Roof replacement cost in Des Moines, IA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (2,000 sq ft of roof)
- $5,650 – $11,600
- Per sq ft of roof
- $2.75 – $5.55
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −8%
- US $9,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #156
- 1 = most expensive
A new roof in Des Moines, IA usually costs $5,650 to $11,600 for 2,000 sq ft of roof. That works out to about $2.75 to $5.55 per sq ft of roof before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $700 less. Roofers earn a median of $23.80 an hour in the Des Moines area, 11% below the US median of $26.65.
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Estimated cost for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Des Moines, IA, standard level
$7,400 to $9,800
About $3.60 to $4.70 per sq ft of roof before permits. Labor is about 61% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,450 | $3,750 |
| Labor | $4,750 | $5,700 |
| Permits and fees | $200 | $350 |
| Total | $7,400 | $9,800 |
Cost breakdown for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Des Moines, IA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,500 | $3,100 | $4,700 | 36% |
| Labor | $4,050 | $5,250 | $6,450 | 61% |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $280 | $460 | 3% |
| Total | $5,650 | $8,600 | $11,600 | 100% |
What is behind the Des Moines number
The wage side of the estimate leans on roofers, who do 85% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $23.80 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Des Moines is 0.92 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 61% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Des Moines is at 93.7 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $3,300 nationally becomes $3,100 here (midpoint, 2,000 sq ft of roof). Permits follow the all-items index of 91.7: $90 to $460.
What local crews earn in Des Moines
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 2 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Des Moines the blend is 0.92.
Roofers (47-2181), 85% of the weighting: a median of $23.80 an hour, 11% below the US median of $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $22.88 and $30.62 an hour. About 280 work in the metro. That is 6.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 8.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 15%) the local median is $24.03 an hour, which is 6% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.67 and $28.91 an hour. BLS counts 3,510 of them working in the area, 86.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (roofers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $1,250 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $170. That is a swing of roughly 1.9% to 14.4% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Des Moines-West Des Moines has 404,130 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 64th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roofers (47-2181) | 85% | $22.88 | $23.80 | $30.62 | $26.65 | 0.89 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 15% | $22.67 | $24.03 | $28.91 | $22.66 | 1.06 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.92 | |||||
What nearby projects cost in Des Moines
Jobs that often go together with roof are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Des Moines wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, attic insulation comes out highest (+9%) and metal roof lowest (−6%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $9,550 – $30,600 | −6% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,250 – $4,050 | −3% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $8,250 – $24,800 | −1% |
| Attic insulation | 1,000 sq ft | $1,150 – $4,300 | +9% |
Des Moines against nearby metros and the rest of Iowa
Of the five closest metros, all are cheaper than Des Moines. Omaha is the lowest at about $8,300 (midpoint, 2,000 sq ft of roof), 120 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines, IAthis page | $5,650 – $11,600 | $8,600 | |
| Waterloo, IA95 miles | $5,550 – $11,500 | $8,500 | −1% |
| Iowa City, IA110 miles | $5,550 – $11,400 | $8,500 | −1% |
| Cedar Rapids, IA115 miles | $5,500 – $11,400 | $8,400 | −2% |
| Omaha, NE120 miles | $5,400 – $11,200 | $8,300 | −3% |
| Sioux City, IA145 miles | $5,450 – $11,300 | $8,350 | −3% |
| Iowa (statewide) | $5,550 – $11,400 | $8,500 | −1% |
| United States | $6,100 – $12,500 | $9,300 | +8% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Des Moines ranks #156 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Des Moines is 1% above the Iowa figure.
Elsewhere in Iowa
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport, IA | 180,450 jobs | $5,600 – $11,500 | $8,600 | level |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 139,260 jobs | $5,500 – $11,400 | $8,400 | −2% |
| Iowa City, IA | 93,760 jobs | $5,550 – $11,400 | $8,500 | −1% |
| Waterloo, IA | 84,260 jobs | $5,550 – $11,500 | $8,500 | −1% |
| Sioux City, IA | 75,010 jobs | $5,450 – $11,300 | $8,350 | −3% |
| Dubuque, IA | 58,470 jobs | $5,550 – $11,400 | $8,500 | −1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Des Moines against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport, CT | 404,180 jobs | $8,000 – $15,400 | $11,700 | +36% |
| Columbia, SC | 394,200 jobs | $5,250 – $11,000 | $8,150 | −5% |
| Albuquerque, NM | 404,700 jobs | $5,300 – $11,100 | $8,200 | −5% |
| Charleston, SC | 394,170 jobs | $5,500 – $11,400 | $8,450 | −2% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: roof replacement pricing in Des Moines
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Des Moines. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from small (1,200 sq ft of roof) to very large (3,600 sq ft of roof).
Basic
$5,650 to $8,000
3-tab shingles, single layer, simple roof
Standard
$7,400 to $9,800
Architectural shingles, standard pitch and tear-off
Premium
$9,200 to $11,600
Heavy architectural, steep or cut-up roof, decking repairs
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small (1,200 sq ft of roof) | $3,400 – $4,900 | $4,550 – $6,000 | $5,650 – $7,150 |
| average (2,000 sq ft of roof) | $5,650 – $8,000 | $7,400 – $9,800 | $9,200 – $11,600 |
| large (2,800 sq ft of roof) | $7,850 – $11,100 | $10,300 – $13,600 | $12,700 – $16,000 |
| very large (3,600 sq ft of roof) | $10,100 – $14,200 | $13,200 – $17,300 | $16,300 – $20,500 |
Roof replacement: what moves the price in Des Moines
Tear-off
Removing the old roof is $1-$5 per sq ft depending on the material and number of layers (HomeGuide). Check that your quote includes it.
Permit
Roof replacement permits run $100-$500 depending on the location.
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.
Des Moines weather and the roof replacement calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Des Moines Intl Ap (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For exterior installation, the comfortable months in Des Moines are March through November: 9 of 12. Outside them, January, February and December have an average daytime high under 45°F.
In January, February and December the average high stays below 45°F. Sealants, adhesives and some materials, such as vinyl, are harder to install well in the cold, and short daylight cuts the working day.
Des Moines gets about 37 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 37 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and August (5.3 inches in June). Inside the workable window, March and November are the driest, at 2.2 and 1.9 inches. The station averages about 22 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31 | 14 | 1.1 | Cold |
| Feb | 36 | 18 | 1.3 | Cold |
| Mar | 49 | 30 | 2.2 | Workable |
| Apr | 62 | 41 | 4.0 | Workable |
| May | 72 | 52 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Jun | 82 | 62 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 86 | 66 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Aug | 84 | 64 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Sep | 77 | 55 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 63 | 43 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 48 | 30 | 1.9 | Workable |
| Dec | 36 | 20 | 1.6 | Cold |
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Detailed roof replacement report for Des Moines, IA, $9
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Roof replacement in Des Moines: your questions
+How much does it cost to replace a roof in Des Moines?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, expect $5,650 to $11,600 in the Des Moines area. A standard-spec job lands at $7,400 to $9,800. 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 Des Moines?
About $2.75 to $5.55 per sq ft of roof for materials and labor, plus $90 to $460 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $3 to $6.
+Is roof cheaper in Des Moines or Waterloo?
Waterloo is 95 miles away. The midpoint for 2,000 sq ft of roof there is $8,500, which is 1% less than Des Moines ($8,600). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Des Moines?
About 61% at the midpoint, or $5,250 out of $8,600. Materials are 36% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 61%.
+What would large (2,800 sq ft of roof) cost in Des Moines?
$7,850 to $16,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does roof need a permit in Des Moines?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $90 to $460 for fees in the Des Moines area (our national range of $100 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Des Moines expensive for roof compared with the rest of Iowa?
Des Moines is 1% above the Iowa statewide estimate ($8,500 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Iowa; see the state page to compare them.
+What do roofers earn in Des Moines?
The BLS median is $23.80 an hour in the Des Moines area, compared with $26.65 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.88 to $30.62.
+What do basic and premium roof work cost in Des Moines?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, basic work runs $5,650 to $8,000 and premium work $9,200 to $11,600. Basic means: 3-tab shingles, single layer, simple roof. Premium means: heavy architectural, steep or cut-up roof, decking repairs.
+When is the best time to replace a roof in Des Moines?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through November. March and November are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Roof replacement near Des Moines
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.