Asphalt Shingle Roof Cost in California
In the 2025 Cost vs. Value report, tearing off and replacing a 30-square asphalt shingle roof cost an estimated $36,417 in Los Angeles, $38,289 in San Francisco, $31,775 in Sacramento, $31,528 in Modesto and $27,975 in Fresno, against $31,871 nationally. By our arithmetic that's about $930 to $1,280 per square, and about $1,214 in Los Angeles. The estimate is for one defined roof: a tear-off to bare sheathing, standard fiberglass shingles with at least a 25-year warranty, felt or synthetic underlayment, galvanized drip edge, aluminum flashing, a simple hip roof with two skylights. On a real Los Angeles roof, the shingle line, the underlayment the slope calls for, the metal and vents, the wind rules in parts of the San Fernando Valley, the cool-roof rule, the warranty tier and what's under the old roof decide where the price lands. This page sets out the figures and those choices as of October 2026.
What moves a re-roof's price in general, and a rough starting budget by size, is in how much a new roof costs in Los Angeles; the three types of shingle are compared in architectural vs 3-tab shingles.
The 2025 figures across California
The report covers five California markets. Los Angeles is the only one in Southern California.
| Market | Job cost | Per square | Against the national figure |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $38,289 | about $1,276 | about 20% higher |
| Los Angeles | $36,417 | about $1,214 | about 14% higher |
| Sacramento | $31,775 | about $1,059 | about the same |
| Modesto | $31,528 | about $1,051 | about the same |
| Fresno | $27,975 | about $933 | about 12% lower |
| Pacific region | $36,391 | about $1,213 | about 14% higher |
| National | $31,871 | about $1,062 | — |
The per-square figures and percentages are our arithmetic. The report builds its costs from national price indexes and Verisk's local remodeling cost data, so they're estimates for a defined project at 2025 costs, not contract prices.
What the report's roof includes, and what yours may add
The report's project: remove and dispose of the old roofing to bare wood sheathing, then install 30 squares of fiberglass asphalt shingles weighing at least 235 pounds per square, with at least a 25-year warranty, over new 30-pound felt or an equivalent synthetic, with galvanized drip edge and mill-finish aluminum flashing, on a rectangular hip roof with custom flashing at two skylights and a cap at a vented ridge.
| Line | In the report's roof | What can change on yours | More |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shingle | Standard fiberglass shingle, at least a 25-year warranty | An architectural or designer line, a cool-rated color, an algae-resistant or impact-rated product | Architectural vs 3-tab |
| Underlayment | One layer of 30-pound felt or synthetic | Two layers on slopes from 2:12 to 4:12 (CRC R905.2.2); self-adhered membrane where the roofer or the warranty calls for it | Roof underlayment types |
| Metal | Galvanized drip edge, aluminum flashing | Drip edge at eaves and rakes (R905.2.8.5); rusted or damaged flashing replaced (R908.5); step and counter flashing at walls and chimneys | California re-roof code requirements |
| Ventilation | A vented ridge | Intake and exhaust vents to the code minimum; ember-resistant vents in a fire zone | Attic ventilation requirements |
| What comes off | One layer, down to a sound deck | More layers, rotted or spaced boards replaced | Rotted roof decking and your estimate |
| Shape | A rectangular hip with two skylights | Valleys, dormers, a chimney, a steeper pitch, a second story | Roof pitch explained |
| Wind | — | In High Wind Velocity Areas of the San Fernando Valley, each tab bonded with a spot of asphalt cement unless they're self-sealing shingles carrying UL's wind-resistance label (LADBS P/BC 2026-016) | California re-roof code requirements |
| Cool roof | — | Replacing more than half the roof calls for a rated cool roof product in much of Los Angeles and anywhere in the City of Los Angeles, which narrows the colors | CRRC ratings for shingles |
| Fire | — | A Class A roof in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone | The Class A roof rating |
| Warranty | The shingle's standard warranty | A manufacturer's system warranty, registered by a certified contractor and built with the maker's accessories | Roofing warranties explained |
The shingle line and the warranty tier
Two choices sit on top of the scope. The first is the shingle line: on our 2025 Woodland Hills re-roof, a standard architectural shingle and a premium triple-laminate shake-look shingle, both cool-rated, were priced side by side; the premium one cost more, came in fewer colors and had a longer lead time. Color can decide the line, too: on our 2024 Canoga Park re-roof, no gray in the first line we priced cleared the cool-roof threshold, and a cool-rated line made in gray did.
The second is the warranty tier. The standard material warranty comes with the shingles; a system warranty is registered by a contractor the manufacturer has certified, needs a roof built mostly from the maker's own components, and covers more, as set out in roofing warranties explained and roofing manufacturer certifications.
Spread over the roof's life
Asphalt shingle roofs are listed at 20 years of expected useful life in HUD's and NAHB's tables, and 3-tab shingles at 20 in Fannie Mae's; HUD and Fannie Mae use their tables to plan replacements on apartment buildings. Spread over 20 years, the report's Los Angeles estimate comes to about $1,820 a year, by our arithmetic. Those tables are budgeting averages, not a forecast for one roof; how much life is left in yours is in roof lifespan by material in Southern California.
What to ask for in a shingle quote
1. The measured squares, with the pitch and every section of roof included.
- The shingle by name: manufacturer, line and color, with its cool-roof rating if the rule applies.
- The underlayment: type, and where two layers or self-adhered membrane go.
- The metal: drip edge, valley and step flashing, new or reused.
- The vents: how many, of what type, intake and exhaust.
- Starter and hip and ridge shingles, from the same maker or not.
- What comes off, down to what, and the price per sheet for rotten deck.
- Spot-bonding, if the house is in a High Wind Velocity Area.
- The warranty by name, who registers it, and the roofer's workmanship term.
How to set two quotes side by side is in how to compare roofing quotes.
Frequently asked
How much does a new asphalt shingle roof cost in California?
What does a shingle roof cost per square in Los Angeles?
Do architectural shingles cost more than 3-tab?
Does the cool-roof rule make a shingle roof cost more?
How long does an asphalt shingle roof last?
Related reading
Sources & methodology
Code sections, rules and figures on this page come from the primary sources below. Codes, local requirements and product terms change; each was verified October 14, 2026.
- Journal of Light Construction, 2025 Cost vs. Value Report, market pages for Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, Modesto and Fresno, and the…
- Journal of Light Construction, Cost vs. Value 2025: Roofing Replacement, Asphalt Shingles (project description, June 20, 2025)
- Journal of Light Construction, Cost vs. Value 2025 Methodology (September 18, 2025)
- California Residential Code 2025, Chapter 9, Roof Assemblies (R905.2.2, R905.2.8.5, R908.5)
- LADBS, Dwellings in High Wind Velocity Areas (HWA), Information Bulletin P/BC 2026-016, effective January 1, 2026, revised April 24, 2026
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Mortgagee Letter 2016-26, Attachment A: Standard Table of Estimated Useful Life
- Los Angeles Municipal Code, Section 99.04.106.5, Cool Roof for Reduction of Heat Island Effect (as amended by Ordinance 187,208)
We price your roof in more than one shingle line
Call (323) 844-7777. We measure the roof and write a line-item estimate in more than one shingle line, with the underlayment, metal, vents and warranty named, so you can see what each choice adds. Have ready the address and a few photos of the roof.
Prepared by Cali Energy, October 14, 2026. This article is for general educational purposes only and is not legal, tax, financial, engineering, or utility advice. Rates, incentives, codes, permit requirements, equipment specifications, prices, and program terms may change; figures and timelines are estimates, not guarantees. Confirm current requirements with the applicable utility, AHJ, program administrator, manufacturer, or a licensed professional. See our Content Disclaimer. Cali Energy · 19201 Parthenia St, Unit E, Northridge, CA 91324 · CSLB #1032379 (B, C-10, C-39)