How Much Does a Roof Replacement Cost in Franklin, TN?

How Much Does a Roof Replacement Cost in Franklin, TN?

What we can do is tell you exactly what moves the number. Once you understand the variables below, you can look at any quote you receive and tell whether it is priced for the roof you actually have or priced to win a bid and make it up later.

Size, But Measured the Way Roofers Measure

Roofing is priced by the square, which is one hundred square feet of roof surface. A typical home in this area falls somewhere in the range of twenty to forty squares.

Note that roof area is not house square footage. A two thousand square foot single story ranch has considerably more roof than a two thousand square foot two story colonial, because the second story sits under the same footprint. This is why a bigger house sometimes gets a cheaper roof.

Pitch and Complexity

Pitch is how steep the roof is. Past a certain steepness a crew cannot walk it safely without additional equipment and staging, which slows everything down and adds labor cost.

Complexity is the other half. Every valley, hip, dormer, chimney, skylight, and plumbing penetration is a detail that has to be cut, flashed, and sealed by hand. A simple gable roof goes fast. A roof with six dormers and three chimneys does not, and it carries far more risk of leaking later if the crew rushes it.

This is why two homes of the same square footage in the same Franklin subdivision can come back with quotes that differ by thousands.

Material

Architectural asphalt shingle is the baseline for most homes here and covers the large majority of what we install. Three tab is cheaper and we rarely recommend it, because the price gap is small and the lifespan gap is not.

Premium and designer shingle lines that mimic slate or shake cost more and show up regularly on the larger homes around Brentwood and western Franklin.

Metal typically runs two to three times the installed cost of architectural asphalt. It also lasts two to three times as long, which is the actual argument for it. More on that comparison in our post on metal versus asphalt.

Decking Replacement, the Wildcard

Nobody can tell you how much decking needs replacing until the old roof is off. That is the honest truth and any contractor who quotes it precisely up front is either padding the number or setting up a change order.

What a good contractor does is give you a per sheet price in the written estimate so you know the cost before work starts. Then you only pay for what is actually replaced, and you get photographs of what came off.

On most Franklin homes, decking replacement is a handful of sheets. On a roof that has been leaking for years, it can be substantial.

Tear Off and Layers

Removing the old roof takes labor and disposal. A roof with two existing layers costs more to tear off than one with a single layer, because there is twice the material to remove and haul.

Skipping the tear off and going over the existing roof does cost less. We do not recommend it, because nobody inspects the decking, the new roof runs hotter, and some manufacturer warranties will not cover it. See roof replacement for the full reasoning.

The Components That Cheap Bids Leave Out

If one quote comes in dramatically lower than the others, something is missing. Usually one of these.

Ice and water shield in the valleys and at the eaves. Synthetic underlayment across the field. Drip edge at the eaves and rakes, which is required by code and skipped constantly. A dedicated starter strip instead of cut up field shingles. New flashing at chimneys and walls rather than reusing the old metal. Balanced attic ventilation.

Ask any low bidder which of those are included. The answer tells you what you need to know.

When Insurance Is Paying

A large share of the roofs replaced in Williamson County are paid by an insurance carrier after hail or wind damage. That changes the math entirely.

On a covered claim, your out of pocket is your deductible and the carrier covers the balance of the loss. It is also frequently the right moment to consider an upgrade, since you are already paying for a full replacement.

The catch is that the carrier pays for damage that is documented. That is why we meet the adjuster on site rather than waiting to hear the outcome. See insurance claim assistance.

What to Do With a Quote

Get it in writing and itemized. Check that it names the specific shingle product rather than saying "architectural shingle." Confirm the per sheet decking price. Confirm that flashing is being replaced, not reused. Confirm the workmanship warranty length. Confirm the contractor is licensed and insured in Tennessee and ask for the certificate.

Then compare quotes on scope, not just on the bottom line.

Keep Reading

  • Metal vs Asphalt Shingle: Which Roof Is Right for a Tennessee Home
  • 6 Signs Your Roof Needs Replacing Before Storm Season
  • How to Choose a Roofing Contractor in Williamson County

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