Roof tear-off cost

Tearing off an asphalt roof costs $85 to $200 per square for each layer removed, with the dumpster and the disposal included. A square is 100 square feet of roof, so a typical house of 25 to 30 squares pays for the tear-off once for every layer before a single new shingle goes on.

On most quotes the tear-off is not a line of its own. It is folded into the per-square price of the new roof, which is why two quotes that look close can be built on very different assumptions about what is coming off.

What it costs

A quote for a whole new roof at one installed price per square almost always assumes one layer comes off. Everything below is about the cases where that assumption breaks: a roof with two layers, a roof where you are deciding whether to strip it at all, and the things that only show up once it is bare.

What a tear-off actually pays for

Stripping a roof is heavy, dirty and slow, and very little of it is skilled. That is why the rate varies so much less by region than the shingle work does.

The crew pulls the shingles, the nails, the old underlayment and whatever flashing is coming out, working down from the ridge so the debris falls toward the dumpster rather than across the yard. The deck is then swept, every protruding nail is pulled or driven, and the ground is gone over with a rolling magnet, usually twice.

The weight is the part people underestimate. Asphalt shingles run roughly 200 to 400 pounds a square depending on the product, so a 30 square roof is three to six tons of debris for each layer. Landfills charge by the ton, and the dumpster company charges by the size of container and the number of swaps. That is the disposal half of the rate, and it is the half that doubles with a second layer.

A careful crew also protects what is under the eaves: tarps over shrubs and decks, plywood over windows close to the roofline, and a plan for where the dumpster sits so it does not crack the driveway. If a quote is far below the others, ask how it handles that.

Why the layer count changes the price

The rate is per layer because the work is per layer. Two layers are twice the shingles, twice the nails and twice the weight, and they come off slower because the bottom layer was nailed through by the top one. A second layer costs about the same again.

There is also a hard ceiling. The International Residential Code, which most states adopt in some form, does not allow a new layer over a roof that already has two. If your roof has two layers, the next roof is a tear-off whether you want one or not, and both layers are on the bill.

You can usually count the layers yourself from a ladder at the eave. Look at the edge just above the gutter: one row of shingle edges means one layer, two stacked rows means two. A home inspection report will normally say, and a roofer quoting the job should check before writing a number down.

Tear-off or a second layer over the first

Laying new shingles over old ones avoids the tear-off line, and for that reason it is still offered. The saving is real. What it costs you is less visible.

The deck stays hidden. Soft or rotted decking under the old shingles stays under the new ones, and it fails on its own schedule.

The new roof sits on a bumpy base. Shingles laid over shingles telegraph every curl and ridge below them, and they tend not to last as long as the same product on a clean deck.

The details cannot be redone properly. Ice and water membrane along the eaves, new drip edge and new valley flashing all go on the deck, and on an overlay there is no deck to reach.

The warranty may be thinner. The enhanced warranties that manufacturers offer through certified contractors generally require a full tear-off. Read the terms before counting on one.

The next roof costs more. Whoever replaces the overlay strips two layers.

An overlay can be reasonable when the roof has exactly one layer, it is lying smooth with no soft spots underfoot, and you expect to sell within a few years. In most other cases the tear-off is money well spent.

What turns up once the shingles are off

This is where a tear-off quote and the final invoice part ways.

The most common surprise is decking. Sheets that have been wet for years go soft around chimneys, skylights, valleys and the low edge of the roof, and they have to be replaced before anything goes back on. Ask for the price per sheet in writing before work starts; the roof decking guide explains why that one line matters more than any other.

Older houses sometimes turn out to have plank decking, boards with gaps between them, under the asphalt. It can be left in place on some jobs and must be covered with new sheathing on others, and that is a decision the roofer should explain rather than just make.

Less often the crew finds a missing or rusted drip edge, flashing that was caulked rather than replaced last time, or a ventilation layout that was never right. None of these is a reason to panic. All of them are a reason to agree in advance how changes will be priced.

A worked example: two layers on a 28 square roof

A two-story house with a simple gable roof of 28 squares, carrying two layers of shingles. The owner wants a quote that shows the tear-off separately so the overlay option can be compared honestly.

• First layer: 28 squares × $85 to $200 per square = $2,380 to $5,600
• Second layer: 28 squares × $85 to $200 per square = $2,380 to $5,600
• Total: $4,760 to $11,200

That is the cost of getting down to the deck and nothing more. A quote built on one installed price per square usually carries the first layer already, so on that kind of quote the line to look for is the second one, $2,380 to $5,600, and it should be written down rather than discovered.

The overlay option does not exist here. With two layers already on, the code ceiling means the roof has to be stripped, and any quote that offers a third layer is a quote to set aside.

How to read a tear-off on a quote

A good roofing quote answers these without being asked. If it does not, ask.

• How many layers did you find, and is the price per layer?
• Is the dumpster and the landfill fee included, or billed after?
• What does a sheet of replacement decking cost, installed?
• Who pulls the permit, and is the $250 to $900 fee in the price?
• What happens if a layer turns up that you did not expect?

The last one matters more than it sounds. A roof that looks like one layer from the eave can have a patch of older shingles under part of it, and the honest answer is a rate per square for whatever is found rather than an argument on the second morning.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to tear off a roof per square?

$85 to $200 per square for each layer, typically about $130, including the dumpster and disposal. Steep pitches, heavy architectural shingles and a long carry to the dumpster all push it toward the top of the range.

Is it cheaper to put a second layer of shingles on instead of tearing off?

Up front, yes, by the tear-off line. Over the life of the roof, usually not: the deck stays uninspected, the new shingles tend not to last as long, the eave and valley details cannot be redone, and the next roof has two layers to strip.

How many layers of shingles are allowed on a roof?

Two at most under the International Residential Code, which most states use. If a roof already has two, the next one must be a full tear-off, and some local codes allow only one.

Can I tear off my own roof to save money?

Some roofers will credit a homeowner who strips the roof, but few want to, because the schedule and the deck condition then depend on someone else. It is also the most dangerous part of the job. If you try it, agree the credit, the dumpster and the timing in writing first.

Related guides

• Roof replacement cost — the whole job, by material and size
• Roof decking replacement cost — the line a tear-off most often uncovers
• Asphalt shingle roof cost — what goes back on after the strip
• Roof replacement cost by size — counting squares from the footprint