Roof replacement cost in San Diego, CA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (2,000 sq ft of roof)
- $6,850 – $13,900
- Per sq ft of roof
- $3.35 – $6.65
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +12%
- US $9,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #32
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to replace a roof in San Diego, plan on $6,850 to $13,900 for 2,000 sq ft of roof, all in. Per sq ft of roof, that is $3.35 to $6.65 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 12% higher than the national one. Roofers earn a median of $29.90 an hour in the San Diego area, 12% above the US median of $26.65.
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Estimated cost for 2,000 sq ft of roof in San Diego, CA, standard level
$8,950 to $11,800
About $4.35 to $5.70 per sq ft of roof before permits. Labor is about 62% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,850 | $4,300 |
| Labor | $5,900 | $7,050 |
| Permits and fees | $250 | $430 |
| Total | $8,950 | $11,800 |
Cost breakdown for 2,000 sq ft of roof in San Diego, CA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,750 | $3,550 | $5,400 | 34% |
| Labor | $5,000 | $6,450 | $7,950 | 62% |
| Permits and fees | $110 | $340 | $560 | 3% |
| Total | $6,850 | $10,400 | $13,900 | 100% |
Where the San Diego price comes from
The wage side of the estimate leans on roofers, who do 85% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $29.90 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for San Diego is 1.14 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 62% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the San Diego metro is 108.0 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 2,000 sq ft of roof comes to $3,550, compared with $3,300 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (111.9) and land at $110 to $560.
San Diego labor market for roof
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for San Diego is 1.14 times the national level.
For roofers (47-2181, weighted 85%) the local median is $29.90 an hour, which is 12% above the national $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $28.47 and $35.44 an hour. BLS counts 1,830 of them working in the area, 11.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 8.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 15% of the weighting: a median of $27.49 an hour, 21% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $23.31 and $34.32 an hour. About 8,850 work in the metro. That is 57.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the roofers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($35.44 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $1,000. At the 25th percentile ($28.47) it shrinks by about $260. The total moves by 9.7% or 2.5%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 1,538,060 jobs in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad area. That makes it the 18th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.99% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roofers (47-2181) | 85% | $28.47 | $29.90 | $35.44 | $26.65 | 1.12 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 15% | $23.31 | $27.49 | $34.32 | $22.66 | 1.21 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.14 | |||||
Is San Diego cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (2,000 sq ft of roof), priced for the nearest metros. Los Angeles is the priciest of the group at $10,500. Yuma is the cheapest at $8,400.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego, CAthis page | $6,850 – $13,900 | $10,400 | |
| El Centro, CA80 miles | $6,800 – $13,800 | $10,300 | −1% |
| Los Angeles, CA110 miles | $6,950 – $14,000 | $10,500 | +1% |
| Riverside, CA110 miles | $6,750 – $13,600 | $10,200 | −2% |
| Oxnard, CA165 miles | $6,850 – $13,900 | $10,400 | level |
| Yuma, AZ165 miles | $5,450 – $11,300 | $8,400 | −19% |
| California (statewide) | $6,950 – $14,000 | $10,500 | +1% |
| United States | $6,100 – $12,500 | $9,300 | −10% |
Across 300 US metros, San Diego comes in at #32 from the top. The priciest is Worcester, MA at $13,800; the cheapest is El Paso, TX at $7,200 (midpoints, 2,000 sq ft of roof). Statewide, San Diego is 1% below the California figure.
Other California metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 6,271,560 jobs | $6,950 – $14,000 | $10,500 | +1% |
| San Francisco, CA | 2,373,920 jobs | $7,900 – $15,600 | $11,700 | +13% |
| Riverside, CA | 1,716,760 jobs | $6,750 – $13,600 | $10,200 | −2% |
| San Jose, CA | 1,134,970 jobs | $7,900 – $15,600 | $11,700 | +13% |
| Sacramento, CA | 1,080,590 jobs | $6,900 – $13,900 | $10,400 | level |
| Fresno, CA | 476,890 jobs | $6,750 – $13,700 | $10,200 | −1% |
Cities with a workforce like San Diego's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is San Diego against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver, CO | 1,609,350 jobs | $6,150 – $12,700 | $9,400 | −9% |
| Tampa, FL | 1,447,120 jobs | $5,400 – $11,300 | $8,350 | −19% |
| Riverside, CA | 1,716,760 jobs | $6,750 – $13,600 | $10,200 | −2% |
| Orlando, FL | 1,411,730 jobs | $5,400 – $11,300 | $8,350 | −19% |
Climate in San Diego: timing your roof job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for San Diego Montgomery Fld (in the city). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
Weather is not a serious constraint for exterior installation in San Diego: no month in the averages is cold enough (an average daytime high under 45°F) or hot enough (an average daytime high of 90°F or more) to rule it out, so the workable window is all year.
San Diego gets about 11 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, February and March (2.6 inches in February). The station averages about 16 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67 | 46 | 2.3 | Workable |
| Feb | 67 | 47 | 2.6 | Workable |
| Mar | 69 | 50 | 1.6 | Workable |
| Apr | 71 | 52 | 0.8 | Workable |
| May | 72 | 57 | 0.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 75 | 60 | 0.1 | Workable |
| Jul | 80 | 64 | 0.1 | Workable |
| Aug | 82 | 65 | 0.0 | Workable |
| Sep | 81 | 64 | 0.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 78 | 58 | 0.5 | Workable |
| Nov | 73 | 50 | 0.9 | Workable |
| Dec | 67 | 45 | 1.6 | Workable |
Pick a size, pick a tier: roof replacement pricing in San Diego
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for San Diego wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$6,850 to $9,650
3-tab shingles, single layer, simple roof
Standard
$8,950 to $11,800
Architectural shingles, standard pitch and tear-off
Premium
$11,100 to $13,900
Heavy architectural, steep or cut-up roof, decking repairs
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small (1,200 sq ft of roof) | $4,150 – $5,900 | $5,450 – $7,250 | $6,800 – $8,550 |
| average (2,000 sq ft of roof) | $6,850 – $9,650 | $8,950 – $11,800 | $11,100 – $13,900 |
| large (2,800 sq ft of roof) | $9,550 – $13,400 | $12,400 – $16,300 | $15,400 – $19,200 |
| very large (3,600 sq ft of roof) | $12,200 – $17,200 | $15,900 – $20,900 | $19,600 – $24,600 |
Roof replacement: what moves the price in San Diego
Shingle type
3-tab asphalt is $3-$5 per sq ft installed; architectural is $4-$6 (HomeGuide). Metal, tile and slate are separate projects with much higher ranges.
Roof area, not floor area
Pitch and complexity mean roof surface is larger than the house's footprint. A 1,500 sq ft ranch can have 1,800-2,200 sq ft of roof.
Tear-off and layers
Removing a second layer or rotted decking adds cost, and the contractor can only see decking damage after tear-off.
What nearby projects cost in San Diego
Because every project leans on different trades, San Diego's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, vinyl siding runs +15% and attic insulation +6%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $11,700 – $36,500 | +13% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,450 – $4,750 | +13% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $9,650 – $29,000 | +15% |
| Attic insulation | 1,000 sq ft | $1,050 – $4,250 | +6% |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $8,950 to $11,800 for San Diego, CA is attached.
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Roof replacement in San Diego: your questions
+How much does it cost to replace a roof in San Diego?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, expect $6,850 to $13,900 in the San Diego area. A standard-spec job lands at $8,950 to $11,800. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft of roof and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft of roof for roof in San Diego?
About $3.35 to $6.65 per sq ft of roof for materials and labor, plus $110 to $560 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $3 to $6.
+Is roof cheaper in San Diego or El Centro?
El Centro is 80 miles away. The midpoint for 2,000 sq ft of roof there is $10,300, which is 1% less than San Diego ($10,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in San Diego?
About 62% at the midpoint, or $6,450 out of $10,400. Materials are 34% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 61%.
+What would large (2,800 sq ft of roof) cost in San Diego?
$9,550 to $19,200. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does roof need a permit in San Diego?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $110 to $560 for fees in the San Diego area (our national range of $100 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is San Diego expensive for roof compared with the rest of California?
San Diego is 1% below the California statewide estimate ($10,500 at the midpoint). We cover 23 metros in California; see the state page to compare them.
+What do roofers earn in San Diego?
The BLS median is $29.90 an hour in the San Diego area, compared with $26.65 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $28.47 to $35.44.
+What do basic and premium roof work cost in San Diego?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, basic work runs $6,850 to $9,650 and premium work $11,100 to $13,900. Basic means: 3-tab shingles, single layer, simple roof. Premium means: heavy architectural, steep or cut-up roof, decking repairs.
+Is there a bad season to replace a roof in San Diego?
Not from a temperature point of view. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals show no month with a freezing-level overnight low or a 90°F-plus average high, so timing is mostly about contractor availability and rain.
Roof replacement near San Diego
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Roof Replacement Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = HomeGuide's asphalt shingle price of $80-$250 per roofing square (100 sq ft), i.e. $0.80-$2.50 per sq ft. The rest of the installed price covers roofer labor ($1.50-$3.00/sq ft), tear-off, disposal, underlayment and contractor overhead.