NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. (WFTS) — For Kathryn Bruno, replacing the roof on her New Port Richey home before putting it on the market meant doing plenty of homework.
She received several estimates, but the prices varied dramatically.
“It’s been quite a range of quotes and what needs to be done.”
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Bruno said the estimates ranged from about $15,000 to as much as $36,000.
She remembers when the roof was last replaced 19 years ago.
“I remember when they replaced it 19 years ago. I was just a kid. But it was so much cheaper.”
Bruno's experience reflects a broader increase in roofing costs over the past several years.
A recent Verisk report found the average cost of replacing a residential roof reached $17,631 in 2025. That was 33% higher than the average from 2021 through 2024.
The report also found roofing material prices increased nearly twice as fast as roofer labor costs last year.
Roofing companies say several factors are contributing to higher prices, including materials, transportation and labor.
The cost of petroleum-based products can also affect roofing prices because asphalt shingles are made using asphalt.
Ryan Westfall, president of Westfall Roofing, said tariffs have added another layer of pressure, particularly for roofing systems that use metal components.
“Most homeowners only replace their roof once or twice in their lifetime. So, if you replaced your roof 15 years ago, it’s probably roughly about half the cost of what it is today. So, yeah, they definitely get sticker shocked.”
Other roofing contractors say prices began rising significantly during the COVID 19 pandemic.
West Edwards, owner of Sharpe Roofing, said the industry faced higher costs after manufacturing plants shut down and then had to ramp production back up.
“Roof prices began their substantial climb during COVID years,” Edwards said. “It was a combination of the cost to catch up after plants were shut down that produce the materials that were used, along with paying more for labor to come back into work if they were receiving a weekly check from the U.S. government.”
Edwards said the increase is not simply the result of higher labor costs or roofing companies increasing their profit margins.
“This price increase is complex. I do not pay the labor to my crew chief and his men who have worked with me since 2020 more than I paid him six years ago. I do not ask for any more margin either, and overhead is still unchanged,” Edwards said.
For homeowners trying to lower the cost, roofers say there are several options.
Some customers are choosing less expensive roofing materials rather than metal roofs. Others are delaying upgrades such as new gutters or choosing less expensive underlayment.
One local roofing salesperson, JC Chelena with EJ Roofing, said homeowners are also seeing cheaper roofing products disappear from the market as manufacturers move toward newer materials.
Chelena said material costs can also fluctuate significantly depending on market conditions and whether a major storm drives up demand.
Westfall said one of the best ways homeowners can avoid an even larger bill is to replace a roof before it fails.
“The savings is really being proactive and getting the roof replaced when it’s needed.”
That is what Bruno is trying to do.
She is hoping to spend about $15,000 on the roof, a number she originally thought would be toward the high end of what she would pay.
Instead, it turned out to be the low end of the estimates she received.
“It has gone over my expectations.”
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For more than 15 years, Erik Waxler has called Pasco County home. He’s dedicated to helping his neighbors from New Port Richey to Dade City solve problems and celebrating those who help others. Share your ideas and tips with Erik below.
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