Roof replacement cost in New Orleans, LA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (2,000 sq ft of roof)
- $5,450 – $11,300
- Per sq ft of roof
- $2.65 – $5.40
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −10%
- US $9,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #213
- 1 = most expensive
A new roof in New Orleans, LA usually costs $5,450 to $11,300 for 2,000 sq ft of roof. That works out to about $2.65 to $5.40 per sq ft of roof before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $950 less. Roofers earn a median of $23.44 an hour in the New Orleans area, 12% below the US median of $26.65.
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Estimated cost for 2,000 sq ft of roof in New Orleans, LA, standard level
$7,200 to $9,500
About $3.50 to $4.60 per sq ft of roof before permits. Labor is about 60% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,450 | $3,750 |
| Labor | $4,500 | $5,450 |
| Permits and fees | $200 | $350 |
| Total | $7,200 | $9,500 |
Cost breakdown for 2,000 sq ft of roof in New Orleans, LA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,500 | $3,100 | $4,700 | 37% |
| Labor | $3,850 | $5,000 | $6,100 | 60% |
| Permits and fees | $95 | $280 | $460 | 3% |
| Total | $5,450 | $8,350 | $11,300 | 100% |
Why New Orleans prices look the way they do
Labor is 60% of the midpoint bill here, against 61% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is roofers (85%), construction laborers (15%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In New Orleans the blended ratio comes out at 0.87. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Louisiana statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. New Orleans 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 92.6: $95 to $460.
Data note: 85% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in New Orleans. The wage table below marks each row.
How New Orleans compares
Of the five closest metros, 4 are cheaper than New Orleans. Gulfport is the lowest at about $8,100 (midpoint, 2,000 sq ft of roof), 90 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LAthis page | $5,450 – $11,300 | $8,350 | |
| Houma, LA75 miles | $5,400 – $11,200 | $8,300 | −1% |
| Slidell, LA80 miles | $5,400 – $11,200 | $8,350 | level |
| Gulfport, MS90 miles | $5,200 – $11,000 | $8,100 | −3% |
| Baton Rouge, LA125 miles | $5,450 – $11,300 | $8,350 | level |
| Mobile, AL125 miles | $5,200 – $11,000 | $8,100 | −3% |
| Louisiana (statewide) | $5,400 – $11,200 | $8,300 | level |
| United States | $6,100 – $12,500 | $9,300 | +11% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, New Orleans ranks #213 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, New Orleans is 0% above the Louisiana figure.
Elsewhere in Louisiana
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LA | 409,690 jobs | $5,450 – $11,300 | $8,350 | level |
| Lafayette, LA | 179,570 jobs | $5,350 – $11,100 | $8,250 | −1% |
| Shreveport, LA | 162,750 jobs | $5,400 – $11,200 | $8,300 | −1% |
| Lake Charles, LA | 101,690 jobs | $5,500 – $11,400 | $8,450 | +1% |
| Slidell, LA | 98,240 jobs | $5,400 – $11,200 | $8,350 | level |
| Monroe, LA | 87,500 jobs | $5,350 – $11,100 | $8,250 | −1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is New Orleans against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | 446,380 jobs | $7,000 – $14,200 | $10,600 | +27% |
| Greenville, SC | 434,900 jobs | $5,400 – $11,300 | $8,350 | level |
| Albany, NY | 449,410 jobs | $6,750 – $13,500 | $10,100 | +21% |
| Knoxville, TN | 424,600 jobs | $5,300 – $11,100 | $8,250 | −1% |
New Orleans: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to New Orleans. 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
$5,450 to $7,750
3-tab shingles, single layer, simple roof
Standard
$7,200 to $9,500
Architectural shingles, standard pitch and tear-off
Premium
$8,950 to $11,300
Heavy architectural, steep or cut-up roof, decking repairs
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small (1,200 sq ft of roof) | $3,300 – $4,750 | $4,400 – $5,850 | $5,500 – $6,950 |
| average (2,000 sq ft of roof) | $5,450 – $7,750 | $7,200 – $9,500 | $8,950 – $11,300 |
| large (2,800 sq ft of roof) | $7,550 – $10,800 | $9,950 – $13,200 | $12,400 – $15,600 |
| very large (3,600 sq ft of roof) | $9,700 – $13,800 | $12,800 – $16,800 | $15,800 – $19,900 |
Specs and site conditions that change a New Orleans bid
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.
What local crews earn in New Orleans
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 New Orleans the blend is 0.87.
Roofers (47-2181) carry 85% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the New Orleans metro, so we used the Louisiana statewide median: $23.44 an hour against $26.65 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $18.74 and $27.02 an hour.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 15%) the local median is $18.98 an hour, which is 16% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.45 and $23.29 an hour. BLS counts 3,620 of them working in the area, 81.2 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 $650 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $850. That is a swing of roughly 10.2% to 7.8% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
New Orleans-Metairie has 445,550 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 57th 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% | $18.74 | $23.44 | $27.02 | $26.65 | 0.88 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 15% | $17.45 | $18.98 | $23.29 | $22.66 | 0.84 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.87 | |||||
New Orleans 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, New Orleans Lakefront 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 New Orleans are September through June: 10 of 12. Outside them, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
New Orleans gets about 60 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are June, July and August (6.5 inches in August). Inside the workable window, October and November are the driest, at 3.6 and 3.6 inches. The station averages about 86 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 | 61 | 47 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Feb | 65 | 51 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Mar | 71 | 57 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Apr | 78 | 63 | 5.9 | Workable |
| May | 85 | 71 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 89 | 76 | 6.0 | Workable |
| Jul | 91 | 78 | 6.3 | Hot |
| Aug | 91 | 79 | 6.5 | Hot |
| Sep | 87 | 76 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Oct | 79 | 67 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 70 | 56 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Dec | 63 | 50 | 4.6 | Workable |
What nearby projects cost in New Orleans
Jobs that often go together with roof are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same New Orleans wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, attic insulation comes out highest (−6%) and vinyl siding lowest (−12%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $8,850 – $29,100 | −11% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,100 – $3,750 | −11% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $7,400 – $22,200 | −12% |
| Attic insulation | 1,000 sq ft | $940 – $3,750 | −6% |
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Roof replacement in New Orleans: your questions
+How much does it cost to replace a roof in New Orleans?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, expect $5,450 to $11,300 in the New Orleans area. A standard-spec job lands at $7,200 to $9,500. 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 New Orleans?
About $2.65 to $5.40 per sq ft of roof for materials and labor, plus $95 to $460 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $3 to $6.
+Is roof cheaper in New Orleans or Houma?
Houma is 75 miles away. The midpoint for 2,000 sq ft of roof there is $8,300, which is 1% less than New Orleans ($8,350). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in New Orleans?
About 60% at the midpoint, or $5,000 out of $8,350. Materials are 37% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 61%.
+What would large (2,800 sq ft of roof) cost in New Orleans?
$7,550 to $15,600. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does roof need a permit in New Orleans?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $95 to $460 for fees in the New Orleans area (our national range of $100 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is New Orleans expensive for roof compared with the rest of Louisiana?
New Orleans is 0% above the Louisiana statewide estimate ($8,300 at the midpoint). We cover 9 metros in Louisiana; see the state page to compare them.
+What do roofers earn in New Orleans?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $23.44 an hour, compared with $26.65 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.74 to $27.02.
+What do basic and premium roof work cost in New Orleans?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, basic work runs $5,450 to $7,750 and premium work $8,950 to $11,300. 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 New Orleans?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through June. October 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 New Orleans
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.