate

Job: 32-square roof, 2 layers shingles, 6/12 pitch, 2-story, 2 chimneys, good access

Item	Quantity	Rate	Total
Tear-off (2 layers)	32 sq	$150/sq	$4,800
Install shingles	32 sq	$200/sq	$6,400
Two-story adder	-	[your rate]	[your rate]
Chimney flashing	2	[your rate]	[your rate]
Drip edge	160 LF	[your rate]	[your rate]
Ridge vent labor	45 LF	[your rate]	[your rate]
Subtotal (tear-off + install)			$11,200

Add your own rates for the two-story adder, chimney flashing, drip edge, and ridge vent lines above; there’s no standard published labor-only rate for any of them.

Plug in your crew’s real days for this job. Example: if tear-off and install take 4 days with a 3-person crew (12 person-days), the $11,200 subtotal works out to about $933 of labor revenue per person-day, before the detail lines. That’s gross labor revenue, not roofer take-home; check it against your burdened crew cost with the Labor Cost Calculator before you send the bid.

Sources

• SquareDash, “Roofing Labor Cost Per Square” (2026 guide: $150-$300/square baseline labor by roof type; $200-$275/square for steep gable, $250-$350/square for multi-story steep)
• SquareDash, “Tear Off and Replace Roof Cost” (2026 guide: tear-off labor and disposal, $100-$125/square for one layer, $125-$175/square for two)
• EstimationPro pricing reference, “roofing installation labor” ($150-$500/square, sourced to HomeGuide 2026, SquareDash 2026, HomeAdvisor 2025, and BLS occupation 47-2181 wage data)
• OSHA, STD 03-11-002: Compliance Guidance for Residential Construction (workers 6 feet or more above lower levels need conventional fall protection such as guardrails, safety nets, or personal fall arrest, on any roof pitch; a written site-specific plan is allowed only where the employer shows conventional protection is infeasible)

Related Resources

• Roofing Calculator - instant square footage and material estimates
• Roof Pitch Calculator - calculate pitch ratio and slope factor for labor adjustments
• Labor Cost Calculator - build a fully burdened labor rate for your crew
• Contractor Markup Calculator - verify your markup percentage produces your target margin before sending a bid
• How to Estimate Construction Jobs - the step-by-step estimating system that applies to roofing and every other trade
• Overhead and Profit - understand what O&P includes so your roofing bids cover every real cost
• Best AI Construction Estimating Software - compare the AI estimating tools that price a roof from photos instead of a spreadsheet

FAQs

What’s a “square” in roofing?
One square = 100 square feet of roof area. A 3,000 sq ft roof = 30 squares.

How much should I charge for labor per square?
$150–$300/square for install labor in most markets ($150–$500 across all conditions). Price tear-off separately, per layer: about $100–$125/square for one layer and $125–$175/square for two. Adjust for pitch, stories, and access using your own crew’s production.

How long does it take to roof a 30-square house?
It depends on your crew’s production, and there’s no standard published squares-per-day rate. Track your crew’s actual squares/day on a walkable roof and on a steep or complex one, then divide 30 squares by that number to get install days. Tear-off adds time on top of that.

Should I charge more for steep pitch?
Yes. SquareDash’s 2026 pricing puts steep gable roofs (8/12+) at $200–$275/square versus $150–$175/square for a walkable roof, a $50–$100/square adder, reaching $250–$350/square on multi-story steep roofs. Don’t price a steep roof the same as a walkable one.

What if I find extra layers during tear-off?
Write your estimate to price by the layer. If you bid 1 layer and find 2, that’s a change order. Be clear in your contract.

How do I speed up production without cutting quality?
Good crew training, organized staging, dumpster placement close to the house, and investing in tools (nail guns, magnet sweepers, roof jacks).

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