Every shingle roof is a different job. Two houses on the same street can get different quotes, and there are good reasons for that. This page walks through what moves the number, so the quote you get makes sense before you see it.
Want a rough idea now? The instant roof estimate gives you a ballpark from a few details. For the real number, we need to see the roof.
Roof size
Size is the biggest single factor. Roofers measure roof area in squares, and the area of a roof is larger than the footprint of the house, because the slopes and the overhangs add surface.
Product use follows area. SoyLei Innovations, the maker of the treatment we use, gives a set coverage per gallon on its product page. A bigger roof takes more product and more time on the roof, so it costs more to treat.
Pitch and height
A low, single-story roof is the easiest to work on. A steep roof is slower, and it has more surface than a flatter roof over the same house. The crew moves more carefully, uses fall protection, and spends more time setting up and moving around.
Height adds to that. A two-story house needs taller ladders and more setup, and getting the crew and gear on and off the roof takes longer. Height doesn’t change how much product the roof needs, but it does change how long the job takes.
Slopes, valleys and details
A simple roof with two big slopes goes quickly. A roof with many slopes, hips, valleys and dormers takes longer, because each edge and corner needs careful spraying.
Skylights, vents, solar panels, satellite dishes and other roof equipment all add work. They need to be covered or worked around, and they break up the roof into smaller sections.
Access and prep
How easy it is to reach the roof matters. A clear driveway and an open side yard are simple. Locked gates, narrow side yards, steep landscaping or a pool right up against the house take more time to set up around.
Prep varies a lot from house to house. Every roof gets cleared before treatment, but a roof under trees, or one that just caught a monsoon dust storm, has more to blow off. Valleys full of debris take longer to clear. Plants, pools and patio furniture near the roof edge all need covering.
Condition of the shingles
The roof’s condition decides two things: whether we treat it at all, and how much work it takes.
We spray at the rate the maker gives, and not heavier. SoyLei’s own research paper warns that overly high loadings “may compromise dimensional stability” of the shingle, so we don’t pad a job with extra product.
If the roof needs repairs before it can be treated, those repairs are a separate job, done by a roofer and priced by them. We don’t do repairs ourselves. A roof that needs a lot of repair may not be worth treating at all, and we’ll tell you if that’s the case.
HOA paperwork
If your HOA wants to review roof work, there is paperwork to prepare. That usually means the product information, a description of the work and sometimes photos. We help with it. A simple request takes little time. An HOA that asks for more back and forth takes more.
More than one roof
Communities and HOAs sometimes look at treating several shingle roofs in one program. Doing several roofs in one trip changes the setup, scheduling and travel compared with one-off jobs. Our page on roof programs for HOAs and communities covers how that works.
Treatment or replacement
A treatment is a much smaller job than tearing off a roof and putting on a new one. It goes on the roof you already have. But that is only a fair comparison if the roof is still sound.
A treatment doesn’t replace missing shingles, fix leaks or repair soft decking. On a roof that is past treating, any money spent on a treatment is money wasted, and you’d still need the new roof. For more on that choice, read rejuvenate or replace your shingle roof, or see how roof rejuvenation works.
Getting your number
Two ways to start. The instant roof estimate gives you a quick ballpark. A free roof evaluation gives you the real number, after we’ve looked at size, pitch, access and condition, and told you whether the roof is a candidate at all.
Common questions
Why don’t you list one price on the website?
Because roofs vary too much for one price to be honest. Size, pitch, height, the number of slopes and valleys, access, prep and condition all change the job. A single figure would be wrong for most homes. The instant estimate gives you a ballpark, and the free evaluation gives you a number for your roof.
Is the roof evaluation really free?
Yes. We look at the roof, take photos, tell you whether it is a candidate and give you a number if it is. There is no charge for that, and no obligation to book anything. If the roof isn’t a candidate, you still get the photos and our notes to take to a roofer.
Can I buy the product and do it myself?
SoyLei does sell its product to homeowners. If you go that route, read the safety data sheet first, check your shingle warranty, and look at SoyLei’s own list of required gear and conditions. Think hard about being on a roof in Arizona heat. What you pay a crew for is the evaluation, the prep, the gear and the time on the roof.
Do I pay you for roof repairs too?
No, because we don’t do them. If your roof needs repairs before it can be treated, a roofer does that work and prices it separately. We’ll show you what we found and why it needs fixing first. Once the repairs are done, we can look at the roof again and give you a number for the treatment.