Cost to replace a 1,200 square foot roof, by roofing type
Roofers price by the square, and one square is 100 square feet, so a 1,200 square foot roof is 12 squares. The table multiplies 12 squares by the low and high installed cost of each roofing. The last column adds tearing off the old roof at $100 to $500 per square, which is $1,200 to $6,000 on this roof.
| Roofing | Per square foot | Per square | 12 squares, no tear-off | With tear-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asphalt shingles | $4 to $12 | $400 to $1,200 | $4,800 to $14,400 | $6,000 to $20,400 |
| Standing seam metal | $4 to $30 | $400 to $3,000 | $4,800 to $36,000 | $6,000 to $42,000 |
| Wood shingles | $7 to $15 | $700 to $1,500 | $8,400 to $18,000 | $9,600 to $24,000 |
| Clay shingles | $12 to $25 | $1,200 to $2,500 | $14,400 to $30,000 | $15,600 to $36,000 |
| Slate | $12 to $25 | $1,200 to $2,500 | $14,400 to $30,000 | $15,600 to $36,000 |
These are HomeAdvisor's national ranges for materials and installation together, not prices for your area. On 12 squares, every $100 a roofer adds or takes off per square moves the total by $1,200. The starting prices come from the store listings and cost guides under Sources, last checked in October 2026. Prices vary by region and season, so change any price to match your store or your quote.
What moves the price on a 1,200 square foot roof
On older small houses, the price often turns on what is under the shingles. A second layer of old roofing doubles the tear-off. Rotten roof boards have to be replaced before new shingles can go on, and that cost is not known until the old roof is off.
Next to what most people pay
HomeAdvisor says most homeowners spend $6,138 to $13,994 on a new shingle roof, $10,066 on average. Spread over 1,200 square feet, the average of $10,066 works out to $8.39 per square foot, all in. That sits in the upper half of the $4 to $12 the guide gives for the roof alone, before the $1 to $5 for a tear-off.
It also says labor is about 60 percent of a new shingle roof, at $1.50 to $4.00 per square foot, which is $1,800 to $4,800 on 12 squares. Booking in peak construction season can add 15 to 30 percent; on the middle of this roof's asphalt estimate, $13,200, that is $1,980 to $3,960.
Planning a 1,200 square foot roof
A 1,200 square foot roof is about 38 sheets of 4 by 8 foot decking. Ask each roofer for a price per sheet for replacing rotten decking, written into the quote. If a tenth of the deck is bad, that is about 4 sheets, and you will know the cost before they start.
How the 1,200 square foot estimate is worked out
- Squares = 1,200 ÷ 100 = 12
- New asphalt shingle roof = 12 × $400 = $4,800 at the low end, and 12 × $1,200 = $14,400 at the high end
- Tear-off = 12 × $100 = $1,200 at the low end, and 12 × $500 = $6,000 at the high end
- Estimate = $4,800 + $1,200 = $6,000 at the low end, and $14,400 + $6,000 = $20,400 at the high end
If a quote already includes the tear-off, choose No tear-off in the calculator above so it is not counted twice.
Shingles for a 1,200 square foot roof, materials only
Doing it yourself, the shingles and felt cost about $1,940: 40 bundles of architectural shingles at $44.99 and 4 rolls of #15 felt at $34.99, with 10 percent waste, at McCoy's Building Supply prices checked in October 2026.
| 1,200 square foot roof in asphalt shingles | Cost |
|---|---|
| Shingles and felt, materials only | About $1,940 |
| Installed by a roofer, no tear-off | $4,800 to $14,400 |
| Installed by a roofer, with tear-off | $6,000 to $20,400 |
The gap of $2,860 to $12,460 is the roofer's labor and costs, plus the nails, drip edge, flashing, vents, ridge cap, delivery and tax the materials figure leaves out. The 1,200 square foot shingle order has the full list.
Is your roof really 1,200 square feet?
The most common mistake in a roof estimate is using the floor area as the roof area. This table works back from a 1,200 square foot roof to the house under it, 4 feet long for every 3 wide with 12 inch overhangs.
| Roof pitch | Pitch multiplier | Flat area covered | House that fits | Floor area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 in 12 | 1.054 | 1,138 sq ft | 37 by 28 ft | 1,036 sq ft |
| 6 in 12 | 1.118 | 1,073 sq ft | 36 by 27 ft | 972 sq ft |
| 8 in 12 | 1.202 | 998 sq ft | 34 by 26 ft | 884 sq ft |
| 10 in 12 | 1.302 | 922 sq ft | 33 by 25 ft | 825 sq ft |
| 12 in 12 | 1.414 | 849 sq ft | 31 by 23 ft | 713 sq ft |
At 6 in 12, a 1,200 square foot roof sits over a house of about 36 by 27 feet, with 972 square feet of floor. Going the other way, a one-story house with 1,200 square feet of floor has about 1,503 square feet of roof at the same pitch and overhangs. In asphalt shingles with a tear-off, that roof is about $7,500 to $25,600, close to the figures for a 1,500 square foot roof.
A garage or porch adds its own roof area; the roof area calculator measures yours.
Before you sign
The code does not allow new shingles over a roof that already has two or more layers. If a low quote plans to shingle over the old roof, check how many layers are there first.
Other roof sizes
In asphalt shingles with a tear-off, a 1,000 square foot roof is $5,000 to $17,000 and a 1,500 square foot roof is $7,500 to $25,500.
1,000 sq ft1,500 sq ft1,800 sq ft2,000 sq ft2,200 sq ft2,500 sq ft3,000 sq ft3,500 sq ft4,000 sq ft
Common questions
How much does it cost to replace a 1,200 square foot roof?
About $6,000 to $20,400 with asphalt shingles and a tear-off, or $4,800 to $14,400 without, by HomeAdvisor's national figures. Quotes from roofers in your area are the only firm number.
How much does a 1,200 square foot metal roof cost?
For standing seam metal, about $4,800 to $36,000 before tear-off, at HomeAdvisor's $4 to $30 per square foot installed. The range is wide because it covers metals from steel and aluminum up to zinc and copper.
How much does it cost to tear off a 1,200 square foot roof?
About $1,200 to $6,000, at HomeAdvisor's $1 to $5 per square foot for removing and hauling away the old roofing. Some quotes already include it.
How much does it cost to replace roof decking on a 1,200 square foot roof?
It depends on how much is rotten, which is not known until the shingles come off. The roof has about 38 sheets of 4 by 8 decking. Get a price per sheet in writing before work starts, then multiply by the sheets that need replacing.
Is it cheaper to put new shingles over the old ones?
It skips most of the tear-off, which HomeAdvisor puts at $1 to $5 per square foot. But the code only allows it over a single sound, dry layer, and the old layer hides any rot in the deck below.
Is a 1,200 square foot roof the same as a 1,200 square foot house?
No. A one-story house with 1,200 square feet of floor has about 1,503 square feet of roof at 6 in 12 with 12 inch overhangs, and a 1,200 square foot roof fits a one-story house of about 972 square feet.
Sources
- HomeAdvisor: shingle roof replacement cost, with removal of the old roof
- HomeAdvisor: standing seam metal roof cost
- McCoy's Building Supply: roof shingle prices
- McCoy's Building Supply: roofing underlayment prices
Facts on this page were last checked against these sources in October 2026.