Roof replacement cost in Seattle, WA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (2,000 sq ft of roof)
- $6,950 – $14,000
- Per sq ft of roof
- $3.40 – $6.70
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +12%
- US $9,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #28
- 1 = most expensive
A new roof in Seattle, WA usually costs $6,950 to $14,000 for 2,000 sq ft of roof. That works out to about $3.40 to $6.70 per sq ft of roof before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $1,150 more. Roofers earn a median of $30.81 an hour in the Seattle area, 16% above the US median of $26.65.
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Estimated cost for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Seattle, WA, standard level
$9,050 to $11,900
About $4.40 to $5.70 per sq ft of roof before permits. Labor is about 64% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,700 | $4,150 |
| Labor | $6,100 | $7,300 |
| Permits and fees | $240 | $420 |
| Total | $9,050 | $11,900 |
Cost breakdown for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Seattle, WA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,650 | $3,450 | $5,200 | 33% |
| Labor | $5,150 | $6,700 | $8,200 | 64% |
| Permits and fees | $110 | $330 | $560 | 3% |
| Total | $6,950 | $10,400 | $14,000 | 100% |
Where the Seattle price comes from
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: roofers at 85%, construction laborers at 15%. Weighted together, Seattle wages are 1.17 times the national level. Labor makes up about 64% of the midpoint estimate (61% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Seattle is at 104.0 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $3,300 nationally becomes $3,450 here (midpoint, 2,000 sq ft of roof). Permits follow the all-items index of 111.1: $110 to $560.
What nearby projects cost in Seattle
Jobs that often go together with roof are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Seattle wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, gutters comes out highest (+19%) and vinyl siding lowest (+18%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $12,600 – $37,900 | +18% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,600 – $4,950 | +19% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $9,900 – $29,700 | +18% |
| Attic insulation | 1,000 sq ft | $1,250 – $4,650 | +18% |
How Seattle compares
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 2,000 sq ft of roof range from $9,600 to $10,400 across Seattle and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WAthis page | $6,950 – $14,000 | $10,400 | |
| Bremerton, WA40 miles | $6,550 – $13,400 | $9,950 | −5% |
| Olympia, WA60 miles | $6,450 – $13,200 | $9,800 | −6% |
| Yakima, WA90 miles | $6,300 – $12,900 | $9,600 | −8% |
| Bellingham, WA95 miles | $6,650 – $13,500 | $10,100 | −4% |
| Portland, OR135 miles | $6,700 – $13,600 | $10,100 | −3% |
| Washington (statewide) | $6,700 – $13,500 | $10,100 | −3% |
| United States | $6,100 – $12,500 | $9,300 | −11% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Seattle ranks #28 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Seattle is 3% above the Washington figure.
Elsewhere in Washington
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spokane, WA | 255,820 jobs | $6,450 – $13,200 | $9,800 | −6% |
| Olympia, WA | 130,300 jobs | $6,450 – $13,200 | $9,800 | −6% |
| Kennewick, WA | 129,490 jobs | $6,600 – $13,400 | $10,000 | −4% |
| Yakima, WA | 97,010 jobs | $6,300 – $12,900 | $9,600 | −8% |
| Bremerton, WA | 93,740 jobs | $6,550 – $13,400 | $9,950 | −5% |
| Bellingham, WA | 91,390 jobs | $6,650 – $13,500 | $10,100 | −4% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Seattle against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | 2,373,920 jobs | $7,900 – $15,600 | $11,700 | +12% |
| Minneapolis, MN | 1,951,650 jobs | $7,700 – $15,200 | $11,400 | +9% |
| Phoenix, AZ | 2,375,760 jobs | $5,500 – $11,400 | $8,450 | −19% |
| Detroit, MI | 1,904,530 jobs | $6,750 – $13,500 | $10,100 | −3% |
Roof replacement: what moves the price in Seattle
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.
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.
Cost by quality level and size in Seattle
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Seattle. 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
$6,950 to $9,750
3-tab shingles, single layer, simple roof
Standard
$9,050 to $11,900
Architectural shingles, standard pitch and tear-off
Premium
$11,200 to $14,000
Heavy architectural, steep or cut-up roof, decking repairs
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small (1,200 sq ft of roof) | $4,200 – $5,950 | $5,500 – $7,300 | $6,850 – $8,600 |
| average (2,000 sq ft of roof) | $6,950 – $9,750 | $9,050 – $11,900 | $11,200 – $14,000 |
| large (2,800 sq ft of roof) | $9,650 – $13,500 | $12,600 – $16,400 | $15,500 – $19,300 |
| very large (3,600 sq ft of roof) | $12,400 – $17,300 | $16,100 – $21,000 | $19,800 – $24,700 |
What local crews earn in Seattle
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 Seattle the blend is 1.17.
Roofers (47-2181), 85% of the weighting: a median of $30.81 an hour, 16% above the US median of $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $27.23 and $44.40 an hour. About 2,970 work in the metro. That is 14.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 8.7 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 15%) the local median is $28.72 an hour, which is 27% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $23.67 and $37.03 an hour. BLS counts 13,040 of them working in the area, 62.5 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (roofers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $2,450 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $650. That is a swing of roughly 6.2% to 23.6% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue has 2,086,210 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 13th 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% | $27.23 | $30.81 | $44.40 | $26.65 | 1.16 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 15% | $23.67 | $28.72 | $37.03 | $22.66 | 1.27 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.17 | |||||
Seattle 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, Seattle Sand Pt Wsfo (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
Weather is not a serious constraint for exterior installation in Seattle: 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.
Seattle gets about 38 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 4 inches of snow. The wettest months are January, November and December (5.8 inches in November). The station averages about 2 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 | 47 | 37 | 5.1 | Workable |
| Feb | 50 | 37 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Mar | 54 | 39 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Apr | 59 | 43 | 3.0 | Workable |
| May | 65 | 48 | 2.2 | Workable |
| Jun | 70 | 53 | 1.6 | Workable |
| Jul | 77 | 57 | 0.8 | Workable |
| Aug | 77 | 57 | 1.0 | Workable |
| Sep | 71 | 53 | 1.7 | Workable |
| Oct | 61 | 47 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 52 | 41 | 5.8 | Workable |
| Dec | 47 | 37 | 5.5 | Workable |
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Multi-page report for Seattle, WA: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Roof replacement in Seattle: your questions
+How much does it cost to replace a roof in Seattle?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, expect $6,950 to $14,000 in the Seattle area. A standard-spec job lands at $9,050 to $11,900. 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 Seattle?
About $3.40 to $6.70 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 Seattle or Bremerton?
Bremerton is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 2,000 sq ft of roof there is $9,950, which is 5% less than Seattle ($10,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Seattle?
About 64% at the midpoint, or $6,700 out of $10,400. Materials are 33% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 61%.
+What would large (2,800 sq ft of roof) cost in Seattle?
$9,650 to $19,300. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does roof need a permit in Seattle?
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 Seattle area (our national range of $100 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Seattle expensive for roof compared with the rest of Washington?
Seattle is 3% above the Washington statewide estimate ($10,100 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Washington; see the state page to compare them.
+What do roofers earn in Seattle?
The BLS median is $30.81 an hour in the Seattle area, compared with $26.65 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $27.23 to $44.40.
+What do basic and premium roof work cost in Seattle?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, basic work runs $6,950 to $9,750 and premium work $11,200 to $14,000. 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 Seattle?
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 Seattle
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.