The short answer
A new asphalt shingle roof on a typical Philadelphia house costs about $8,050 to $16,100, and metal runs $11,500 to $36,800. Most leak repairs land between $175 and $1,150. The permit rule changes when you cross the river: Philadelphia requires an EZ permit for a reroof, while New Jersey usually does not.
What roofers charge in Philadelphia
The table adjusts national cost data for this metro. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers puts construction costs in the Philadelphia area at 1.15 times the national average. A roof that costs $10,000 elsewhere tends to cost around $11,500 here.
| Job | Philadelphia (typical range) | US average |
|---|---|---|
| Asphalt shingle roof, 2,000 sq ft | $8,050–$16,100 | $7,000–$14,000 |
| Metal roof, 2,000 sq ft | $11,500–$36,800 | $10,000–$32,000 |
| Tile roof, 2,000 sq ft | $16,100–$57,500 | $14,000–$50,000 |
| Flat roof, 1,000 sq ft | $3,450–$12,650 | $3,000–$11,000 |
| Tear-off of one old layer, 2,000 sq ft | $2,300–$4,600 | $2,000–$4,000 |
| Vent boot repair | $86–$175 | $75–$150 |
| Replace up to 25 shingles | $115–$345 | $100–$300 |
| Flashing repair | $230–$575 | $200–$500 |
| Minor leak repair | $175–$1,150 | $150–$1,000 |
| Leak with water damage | $1,150–$6,900 | $1,000–$6,000 |
| Roof deck repair, per 100 sq ft | $230–$575 | $200–$500 |
Estimates for 2026, including labor and standard parts. Philadelphia prices use the metro's construction cost factor of 1.15 (US average = 1.00) from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Area Cost Factors. Your quote depends on access, materials and the condition of the home.
What pushes a quote up here:
- Old layers. Each layer of roofing that has to come off adds about $2,300 to $4,600 on a 2,000-square-foot roof.
- Deck repair. Rotted sheathing shows up after tear-off on old rowhouses and twins. Deck repair runs $230 to $575 per 100 square feet.
- Access. Narrow rowhouse lots and tight Main Line streets make it harder to stage a dumpster and haul shingles up.
- Historic review. If the house is on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, the Historical Commission reviews changes to roofs before a permit is issued.
Run your own numbers with the cost estimator below, or open the full roofing cost estimator. For national prices and how roofers measure a roof, see our roofing cost guide.
Roofing materials that suit Philadelphia
Common roofing choices at Philadelphia prices for 2,000 square feet of roof:
| Material | Philadelphia installed cost, 2,000 sq ft | Typical use here |
|---|---|---|
| Asphalt (composition) shingles | $8,050 to $16,100 | The default on suburban houses and most rowhouses |
| Metal | $11,500 to $36,800 | Standing seam on Main Line and Bucks County homes; also porch roofs |
| Tile | $16,100 to $57,500 | Rare here; heavy, and few local crews install it |
| Flat roof, 1,000 sq ft | $3,450 to $12,650 | Rowhouse roofs, bay windows, additions and garages |
Rowhouses and flat roofs
More than half of Philadelphia's homes (54.2%) are attached single-family houses such as rowhouses, according to the Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey. Many have flat or very low-slope roofs that drain to a shared parapet or a rear gutter. Those roofs fail more often at the seams, at the parapet flashing and around chimneys than in the field of the membrane. A flat-roof repair is often a flashing job priced at $230 to $575.
Slate and the old suburbs
The Main Line and older parts of Delaware County have slate roofs on large houses. Slate itself can last a century, but the flashing and fasteners under it do not. A roofer who works on slate will repair sections and replace broken pieces instead of tearing the whole roof off. Ask for a roofer who has done slate before, since the repair differs from shingle work.
Ice barrier and underlayment
Philadelphia's ground snow load is 25 psf, according to the structural design criteria form published by the city's Department of Licenses and Inspections. The building code that applies here, the 2021 International Residential Code, calls for an ice barrier underlayment along the eaves in areas prone to ice dams. That means a peel-and-stick membrane at the eaves and in valleys before the shingles go on. Ask the roofer to name the product and show it on the estimate.
Why roofs fail here
Philadelphia gets about 23.1 inches of snow a year at the airport, and about 77 nights a year drop to freezing or below, based on NOAA's 1991 to 2020 climate normals. February is the snowiest month, at 8.4 inches on average. Freeze-thaw is hard on roofs. Water gets into a crack, freezes, expands and opens the crack wider.
Summer adds heat and humidity. The airport averages about 30 days a year at 90°F or above, and annual precipitation is 44.11 inches. Heat bakes the oils out of asphalt shingles. Humidity and sun work on sealant and flashing.
Storms add more damage. The remnants of Hurricane Ida in September 2021 dropped 5 to 10 inches of rain across southeastern Pennsylvania in about six hours. The National Weather Service calls it one of the area's worst natural disasters ever observed. The January 1996 snowstorm dropped 30.7 inches on Philadelphia. A roof near the end of its life often fails in a season like that.
Tree cover adds wear. Older suburbs have large trees whose branches scrape shingles and whose leaves fill valleys and gutters. Moss and algae grow on north-facing slopes.
Plan an inspection in late summer or fall, before the winter storms. A roofer can reseal flashing, replace cracked shingles, clear valleys and check the ice barrier at the eaves while the schedule is open. If a storm is already here and water is coming in, call the 24/7 emergency line.
Do you need a permit?
The answer depends on the state. This metro crosses three states, and each has its own rule.
Philadelphia
Inside the city, a roof covering replacement goes through an EZ permit from the Department of Licenses and Inspections, filed in eCLIPSE. EZ permits cover work with no plans. Most are approved within 5 business days; some issue immediately when a licensed contractor with current credentials files them. The city publishes its permit fees in a fee schedule for applications filed on or after January 1, 2025.
If the property is on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, the Historical Commission must approve changes to the roof before L&I issues the permit. There is no charge for the review. Commission staff approve over 90% of building permit applications without referral to the commission. Reviews can be done in eCLIPSE or over the counter by appointment.
Suburban Pennsylvania
In Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties, the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code applies, enforced by each township or borough or by a certified third-party agency the owner hires. The state code exempts many like-for-like repairs, but townships can require permits. Check with the local code office before work starts. One borough's published list, for example, requires a permit when plywood is removed and not when only shingles are replaced.
New Jersey
In South Jersey, replacing the roof covering on a detached one- or two-family home is ordinary maintenance under the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code, and ordinary maintenance needs no permit. Structural work, or a roof on a larger building, does need a construction permit from the municipal construction official. The local enforcing agency must act on a complete application within 20 business days.
Delaware
In Wilmington and New Castle County, all construction activity needs a permit unless the county code specifically exempts it. The county's published exempt-work list reportedly exempts reroofing that replaces no more than 25% of the sheathing. Confirm that with the county before you rely on it. Inside the City of Wilmington, the city's own licenses and inspections department handles the permit.
A permit brings an inspector to check the deck, the underlayment and the flashing. It also creates a record a buyer's inspector or your insurer may look for later.
Repair or replace?
Repair makes sense when the damage is local: a cracked vent boot, a few broken shingles, or failed flashing at a chimney or skylight. At Philadelphia prices those run from about $86 to $575. A minor leak runs $175 to $1,150. A leak that has already soaked the deck or a ceiling costs $1,150 to $6,900.
Replacement makes sense when:
- Leaks show up in more than one place after the same storm
- Shingles are bald, curled or brittle over large areas
- The flat roof membrane is at the end of its life across the whole roof
- The roof is near the end of its material's lifespan
- Deck repair after tear-off would cost more than a small share of the job
Storm insurance claims
Before calling a roofer about storm damage, photograph the damage inside and out and call your insurer to open a claim. Get the adjuster's scope in writing and compare it line by line with the roofer's estimate. Treat door-to-door offers after a storm with caution. In Pennsylvania, a home improvement contractor must be registered with the Attorney General's office, and you can report an unregistered one at 1-888-520-6680.
How to check a roofer before you hire
Each state registers or licenses contractors differently. The City of Philadelphia adds its own layer.
Pennsylvania. Roofing is home improvement work under the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, so a roofer who does at least $5,000 of home improvements a year must register with the Office of Attorney General. The registration number must appear on ads, contracts and estimates. Look it up in the Attorney General's online search, which shows active registrations only. Registration does not vouch for the contractor's skill. In Philadelphia, a registered home improvement contractor does not need a Philadelphia Contractor License for work on existing one- and two-family homes. The contractor must still show the registration, insurance and current city taxes to get permits.
New Jersey. Roofing is home improvement contracting, so the roofer must be registered with the Division of Consumer Affairs. Verify the registration on the state's online lookup. Unregistered contractors will not be issued municipal construction permits.
Delaware. A contractor needs a Delaware business license from the Division of Revenue. New Castle County also licenses contractors, with separate permit-endorsed and non-permit-endorsed license types. It publishes an online contractor license search.
In all three states, ask for a certificate of insurance and confirm workers' compensation coverage. For any house built before 1978, the federal Renovation, Repair and Painting rule requires a certified firm for paid work that disturbs painted surfaces, which matters when a roofer replaces fascia or trim.
Get a written contract that names the product line, the underlayment, the flashing and who pulls the permit. In Pennsylvania, a home improvement contract over $5,000 cannot take a deposit of more than one-third of the price. You have three business days to cancel after signing. In New Jersey, contracts over $500 must be in writing with the registration number. You have three business days to cancel. Read more about how milestone payments work.
GOLDGCP vets every pro with a six-step check: state license verification, insurance, a background and business check, a portfolio review, client reference calls, and onboarding with a quality score. You pay your pro directly, stage by stage, after you approve each milestone.
Areas we cover
Roofers in the GOLDGCP network work across the Philadelphia metro:
- Philadelphia, from Center City rowhouses to Northeast Philadelphia
- The Main Line
- Bucks County
- Delaware County
- Cherry Hill and South Jersey
- Wilmington
Enter your ZIP code to see roofing prices for your street and get matched with a local roofer.
How GOLDGCP works
- Tell us about the roof: material, rough size, the leak or the plan. Use the form or call.
- You see prices for your ZIP code, then we match you with up to 3 vetted, licensed pros.
- Your pro inspects, gives a written estimate, pulls the permit that applies, and orders the right underlayment and flashing.
- You pay your pro directly, stage by stage: for example after tear-off and deck inspection, and after the final inspection.
For an active leak during a storm, call the 24/7 emergency line.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a new roof cost in Philadelphia?
For about 2,000 square feet of roof, expect $8,050 to $16,100 in asphalt shingles, $11,500 to $36,800 in metal and $16,100 to $57,500 in tile. Tear-off of an old layer adds $2,300 to $4,600. Deck repair adds $230 to $575 per 100 square feet.
How much does roof repair cost in Philadelphia?
Small fixes such as a vent boot, a few shingles or a flashing repair cost about $86 to $575. A minor leak runs $175 to $1,150. If water has already damaged the deck, insulation or a ceiling, plan on $1,150 to $6,900.
Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Philadelphia?
Yes. A reroof in the city goes through an EZ permit from L&I, filed in eCLIPSE. Most are approved within 5 business days. If the house is on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, the Historical Commission must approve the change first.
Do I need a permit for a roof in South Jersey?
Usually not. Replacing the roof covering on a detached one- or two-family home is ordinary maintenance under the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code and needs no permit. Structural work or a roof on a larger building does need a construction permit from the municipal construction official.
What license does a roofer need in Pennsylvania?
Roofing is home improvement work, so a roofer doing at least $5,000 of home improvements a year must register with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General under HICPA. Check the registration number in the Attorney General's online search. Registration is not an endorsement of the contractor's skill.
When should I fix my roof in Philadelphia?
Late summer and fall, before the winter storms. Philadelphia gets about 23 inches of snow a year and about 77 freezing nights. February is the snowiest month. Booking an inspection in September or October avoids the post-storm rush.
Does a new roof in Philadelphia need an ice barrier?
The 2021 International Residential Code, which applies in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, calls for an ice barrier underlayment along the eaves in areas prone to ice dams. With about 77 freezing nights a year, ask the roofer to name the membrane product and show it on the estimate.
How we calculate these prices
GOLDGCP starts from national price ranges for each job, taken from published 2026 cost guides and checked against local price guides where they exist. To get a local price, we multiply the national range by the construction cost factor for the metro from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Area Cost Factors (US average = 1.00). Where that table has no entry for a metro, we use the nearest listed location or the state value. For ZIP codes outside the 50 largest metros, the cost estimator uses the state's price level from the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities. Ranges include labor and standard materials but not unusual site conditions, so a written quote after an inspection is always the final price.
Sources
About this guide
Written by the GOLDGCP editorial team. Prices come from national cost guides adjusted with official construction cost factors for Philadelphia; rules and statistics come from the agencies and reports linked in the text. We update this page when prices or codes change.