Your roof
All three shingle grades priced at once, tear-off included. For metal, tile, and other materials, use the full roof calculator.
Three grades, your roof
Installed totals with single-layer tear-off, underlayment, and ridge vent.
Asphalt shingle prices in 2026
Asphalt shingles remain America’s roof — about 3 in 4 homes — because of the price: $4.00 to $10.00 per square foot installed across the three grades in mid-2026. Basic 3-tab runs $4.00–$5.50, the dominant architectural (dimensional) grade $4.50–$8.00, and designer shingles that mimic slate or cedar shake $7.00–$10.00. On a typical 1,700 sq ft roof, the practical spread is $7,500 (3-tab) to $16,000 (designer) — with architectural sitting in the sweet spot that wins most bids.
Shingle grades compared
| 3-tab | Architectural | Designer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Installed $/sq ft | $4.00 – $5.50 | $4.50 – $8.00 | $7.00 – $10.00 |
| Lifespan | 15–20 yrs | 25–30 yrs | 30–40 yrs |
| Wind rating | 60–70 mph | 110–130 mph | 130 mph+ |
| Warranty | 20–25 yr | 30 yr–lifetime | Lifetime |
| Cost per year of life* | ~$0.27/sq ft | ~$0.23/sq ft | ~$0.24/sq ft |
*Mid-range price ÷ mid lifespan. Architectural wins the per-year math — the reason it’s the default recommendation.
Why 3-tab is usually a false economy
The $1,500–$3,000 a 3-tab roof saves upfront buys you a roof that dies 8–10 years sooner, blows off at wind speeds architectural shrugs at, and — increasingly relevant — is being discontinued by major manufacturers, making future repairs a matching nightmare. The cases where 3-tab still makes sense: a home you’re selling within 2–3 years, a rental you price purely on cash flow, or a shed/outbuilding. For a home you’ll keep, architectural’s extra ~$0.75/sq ft is the best-value upgrade in roofing. Some insurers also discount premiums for higher wind-class shingles — worth one phone call before you choose.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to shingle a 1,500 sq ft house?
How many bundles of shingles per square?
What color shingle is best?
Are 50-year shingles worth it?
Your metal roof
Your estimate
Metal lasts 40–70 years vs asphalt’s 20–25 — you’re pricing one roof against two or three.
How much does a metal roof cost in 2026?
A metal roof costs $7 to $16 per square foot installed in mid-2026 depending on system. Exposed-fastener ribbed panels — the budget entry — run $7–$10; metal shingles $8–$13; stone-coated steel $9–$14; and standing seam, the hidden-fastener premium standard, $10–$16. On a typical 1,700 sq ft roof that’s $12,000 (ribbed) to $27,000 (standing seam) — roughly 1.7–2.2× an asphalt roof. The counterweight: metal’s 40–70 year lifespan means the asphalt homeowner buys two or three roofs in the time you buy one.
Metal roofing systems compared
| System | $/sq ft installed | Lifespan | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ribbed / exposed fastener | $7 – $10 | 30–45 yrs | Screws need re-tightening ~15 yrs; barn-to-modern looks |
| Metal shingles | $8 – $13 | 40–60 yrs | Reads as traditional roof from the street |
| Stone-coated steel | $9 – $14 | 40–60 yrs | Mimics tile/shake at half tile’s weight |
| Standing seam | $10 – $16 | 50–70 yrs | Hidden fasteners, cleanest lines, solar-mount friendly |
The lifetime math vs asphalt
Take a 1,700 sq ft roof over 50 years: asphalt at ~$11,000 per replacement means two-to-three roofs plus repairs — roughly $26,000–$34,000 in today’s dollars. Standing seam at $20,000 once, with minimal upkeep, wins the half-century by $6,000–$14,000, and starts winning around year 25–30 when asphalt roof #2 gets billed. Metal also earns along the way: insurance discounts of 5–35% in hail and wildfire states, ~10–25% summer cooling savings from reflective coatings, and the best solar-panel mounting surface there is (clamps, no roof penetrations). The honest caveats: hail can cosmetically dent it (check your policy’s cosmetic-damage exclusion), and a good metal crew is harder to find than a shingle crew — bid quality varies wildly.
Frequently asked questions
Is a metal roof worth the extra cost?
Are metal roofs loud in rain?
Can you put metal over shingles?
Do metal roofs attract lightning?
Metal Roof cost by state
Prices are adjusted for each state’s construction wages, permit costs, and local code requirements.