Roofing Buying Guide

When a roof is destroyed by fire, windstorm, hail, or other severe weather, there’s no denying it needs to be fixed. But often, the signal that your roof needs repair or replacement is nothing more than a seemingly innocent ceiling stain or drip. Caught early, a small leak can be fairly inexpensive to fix. If ignored, it may result in significant damage to your house.

Sometimes, if you have an unfinished attic and can find the water trickle along a rafter or stud, you can find the leak’s source yourself. But it’s best to have an experienced roofer inspect and handle the repairs. We don’t recommend that homeowners navigate steep ladders and pitched roofs themselves.

The remedy may be as simple as filling in a crack with caulk, replacing a few shingles, or installing some flashing (a waterproof membrane or metal sheet that redirects water). Most leaks can be stopped if they’re limited to a few spots. But if you’re experiencing recurring leaks and your roof is out of warranty, a new roof is in order. Even without obvious signs of damage, it’s wise to replace an out-of-warranty roof that’s more than 20 years old.

Keep in mind that even if your roof needs replacing, you may be able to replace only one side of it rather than the entire surface; that’s something to discuss with a contractor. If new shingles can be laid on top of the old ones, you’ll save money over having the old shingles torn off and starting from scratch. But you or the contractor should check with your municipality to see what’s permitted; if two layers are already installed, you might not be allowed to add another.

Asphalt shingles remain far and away the most popular choice for houses because they’re relatively inexpensive and easy to install. 

In CR’s roofing tests, we’ve found that some asphalt shingles perform better overall than others that cost more. And some provide a beautifully layered look or come in a huge array of colors. But depending on your house and your budget, many other roofing types may work as well. Metal shingles, for example, cost more than asphalt but tend to last longer and can provide a similar look.

To help you compare, we’ve included a price range for each of the options below per square, or 100-square-foot area, that manufacturers use when pricing shingles. Except where noted, prices are for materials only, not installation.

Once you’ve decided on a roofing type, check the manufacturer’s website for contractor recommendations. A manufacturer’s credentialed contractors, in theory, have more training in installing the product. Your homeowners insurance company may also have a network of contractors. Look for those who have been around for at least five years and have a good local reputation.

With any roofer, get local references and check for local and state licenses, proof of bonding, a Better Business Bureau rating, and active certificates of insurance for liability and workers’ compensation.

Request bids from at least three pros. Roof replacement costs can vary widely, even when the exact same shingles will be installed. For asphalt shingles, prices range from about $75 to $105 per square for basic three-tab shingles, and up to $350 per square for multilayered architectural shingles. The cost of the shingles themselves should be similar no matter who installs them, but costs for labor and other materials are what you have to look out for when comparing bids.

Ask for a breakdown of all the costs involved. There should be one price for the shingles, one for the labor of removing the old ones and installing the new ones, and a contingency budget that outlines the costs if your roofer discovers that sheathing or other materials need to be replaced.

Some installers offer workmanship warranties separate and apart from a shingle manufacturer’s. Be sure to ask for one in writing. Among the dozens of contractor websites from across the U.S. that we reviewed, only a few showed explicit warranties. The promises we found covered between one and 50 years, though experts told us most roof problems happen in the first couple of years.

Even though replacing a roof isn’t a do-it-yourself job, estimating the cost of the shingles themselves can be helpful when you’re comparing bids from roofers.

Manufacturers price roofing by the square, or 100-square-foot area, and that’s how we price each option in our ratings. To estimate how much roofing you’ll need, multiply the overall length and width of each roof section in feet, add the numbers for the sections together, and add 10 percent to allow for waste. Then divide by 100 to determine how many squares you’ll need. In addition to buying extra to account for waste, it’s a good idea to keep an additional bundle on hand for minor repairs. That way, you’re covered if the manufacturer stops making those shingles.

For example, for a one-story, 2,300-square-foot house with a medium-pitched roof, you’ll want to figure on about 30 squares to cover 3,000 square feet total. That should give you enough for waste and extra shingles for future repairs.

While manufacturers price their product by the square, roofing is generally packaged and sold in bundles. Generally, you’ll need three to five bundles of shingles to cover one square of your roof. The exact number of bundles required depends on the type of shingle you are buying; the heavier the shingle, the fewer you get per bundle. By law, each shingle bundle should state clearly how many square feet it covers, so you can calculate the number of bundles you need and budget accordingly.

Before giving you an estimate, a contractor should assess all components in and around your roof, including the drip edge and gutters that steer water runoff. In a complete roof repair or redo, you’ll typically need to replace the underlayment. That component, usually treated paper or synthetic sheets, serves as a weather barrier atop the sheathing or decking, which is the flat surface—typically made of oriented strand board or plywood—that lies on the rafters. In a cold climate, a roofer may suggest applying an ice-dam protection membrane in some areas to guard against water seepage caused by ice buildup. Adding or updating the ridge vent and vented soffits can improve attic airflow and prevent harmful moisture buildup. Replacing or fixing flashing, the material around the chimney and where roofing planes meet, can prevent leaks. Ask about alternatives to copper, which is durable and attractive but costly. 

Ideally, ask for a contract that locks in the job’s pricing. If the contractor requires you to abide by a temporary clause making you responsible for interim price increases, make sure you understand how much you’ll be responsible for. And if you need the roof done right away, ask the contractor which shingle colors and styles are available now, so you’ll face minimal wait time. If the contractor doesn’t know, seek another roofer.

In your shingle shopping, you might be impressed by how many manufacturers offer a “lifetime protection” warranty. But in roofing parlance, a lifetime really isn’t a lifetime. It’s more like 10 years. That’s the period during which most manufacturers will pay the roof’s original owner in full to replace defective shingles under the baseline warranty. After that—and for the rest of the period you own your house—it’ll reimburse you only for your shingles’ depreciated value.

Warranties involve a lot of fine print like that. For instance, to extend the full-replacement period, you have to either upgrade to a different shingle or buy more of the manufacturer’s components. A roofing warranty won’t pay if the shingle maker finds problems in your home’s ventilation. And manufacturers usually won’t cover damage from so-called acts of God, such as very high winds and hail. For that, you’ll have to put in a homeowners insurance claim or pay out of pocket.

Given all those gotchas, a warranty probably shouldn’t be your main focus in choosing a new roof. Rather, our testers recommend that you place your faith in a strong shingle and a reliable contractor. That said, see whether the warranty is transferable to the next owner. If you sell your house, a transferable roof warranty can be a perk to a potential buyer.

The addition of solar panels can also affect your warranty. So if you think you might add solar panels to your new roof, check the warranty of the shingle you’re considering to make sure a solar-panel installation won’t void it. You should also check for insurance coverage from the solar panel company.

As they have for years, asphalt shingles remain the most common type of residential roofing purchased in the U.S., says Kelly Moomey, the market analyst who covers roofing for Consumer Reports. “However, there are small, niche segments emerging,” she says.

Metal roofs, for instance, are expected to grow in popularity. The inherent advantages of this type of roof—including resistance to leaks and wind uplift, not to mention durability against the elements—are likely to make metal roofing more popular in areas prone to violent storms, according to the Freedonia Group, a market research company. 

Here are some other trends we see in roofing:

Fewer choices, higher installation costs. Stung by supply-chain problems of the past few years, manufacturers have cut back on new styles and colors, our sources tell us. At the same time, historically high prices for roofing installations could continue to rise in the next year or so, largely due to continued high demand from consumers and a tight labor market. That’s made finding workers a challenge.

Solar roofing options are expanding. The major roofing manufacturers GAF and CertainTeed have joined Tesla in introducing photovoltaic—aka solar—roofing shingles for homes. CertainTeed’s Solstice Shingle looks more like a traditional shingle than GAF’s Timberline model, which includes perpendicular bars across the shingle array.

Federal tax credits apply to solar roofs, but for a limited time. Homeowners who retrofit their roofs with solar panels or solar roofing tiles now can get a federal tax credit of 30 percent of the project cost—with no income restrictions or dollar ceiling on the project—thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. The credit was originally set to expire in 2032, but recent congressional action cut that short. The tax credit is now only good through the end of 2025, giving consumers who are thinking of going solar a very short time to act.

“Cool” (or light-colored) roofs are an option for sustainability. While this option isn’t new, it’s worth considering if you need a new roof and want to reduce your carbon footprint without buying costly solar. The trick: Pick a lighter color roof. Because a light-colored roof reflects more sunlight than a darker roof, it can reduce the energy and cost needed to cool your home by up to 15 percent.

White roofs are best, reflecting from 60 to 90 percent of sunlight, according to the Department of Energy. But you also can shop for a “cool colored” roof: a darker roof that uses specialized pigments that reflect about 30 to 60 percent of sunlight. (Check the DOE’s Energy Saver page for advice on buying cool-roof roofing products for both shallow-pitched and steeply pitched roofs, and check the Cool Roof Rating Council for cool-roof products.)