How we estimate roof cost.
Every cost range on this site is built the same way: real Florida per-square pricing, scaled to the roof size, plus labor, tear-off, and permits. Here is exactly how, and what the numbers can and cannot tell you.
Where the pricing comes from
The material prices behind these estimates come from the same Florida data that powers our shingle catalog. Per-square material and installed ranges were captured from retailer pricing at a Florida ZIP (Home Depot, Lowe's, and Menards at 33101) and triangulated with published installed-cost ranges from RoofingCalc. Asphalt and architectural shingle pricing is real and Florida-specific. Metal, tile, and slate currently use industry-reference ranges (Homewyse and RoofingCalc typical figures) as placeholders while we source Florida pricing the same way; those pages are marked and are not indexed until their pricing is real.
How the size math works
Roofers price by the square, where one square is 100 square feet of roof. We take the per-square material and installed ranges for a material and multiply by the number of squares for the page's size. From the installed total we separate the material portion, then split the rest into labor, tear-off and disposal, and permit and inspection. Each page shows a low, typical, and high figure so you can see the spread rather than a single number.
Two things to keep in mind
The scaling is linear. We scale from a 30-square baseline, so the per-square price stays constant across sizes. Real jobs are not perfectly linear: small roofs usually cost more per square because the fixed costs of the job (mobilization, the permit, the dumpster, the crew's minimum day) spread across fewer squares, and large roofs earn a modest economy of scale on materials and crew efficiency. The base range is close enough for a research-stage estimate; each page's cost-factor section explains how this plays out at that specific size.
The permit share is derived, not a fixed fee. Permit and inspection cost is estimated as a share of the job rather than a looked-up county fee. Actual Florida permit and inspection fees vary by jurisdiction and by the value of the work, so treat that line as approximate.
What an estimate cannot see
A size-and-material estimate does not know your roof. Pitch, the number of stories, how cut-up the roof is (valleys, dormers, skylights, chimneys), how many old layers have to come off, and how easy the roof is to reach all move the real price, sometimes a lot. Code upgrades, structural repairs found during tear-off, and premium underlayment or accessories are not included. Use these ranges to frame your budget and your conversations, then get a measured, itemized quote from a licensed Florida contractor before you commit.