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Independent Cost Data

Roofing bid and true cost calculators.

Independent FatBook v3 cost indexVerified permit/source data where availableReviewed by Leonard "Chuck" Thompson
2026-08-19 Calculator Baseline

Start with the 2026-08-19 national roofing benchmark of $14,568, then choose your metro and service to compare a contractor quote against local range, lowest realistic price, and margin data.

Updated Aug 2026. Sources: BLS OEWS, FRED PPI, Craftsman labor-hour references, city permit data where available, and FatBook v3 cost-index methodology.

$14,568
Average
$12,885 to $16,381
Typical Range
$12,885
Lowest realistic price
20.4%
Margin
How this number is calculated

TheFatBook models roofing from Craftsman labor hours, BLS regional wages, burden, PPI-adjusted materials, permit data where available, and contractor overhead benchmarks. Cost index version: 2026-08-19. Updated Aug 2026.

Sources: BLS, Craftsman, FRED, NRCA
Reference URLs: BLS OEWS · FRED PPI
Reviewed by: Leonard "Chuck" Thompson
Read methodology →
Estimate Scope

What the roofing benchmark includes.

Included in the benchmark
  • Asphalt Shingle Roof Replacement as the headline cost-index scope
  • labor-hour assumptions, regional wage inputs, materials, overhead, and permit data where available
  • low, average, high, lowest realistic price, margin, and savings benchmarks from the FatBook cost index
Not included automatically
  • hidden damage, change orders, emergency service premiums, or unusual site access conditions
  • contractor financing approval, warranties, provider recommendations, or guaranteed final quotes
  • permit rulings for a specific address unless the city permit panel lists verified local data
Scope methodology →
Bid Fairness Checker

Is your roofing bid fair?

Cost index by David Olson · reviewed by Leonard "Chuck" Thompson · 2026-08-19

Want a shareable link? Use the standalone Bid Fairness Checker.

$
Type the number off the estimate, or drag the bar. The gauge below shows where it lands.
Or
Upload contractor estimate
Drag and drop or click here. PDF or CSV, we extract the line items.
Or paste it
Analyzed estimates are stored anonymized (names, addresses, phone numbers, and emails stripped) to improve the benchmark. No account, no tracking.
National Average
Within the fair range.
Fair range
Fair range$12,885 to $16,381
Cost to deliver$11,591
Typical market bid$14,568
Your bid$14,568
Implied margin20%
Fair range. Break-even sits at the red line: the cost of delivering the job, not a price anyone should demand. The green band above it is fair territory: most solid bids land at a 15 to 22 percent margin on the bid, roughly 18 to 28 percent over the cost to deliver, leaner or richer by trade and market. That band is earned money. No one works for free, and if the job were easy you would not be hiring it out.
Embed These Tools

Put these on your site.

Free and always current, no API key needed. Each widget credits TheFatBook with a link back. Copy the snippet for any tool below.

Roofing Bid Fairness Checker
<iframe src="https://thefatbook.com/roofing/embed/bid-checker/" title="Roofing Bid Fairness Checker" id="fb-embed-roofing-bid-checker" width="100%" height="560" loading="lazy" style="border:1px solid #e2e8f0;border-radius:10px;max-width:600px"></iframe> <p style="font-size:12px;color:#555;margin:6px 0 0">Powered by <a href="https://thefatbook.com/roofing/bid-checker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Roofing Bid Fairness Checker by TheFatBook</a></p> <script>window.addEventListener('message',function(e){if(e.data&&e.data.type==='fb-resize'&&e.data.calc==='bid-checker'){var f=document.getElementById('fb-embed-roofing-bid-checker');if(f)f.style.height=e.data.height+'px';}});</script>
Roofing True Cost Calculator
<iframe src="https://thefatbook.com/roofing/embed/true-cost/" title="Roofing True Cost Calculator" id="fb-embed-roofing-true-cost" width="100%" height="640" loading="lazy" style="border:1px solid #e2e8f0;border-radius:10px;max-width:600px"></iframe> <p style="font-size:12px;color:#555;margin:6px 0 0">Powered by <a href="https://thefatbook.com/roofing/calculators/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Roofing True Cost Calculator by TheFatBook</a></p> <script>window.addEventListener('message',function(e){if(e.data&&e.data.type==='fb-resize'&&e.data.calc==='true-cost'){var f=document.getElementById('fb-embed-roofing-true-cost');if(f)f.style.height=e.data.height+'px';}});</script>
Roofing Financing Calculator
<iframe src="https://thefatbook.com/roofing/embed/financing/" title="Roofing Financing Calculator" id="fb-embed-roofing-financing" width="100%" height="560" loading="lazy" style="border:1px solid #e2e8f0;border-radius:10px;max-width:600px"></iframe> <p style="font-size:12px;color:#555;margin:6px 0 0">Powered by <a href="https://thefatbook.com/roofing/calculators/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Roofing Financing Calculator by TheFatBook</a></p> <script>window.addEventListener('message',function(e){if(e.data&&e.data.type==='fb-resize'&&e.data.calc==='financing'){var f=document.getElementById('fb-embed-roofing-financing');if(f)f.style.height=e.data.height+'px';}});</script>
Roofing Estimate Checker
<iframe src="https://thefatbook.com/roofing/embed/upload/" title="Roofing Estimate Checker" id="fb-embed-roofing-upload" width="100%" height="600" loading="lazy" style="border:1px solid #e2e8f0;border-radius:10px;max-width:600px"></iframe> <p style="font-size:12px;color:#555;margin:6px 0 0">Powered by <a href="https://thefatbook.com/roofing/calculators/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Roofing Estimate Checker by TheFatBook</a></p> <script>window.addEventListener('message',function(e){if(e.data&&e.data.type==='fb-resize'&&e.data.calc==='upload'){var f=document.getElementById('fb-embed-roofing-upload');if(f)f.style.height=e.data.height+'px';}});</script>
Calculator FAQ

Using the roofing calculator.

How does the roofing cost calculator work?
It prices the job from the ground up: Craftsman labor hours times the BLS wage for your metro, plus PPI-adjusted materials, the verified permit fee where we have it, and a per-trade overhead benchmark. That gives a cost to deliver, and the fair range sits above it. Pick your city and service and it sizes the number to your market.
Is it free, and do I have to enter my contact information?
Free, and no. You get the number with no signup: the calculator runs in your browser on published cost data, so nobody asks for your email or phone to see the answer.
How accurate are the estimates?
They are modeled from federal wage data, a licensed cost book, current material price indices, and real city permit fees, not survey self-reports or scraped quotes. Treat the result as a fair market benchmark to check a bid against, not a binding quote. Your home's specifics and a contractor's scope still move the final number.
Can I check a contractor's bid with it?
Yes. Paste the quote into the bid checker and it grades the number against the local range, the lowest realistic price, and the typical contractor margin. A 15 to 22 percent margin on the bid is normal and earned, roughly 18 to 28 percent over the cost to deliver, with a fair ceiling higher on complex trades, so the checker flags a bid that runs well past that and gives you something concrete to negotiate with before you sign.
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Cost index built by David Olson, Creator of the Cost Index & Permit Dataset · Methodology reviewed by Leonard "Chuck" Thompson, LC Thompson Construction Co., Owner (retired) · 2026-08-19