| Author | Message | ||
     Danny |
My father is in the process of buying a house. This house is in need of a roof, and we were contemplating switching from the asphalt roof to something a little more classy. Would I be able to email a picture of the house to someone, and give the length and width of the house, in order to get a rough ballpark figure? if this is possible please email me in response. Regards, Danny P.S. if it matters at all, the house is located in Hickory, North Carolina. | ||
| Anonymous |
Well pilgrim, an e-mail address would help but anyhow, first get an idea of what a fiberglass composite shingle roof would cost and then, for slate shingling, multiply by ten(this would be a rough, ballpark kind of price) Other types of roofs could be approached in the same way, perhaps, if you have some sort of baseline price established. Good luck and good choice! | ||
| NESlate |
The New England Slate Company at: http://www.neslate.com will cheerfully help you estimate this roof -- naturally we are hoping that ultimately you will buy our slate, but that is not a perequisite for lots of experienced help. | ||
| Joanne Derr |
Okay, so acccording to "anonymous" the major cost for a slate roof is in the labor?? Holy sh--!! I will save some 90,000.00+ doing it myself and probably get a better end result than half of the so called contractors claiming to know what they're doing with slate. Everything I need to know is in the Slate Roof Bible,I own a 30 Boom lift truck, I'll buy some tools and carrying my daughter's M16A2 which will almost assure a fair price on materials. That's it, I'm doing it myself. Tired of waiting. | ||
| Walter Musson |
Good luck.Please let us (the other half)know how it turns out. | ||
| Tim Dittmar |
No, Joanne, that's not what I intended to "convey"- a little research comparing composition shingle's price to that of slate(by the square) indicates slate is, say, 15+ times as high- it's not all in the labor- labor can be kept "down" by having a simple a-line roof with simple detail/s and little embellishment such as dormers, valleys, and the like... Pssst! I found a spiritual element in advanced, traditional slating(yup!, a religious experience) that probably came from adjusting my worldview to that of the time when those olde roofs where installed- the consistency and craftsmanship- attention to detail became overwhelming- and that's when "they" began to "speak" to me- at times, even now, I am moved to tears of joy to have been so counseled- no, only a portion of the art is in print- sorry to be the one to "break it" to you. I suggest the M16A2 would be better used to discount gold bullion(or something similar)- weighs about the same, is intensely more valuable, and solves a myriad of problems such as affording a slate roof(done correctly, one would hope). Sayonara! | ||
| joe jenkins |
A correctly installed slate roof is the least expensive roof money can buy when the entire life of the roof is taken into consideration. Initial costs, compared to cheaper asphalt roofs, are deceptive without considering the longevity of the roof. In the long run, slate is least expensive, natural, environmentally correct, and beautiful. It is the world's finest roof. | ||
| elton |
I work on around 4 slate roofs a year.I really need to learn how to estimate these jobs but I can't seem to find out how.All of my work is pretty much the same.after buying some matching slate I put my 30 foot ladder against the house.I bring my hook ladder up and replace 6 to 10 broken slates (the right way as explained on this site).Someone please tell me how to price these jobs.Thank you. | ||
| Walter Musson |
Since you've had some experience with repair work you must know how long you spend repacing the slates you've done so far.You should typically mark up your materials costs a reasonable amount and add some for procurement if your salvage slate is hard to find.You know what you'd like to make per hour,so multiply rate times hours,add materials with mark up,then add 15 % profit or whatever you feel is fair or standard for your area. | ||
| Richard Francis |
We are searching for roofers to give us estimates to replace our slate roof on a 64 year old house. Hurricane Katrina ruined ours. Our adjustor thinks we will not get the price of the estimate we have. We cannot get roofers to return our calls. SOS | ||
| Joe Jenkins (Admin) |
A rough general estimate is $1,500.00 per square, installed, labor and materials. | ||
| Anonymous |
Joe, You should also indicate that is for a VERY LOCAL roofer. They (the New Orleans area) needs to also anticipate travel cost as possibly 50-70% of all work (related to slate, tile and copper roofing) will come from outside. I would say for insurance reasons (and the speciality fact and the emergency need) I would plan on $2,500.00 to $3,000.00 if it was me. Your quote is right on for a 50 mile radius. But, who will travel from the northern part of this country to the southern part with all the expenses for that. Even what I mentioned when you get the logistics involved is cheap. We need our manpower, equipment, tooling, trucks, motels, eats and the cost of gas alone WOW!!! Get ready New Orleans area the cost(s) of reconstruction keeps rising. You better get your oil rigs up and running and offer some down right cheap petro, motels and eats. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ I know someone will respond to this and say $1,500.00 is a fair and good price--and it is for a 50 mile radius from HOME. But, when you travel that distance your employees what some extra for being away from home, family and etc... KIDS. And to make any $ you need to work for 3 weeks straight fly home for a week and fly back and repeat. People who travel and have done it routinly will agree the ones who have yet to travel are blind to this. Like anything else unless you've done it you don't understand it. Don't even mention (if you come from the N. east, Mid north or w. north part of this country to drive back home to save $ you can't it will burn your men out and you will either be finishing this job with little help or on YOUR OWN. MY COMPANY TRAVELS. I won't mention my name or company name as we have contacts and proposals in this area of the country and I don't want to seem like I'm trying to add things up but cost is cost and thats that!!! If anyone can travel and keep employees happy at $1,500.00 per sq. have at it you'll be extremely busy for a long time, for most of it by yourself after the novelity of traveling wears off--it happens faster than you think! | ||
| Anne B. Horton |
Slaters, I am puzzled. Okay, I have a 2nd empire victorian with a Mansard roof (not that large, but of course there are windows on each side - so herein lies the labor factor). Now, I spoke to 3 roofers - 1 recommended by architect as being able to do a Mansard with flowers and the 2nd recommended by my neighbor. All 2 quoted me based on same material (that fake slate by EcoStar with rubber flashing). SINCE READING JOE JENKINS book, I know to use slate & copper. Thank you Joe. Anyway, architect roofer quote was $34k, neighbor roofer was $16k. Why such a difference?? Thank you, Anne in Riverton, NJ | ||
| Joe Jenkins (Admin) |
As a slate roof consultant, I review proposals on slate roof installation, restoration or repair projects. I have found that it is not unusual to have proposal costs range 300% for the same work (just different contractors). |
