# New Roof Cost by Material: Slope, Life, Hail and Wind

URL: https://roofwiseusa.com/roof-replacement/new-roof-cost
Updated: 2026-09-17
Review: Reviewed by RoofWise USA Editorial Team, editorial review: primary sources checked and independently fact-checked

What each roof covering asks of your structure, how long it serves, and how it behaves in hail and wind: the part of new roof cost nobody itemizes.

New roof cost is set mostly by the covering that goes back on, and the covering you are allowed to put back on is set by your roof's slope, what your framing can carry, and the weather where you live. Those three things narrow the list before money does. This page goes covering by covering: what each one asks of the structure underneath it, how long it serves, how it behaves in hail and wind, and who it genuinely suits. The [roof replacement guide](https://roofwiseusa.com/roof-replacement/roof-replacement) covers the rest of the job, and a separate guide covers what moves the price of any one of these.

- Slope eliminates materials before budget does. The City of Maple Grove, Minnesota [building department's roofing handout](https://www.maplegrovemn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/147/Roofing-PDF), reproducing Section R905 of what it says is the 2020 Minnesota State Building Code, puts asphalt shingles at a slope of 2:12 or greater and wood shingles and shakes at 3:12; the Department of Energy's guidance puts clay and concrete tile at 2.5 in 12 and a standing-seam metal system at one-quarter unit in 12. Which edition your own jurisdiction is on is a local question.
- Weight is the second gate. Building America says tile is "approximately three times heavier than asphalt roofing, so roof framing and sheathing must be structurally adequate to support the weight."
- An impact rating is a test result, not a promise. IBHS tested 24 impact-resistant shingle products and found that "most products earned a 'Good' rating, none achieved 'Excellent.'"
- Metal behaves differently from shingles in hail: IBHS states that small dents "where the paint has not been cracked or flaked off, typically will not affect the weatherability or structural performance of metal panels."
- No authoritative body publishes an average service life or an average price for most of these materials. Anyone quoting you a confident national figure per material calculated it themselves.

## Slope decides your shortlist before price does

Pitch is written as rise over run: a 4:12 roof rises 4 inches for every 12 inches across. It is the first filter, because the residential code sets a minimum slope for each covering.

For asphalt shingles and wood, the numbers below come from the Section R905 requirements set out in the City of Maple Grove, Minnesota [building department's roofing handout](https://www.maplegrovemn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/147/Roofing-PDF), which says it is based in part on the 2020 Minnesota State Building Code. Asphalt shingles "may only be used on roof slopes of two units vertical in 12 units horizontal (2:12) or greater," with "double underlayment" required from 2:12 to 4:12. Wood shingles "must be installed on slopes that are at least 3:12 or greater," and wood shakes "must be installed on roof slopes of 3:12 or greater."

That handout covers only four coverings — asphalt shingles, mineral-surfaced roll roofing, wood shingles and wood shakes — so it says nothing about tile or metal. Those minimums come instead from the Department of Energy's Building America guidance. [Clay and concrete tile](https://basc.pnnl.gov/resource-guides/clay-or-concrete-tile-roofs) have a "minimum roof slope 2.5 in 12; for roof slopes from 2.5 in 12 to 4 in 12, two layers of underlayment are required." [Metal](https://basc.pnnl.gov/resource-guides/metal-roofs) splits in two: for "lapped, non-soldered-seam metal roofs without applied lap sealant, the minimum slope is three units vertical in 12 units horizontal (25%)," while "for standing-seam roof systems, the minimum slope is one-quarter unit vertical in 12 units horizontal (2%)."

That last line is why almost flat sections of roof end up in standing-seam metal or membrane. FEMA draws a boundary from the other direction, in two fact sheets from FEMA P-2181, its Hurricane and Flood Mitigation Handbook for Public Facilities. Its [sloped-roof fact sheet](https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_p-2181-fact-sheet-3-3-1-roof-systems-sloped-roofs.pdf) says sloped roofs "have a pitch of 3 feet vertical to 12 feet horizontal (3:12) or greater." Its low-slope sheet makes the threshold depend on the material: low-slope roofs "have a pitch of fewer than 3 feet vertical to 12 feet horizontal (3:12) for metal roofs, 2.5:12 for clay tile roofs and 2:12 for ballasted roofs."

If your roof is 3:12 or steeper, everything below is available to you. If part of it is shallower (a porch, an addition, a dormer tie-in), that part is a different material and a separate line on the quote, whatever the main roof gets.

**Which code edition applies is local**
The slope minimums above are one city's reproduction of Section R905, based in part on the 2020 Minnesota State Building Code. Your jurisdiction may be on a different edition with its own amendments, and your building department is the authority on which. Use these as the shape of the rule, not as the rule where you live.

## Asphalt architectural (laminated) shingles

**What it asks of the structure.** Least of any covering here: a solid deck, underlayment, and 2:12 or more of slope. Building America groups asphalt shingles as "strip (3-tab), dimensional (architectural/laminate), and premium (luxury)"; architectural shingles are the laminated ones, built from more than one layer, and they are what most American replacement roofs use.

<Figure slug="fig-architectural-shingle" caption="Look along a course from the side: the tabs are two layers thick, so they cast a deep shadow and the slope reads as broken up rather than flat. If that is what is on your roof now, this is the section that applies to you." />

**How long it serves.** Honestly: nobody neutral says. Building America points to manufacturer warranties rather than a figure, and notes only that lighter-colored shingles "tend to last longer as they absorb less heat." Treat a roofer's "these are 30-year shingles" as a warranty name, not a forecast, and ask to read the actual warranty document.

**Hail and wind.** Asphalt is the covering with the most public hail data and the most marketing built on top of it. Building codes "require asphalt shingles, including hip and ridge shingles, to be tested and classified for wind resistance in accordance with ASTM D7158 or D3161," and manufacturers "offer shingles that are impact-rated in accordance with UL 2218 (Class 1 through 4, with 4 being the highest rating)." IBHS goes further and tests retail products itself, using [both 1.5- and 2.0-inch diameter laboratory manufactured hailstones](https://ibhs.org/hail/relative-impact-resistance-of-asphalt-shingles/) under its Hail Impact Test Protocol. Its [ratings release](https://ibhs.org/ibhs-news-releases/ibhs-releases-its-most-expansive-impact-resistant-shingle-ratings-to-date/) says the shingles are "evaluated across the modes of damage observed in hailstorms — dents, tears, and granule loss."

The results are the most useful thing on this page. In that same release, IBHS tested "a record 24 impact-resistant shingle products" representing "approximately 95% of the impact-resistant shingles sold annually," and reported that "most products earned a 'Good' rating, none achieved 'Excellent.'" IBHS says plainly: "If a product rates Marginal or Poor, we do not recommend using it in areas that experience hail." So the category is not uniform, the premium does not buy a uniform result, and the product name on the quote matters more than the words "impact resistant" next to it.

**One timing detail that applies to every asphalt roof.** IBHS's [Roof 101](https://ibhs.org/roof-101/) describes the sealant layer as "a softer asphalt that activates under the heat of the sun to self-seal," and notes manufacturers "recommend temperatures between 70°F and 80°F for sealing and warn that temperatures below 40°F may not allow shingles to seal properly." A shingle roof laid in the cold is not finished until the weather turns.

**Who it suits.** Almost everyone with a 2:12-or-steeper roof, a normal budget and no unusual structural situation. It is the default for a reason, and the reason is not that it is best.

## Three-tab strip shingles

**What it asks of the structure.** The same as architectural: solid deck, 2:12 minimum, double underlayment below 4:12. The difference is in the shingle, not the roof.

**How it differs.** A strip shingle is a single-layer sheet cut into tabs; an architectural shingle is laminated. Fastening reflects that: "for normal application, strip shingles must be fastened with a minimum of four nails," per the code requirements above.

<Figure slug="fig-three-tab-shingle" caption="One layer, so the surface stays flat and the cut-outs repeat in an even grid with no shadow depth to it. A roof that reads as a regular pattern of rectangles from the street is three-tab, whatever the quote calls it." />

**The honest part.** No allowlisted authority publishes a service-life or hail-performance comparison between three-tab and laminated shingles. What IBHS tests and rates is the impact-resistant product category, bought "through standard retail outlets," and three-tab is not where those products live. If a quote offers three-tab as the cheaper option, the questions worth asking are its ASTM D7158 or D3161 wind classification and whether it carries a UL 2218 class at all — both of which are printed facts you can check, unlike a lifespan estimate.

**Who it suits.** A budget replacement on a low-exposure roof, a rental, an outbuilding, or a house you know you are selling. In a hail or high-wind region it puts the least-tested product on the most-exposed surface.

## Metal panels and metal shingles

**What it asks of the structure.** Less slope than anything except membrane, and a deck appropriate to the type. Building America: "metal roof shingles are applied to solid, closely fitted roof decks, whereas metal roof panels are applied to solid or spaced sheathing." Metal shingles include "simulated shakes that resemble wood shakes and simulated tiles that resemble concrete or clay tiles."

<Figure slug="fig-standing-seam-metal" caption="The raised ribs are the seams themselves, folded together over the fasteners so nothing is exposed on the face of the panel. This is the standing-seam type the Department of Energy puts as low as a quarter unit in 12, not the lapped panel with screws driven through it." />

**How long it serves.** This is where metal earns its price. Building America states that "metal roofing tends to cost more than asphalt shingles, but a metal roof can last up to 50 years or more," and IBHS says of panel systems that "often, the lifecycle of metal panel roofs extends to 40 years and beyond."

**Hail and wind.** Metal's hail behavior is genuinely different, and it is the difference most often argued about with insurers. IBHS's [low-slope metal guidance](https://ibhs.org/guidance/ricowi-roof-guide-low-slope-metal/) states that "small dents from hail, where the paint has not been cracked or flaked off, typically will not affect the weatherability or structural performance of metal panels" — in other words, the damage can be cosmetic while the roof still works, which is a distinction shingles rarely offer. On wind, FEMA's sloped-roof fact sheet — written for public facilities, as part of FEMA P-2181, the Hurricane and Flood Mitigation Handbook for Public Facilities — advises owners to "consider using metal roof panels that have been tested to meet the local code regulations and wind load requirements of the area and installing them per site-specific analysis requirements." Panels are tested to standards such as ASTM E1592, FM 4474 or UL 580 depending on type.

**Fire.** Building America notes that "for areas prone to wildfires, metal roofs are generally considered a fire-resistant roof covering."

**Who it suits.** Long holds, low-slope sections, wildfire-exposed areas, and hail country where you would rather absorb dents than replace a covering. It costs more up front, it is noisier to install, and a dented-but-working roof can become an awkward conversation with an insurer precisely because it still works.

## Clay and concrete tile

**What it asks of the structure.** More than any other covering here, and this is the number that surprises people. The Department of Energy's [tile roof guidance](https://basc.pnnl.gov/resource-guides/clay-or-concrete-tile-roofs) states that "tiles are heavy, approximately three times heavier than asphalt roofing, so roof framing and sheathing must be structurally adequate to support the weight." Tiles go "only over solid sheathing or spaced structural sheathing boards" and "over a minimum of 15/32-in.-thick plywood." On a house framed for shingles, switching to tile is a structural question first and a roofing question second.

<Figure slug="fig-clay-tile-roof" caption="Every course here is weight the framing carries for the life of the roof, which is why the structural question comes before the price one. Concrete tile is made in these same profiles, so the shape tells you nothing about which material you are being quoted." />

**How long it serves.** The longest of any covering in common use: "tile roofing, particularly clay, is relatively expensive but also has a long life expectancy that can exceed 100 years."

**Hail and wind.** Tile is brittle, and the guidance reflects that: "install impact-resistant tiles to help protect against damage by hail," with a Class 4 impact rating called for in hail-prone areas. On wind, the same FEMA sloped-roof fact sheet from FEMA P-2181 treats tile as something to secure deliberately. Its advice is written for public buildings, not houses: "Clay tile roofs on public buildings in high wind regions should be attached using a tested and approved assembly based on site-specific analysis for the area." It goes on to say you should "determine the wind loads for the geographic area and make sure the tiles are rated to withstand those wind loads," and that for roofs within 3,000 feet of the ocean "straps, fasteners and clips should be hot-dipped galvanized or stainless steel to resist corrosion." We quote it because loose tiles in a hurricane become debris, which is worth knowing whatever your building is, but the recommendation itself is aimed at public facilities rather than at your house.

**Climate.** Building America notes that "clay tile roofs are not common in very cold climates" and advises against them in high-snow regions because of damage during snow removal.

**Who it suits.** Hot, dry and coastal-southern regions, houses already framed for tile, and owners holding a property for decades. It suits almost nobody who is converting from shingles without an engineer's sign-off first.

## Wood shakes and wood shingles

**What it asks of the structure.** A 3:12 minimum slope for both, and particular sheathing. IBHS's [cedar guidance](https://ibhs.org/guidance/ricowi-roof-guide-cedar-shingles-and-shakes/) specifies spaced sheathing of "1 inch x 4 inch or 1 inch x 6 inch dimension lumber" for shakes and "1 inch x 4 inch dimension lumber" for shingles, with solid sheathing recommended for shakes and possibly required in seismic regions. Shakes also need felt interlayment woven between courses, which is a labor cost, not a materials cost.

<Figure slug="fig-cedar-shake-roof" caption="Split faces, uneven thickness and irregular widths mean shakes rather than sawn shingles, which are flat and uniform. The two carry different sheathing and interlayment requirements, so check which word appears on your quote." />

**How long it serves.** IBHS refuses to give a number, and that refusal is informative: life expectancy "will vary depending on many factors, including: local environment where installed, wood quality, quality of installation, care and maintenance performed, foot traffic, and amount of overhanging trees." This is the one covering where maintenance genuinely changes the outcome — IBHS's maintenance list is trimming overhanging branches, clearing gutters and downspouts, and removing debris promptly.

**Hail and wind.** Better than its reputation when specified well. The products tested are Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau (CSSB) member products, not IBHS ones: IBHS reports that in 2004, shakes and shingles from CSSB members were tested to UL 1897 "with results of 90 psf (190 mph) for CSSB member shakes and shingles." The guide attaches a different installation condition to each standard, and they are not interchangeable: "UL 1897 high-wind ratings for cedar shakes and shingles were achieved using ring shank nails and 1 inch x 4 inch wood battens. Similarly, Florida Building Code TAS 100-95 high-wind ratings including Miami-Dade County approvals were achieved using ring shank nails and solid plywood decking." On hail, some CSSB member products have "withstood the impacts of up to 2-inch-diameter steel balls dropped from a 20-foot height" under UL 2218, where Class 4 is the highest rating available.

**Fire, which is the deciding factor.** IBHS states that untreated cedar products are "unrated," while fire-retardant-treated options can reach Class A, B or C, and that "Class A coverings are required on commercial and residential buildings in many wildfire-prone areas where building codes have been adopted." If you are in a wildfire zone, this is not a preference question; check what your jurisdiction requires before you price anything.

**Who it suits.** Historic houses, conservation districts and owners who want the material and will maintain it. Not a low-maintenance choice, and in much of the fire-exposed West not an available one.

## Low-slope membrane roofs

**What it asks of the structure.** Almost no slope, which is the point. IBHS notes the IBC "requires that single-ply roof membranes have a design slope of not less than 1/4:12," and that single-ply can be used on any slope where the assembly has been tested and meets fire classification requirements. The common residential cases are flat porch roofs, additions, and modern flat-roofed houses.

**The types.** IBHS describes single-ply as TPO, "the fastest growing single-ply membrane type," plus PVC and EPDM, "often referred to as 'rubber roofing.'" FEMA's low-slope fact sheet adds built-up roof layers and modified bitumen membrane to the list.

**Hail and wind.** FEMA's [low-slope roof fact sheet](https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_p-2181-fact-sheet-3-3-2-roof-systems-low-slope-roofs.pdf), the companion sheet from FEMA P-2181, the Hurricane and Flood Mitigation Handbook for Public Facilities, is unusually blunt about which systems survive. Again, it is written for public buildings. "Built-up roofs and modified bitumen systems have demonstrated good wind performance provided the edge flashing or coping does not fail, which happens frequently." Modified bitumen is "more resistant to puncture than other membrane systems used for roof coverings." And the warning worth quoting in full: "mechanically attached and air-pressure equalized single-ply membrane systems are prone to degradation after debris impact; this roofing system is not recommended for hurricane-prone regions." FEMA also notes that the 2009 and later editions of the International Building Code prohibit gravel ballast roof surfacing in hurricane-prone regions.

**One instruction that applies to any covering.** FEMA: "when upgrading a roof covering, remove the old roof covering down to the deck rather than just re-covering the roof. This allows the structural integrity of the roof to be evaluated and problems to be addressed." A quote that proposes to go over the existing roof is cheaper for a reason.

**Who it suits.** Anyone whose roof, or part of it, is below the slope minimum for shingles. Which system, and how it is attached at the edges, matters more here than the membrane brand.

## Putting a number on your own roof

Material choice changes the price of a replacement more than almost anything else, but it changes it as a multiplier on your own roof's size, pitch and complexity — none of which a published average knows. Run the material options against your own measurements, where every assumption is visible and you can change it.

Tool: [Roof cost estimator](https://roofwiseusa.com/roof-replacement/tools/roof-cost-estimator). A low, typical and high planning range from your roof's footprint, pitch, material, layers and state, with sample prices clearly labeled.

**Replace the roof with a roofer you choose.** Good when: The roof is old, leaking in more than one place, or the damage is widespread. Watch out: Get more than one written quote with the same scope, and be wary of large deposits or pressure to sign that day.

**Check the rating, not the label**
"Impact resistant" and "hail rated" are marketing phrases. The checkable facts are the UL 2218 class (1 to 4) printed on the product, the ASTM D7158 or D3161 wind classification, and, for shingles, whether that exact product appears in the IBHS ratings and how it scored. IBHS found that of 24 impact-resistant shingle products tested, none rated Excellent — so ask for the product name and the class in writing, on the quote, before you pay a premium for the category.

## Why every other page hands you a dollar figure per material

Search "new roof cost" and you will get confident tables: this much per square for asphalt, this much for metal, this much for tile. Almost all of them are published by roofing companies, lead-generation sites or material manufacturers, and almost none of them cite a source, because there is not one to cite. No federal agency, standards body or insurance regulator publishes average installed prices by roofing material in the United States.

What the authoritative sources do publish is what is on this page: minimum slopes, structural requirements, test standards, measured hail and wind performance, and documented service life where it exists. Those facts survive a year; a price table does not. We would rather give you the constraints that decide your shortlist and a calculator whose assumptions you can see and change than an average that was never about your house.

## Bottom line

Start with slope and structure, because they decide what is even possible. Then weigh service life against how long you will own the house, and weigh hail and wind behavior against the weather your county actually gets. Ask any roofer to put the exact product name, the UL 2218 class and the ASTM wind classification on the quote, then price two or three roofers on that same specification. A qualified roofer or engineer decides what your structure can carry; this page is here so you know what to ask them.

Once you have narrowed the covering down, [what actually moves the price](https://roofwiseusa.com/roof-replacement/roof-replacement-cost) explains how a quote is built, and [the metal question](https://roofwiseusa.com/roof-replacement/metal-roof-cost) covers the trade-off people ask about most.

Start the Roof Check: https://roofwiseusa.com/check

## Common questions

### Which roofing material lasts the longest?

Of the common coverings, clay tile has the longest documented service life: the Department of Energy's Building America guide says tile roofing, particularly clay, has a life expectancy that can exceed 100 years. The same program's metal roofs guide says a metal roof can last up to 50 years or more.

### Can I put any roofing material on my roof?

No. The residential code sets a minimum slope for each covering, so your roof's pitch rules some materials out before budget does. In the Section R905 requirements published by the City of Maple Grove, Minnesota, asphalt shingles need a slope of 2:12 or greater and wood shingles and shakes 3:12; the Department of Energy puts a standing-seam metal system as low as one-quarter unit in 12. Which code edition applies to you is a question for your own building department.

### Are impact-resistant shingles worth it in hail country?

The rating is worth reading rather than trusting. IBHS tested 24 impact-resistant shingle products and reported that most earned a Good rating and none achieved Excellent, and it says it does not recommend products rated Marginal or Poor in areas that experience hail.

### Does a dented metal roof need replacing?

Not necessarily, and that is a real difference between metal and shingles. IBHS states that small dents from hail, where the paint has not cracked or flaked off, typically will not affect the weatherability or structural performance of metal panels.

### Why does switching to tile cost so much more than the tiles?

Because the structure has to carry them. Building America notes tile is roughly three times heavier than asphalt roofing and that the framing and sheathing must be structurally adequate to support the weight, which can mean an engineer's assessment and reinforcement on a house built for shingles.

## Sources

- [IBHS: Roof 101](https://ibhs.org/roof-101/)
- [IBHS: Relative Hail Impact Resistance of Asphalt Shingles](https://ibhs.org/hail/relative-impact-resistance-of-asphalt-shingles/)
- [IBHS: Most Expansive Impact-Resistant Shingle Ratings to Date](https://ibhs.org/ibhs-news-releases/ibhs-releases-its-most-expansive-impact-resistant-shingle-ratings-to-date/)
- [IBHS / RICOWI Roof Guide: Cedar Shingles and Shakes](https://ibhs.org/guidance/ricowi-roof-guide-cedar-shingles-and-shakes/)
- [IBHS / RICOWI Roof Guide: Low-Slope Metal](https://ibhs.org/guidance/ricowi-roof-guide-low-slope-metal/)
- [IBHS / RICOWI Roof Guide: Single-Ply Membrane](https://ibhs.org/guidance/ricowi-roof-guide-single-ply-membrane/)
- [DOE Building America Solution Center: Asphalt Shingle Roofs](https://basc.pnnl.gov/resource-guides/asphalt-shingle-roofs)
- [DOE Building America Solution Center: Metal Roofs](https://basc.pnnl.gov/resource-guides/metal-roofs)
- [DOE Building America Solution Center: Clay or Concrete Tile Roofs](https://basc.pnnl.gov/resource-guides/clay-or-concrete-tile-roofs)
- [FEMA Fact Sheet 3.3.2: Roof Systems — Low-Slope Roofs](https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_p-2181-fact-sheet-3-3-2-roof-systems-low-slope-roofs.pdf)
- [FEMA Fact Sheet 3.3.1: Roof Systems — Sloped Roofs](https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_p-2181-fact-sheet-3-3-1-roof-systems-sloped-roofs.pdf)
- [City of Maple Grove, MN: Roofing handout (IRC Section R905 requirements)](https://www.maplegrovemn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/147/Roofing-PDF)