Cost

What a New Roof Costs in Fort Collins (2026)

By Fort Collins Roof Repair · September 6, 2026 · 8 min read

How much does it cost for a new roof in Fort Collins? In 2026 a roof replacement runs $450–$800 per square for architectural shingles, installed, with a full tear-off. A square is 100 square feet of roof surface, and a typical 2,000 sq ft two-story home in Rigden Farm or English Ranch has 24–28 of them, so the roof is $12,000–$20,000; across the city most homes land somewhere between $9,500 and $22,000. Here's where that range comes from and what pushes a specific house to one end or the other. These are typical ranges, not a quote.

How much a new roof costs by house size

• 1,200 sq ft ranch$9,300–$14,000
• 1,600 sq ft ranch or split-level$11,500–$19,000
• 2,000 sq ft two-story$13,000–$22,500
• 2,600 sq ft two-story, cut-up roof$17,000–$29,000
• 3,500 sq ft custom$22,000–$40,000

Typical ranges, not a quote.

Roof squares aren't floor area. A 2,000 sq ft two-story has a smaller roof than a 2,000 sq ft ranch, because the second floor sits on top of the first. Pitch adds surface too: a 6/12 roof has about 12 percent more area than the footprint under it, a 10/12 about 30 percent more.

What's in the per-square number

A real quote at $450–$800 per square in Fort Collins covers:

• Tear-off of one layer and disposal (dump fees in Larimer County are a meaningful line)
• Inspection of the decking, with a per-sheet allowance for replacement
• Synthetic underlayment over the whole deck
• Ice-and-water shield along the eaves and in every valley (what the code requires at the eaves depends on the job, so ask the roofer and check with the City of Fort Collins building department)
• New drip edge, pipe boots and flashing
• Architectural shingles with six nails each, starter strip at eaves and rakes, matching ridge caps
• Ridge vent, with soffit intake checked
• A permit and inspection where the job needs one, with the quote saying who pulls it
• Cleanup with a magnet sweep for nails

If a quote is well under $450 a square, one of those lines is missing. Usually it's the ice-and-water shield, the permit, or the six-nail pattern.

Class 4 and metal

Class 4 impact-resistant shingles add $40–$90 per square, so $1,100–$2,500 on a typical house. Many carriers offer a premium credit for a documented Class 4 roof, and some add a cosmetic damage exclusion — ask your agent about both before you choose. The Class 4 page has the details and the one piece of fine print to watch for.

Standing-seam metal is $1,200–$2,000 per square, so $30,000–$50,000 on the same two-story. Exposed-fastener metal panels sit at $800–$1,300 per square. Metal makes sense on a house you'll keep for 20 years; on one you'll sell in five, the buyer gets the benefit.

The six things that move the price

Pitch. Anything over 8/12 needs staging, roof jacks and a slower crew. Most of Old Town's 1900s houses qualify, and so do the newer two-stories with steep front gables. Add 10–20 percent.

Layers. A second layer of shingles to remove adds $1,000–$2,500. Check the drip edge before you get quotes so nobody surprises you.

Decking. Replacement plywood is $90–$150 per 4x8 sheet. A house that has had an ice-dam leak at the eaves for years, or an Old Town house with skip sheathing under thin plywood, might need six to ten sheets. Every quote should carry an allowance and a per-sheet price for anything past it.

Complexity. Each valley, dormer, skylight and chimney is flashing work that a simple gable doesn't have. A 30-square hip roof with four dormers in Miramont costs more than a 30-square gable off Drake Road, square for square.

Access. Old Town alley lots with no place for a trailer, fences between the driveway and the back slope, and a big silver maple over the roof all add hours.

Timing. Prices don't change with the season, but the schedule does. In the six weeks after a big hailstorm every roofer in Larimer County is booked, and some out-of-town crews price accordingly. If your roof is simply old, the quiet months of October through March get you a faster date and a crew that isn't rushing.

Insurance and the deductible

If hail did the damage, what the insurer pays depends on your policy. Many Colorado policies carry a separate wind-and-hail deductible set as a percentage of dwelling coverage — check your declarations page. Colorado law bars a roofer from paying, waiving or rebating your deductible. Never accept an offer to cover it — insurers treat it as fraud, and it can put your claim at risk. The hail damage page explains the whole process.

How to compare quotes

Line them up by the list above, not by the bottom number. If one quote names the shingle and its rating, states six nails, includes the permit and carries a decking allowance, and another just says "remove and replace roof, 30-year shingles, $9,800," the second one isn't cheaper — it's incomplete. Ask what happens when they find soft decking, and whether the ice-and-water shield is at the eaves. The cost page has the full quote checklist, and the replacement page describes what a roof built for this climate looks like line by line.

How much does a new roof cost on your house? Do the rough math

You can get within shouting distance before anyone climbs up. As an illustration:

1. Start with the footprint. A 1,600 sq ft single-story ranch, plus about two feet of overhang on every side, covers roughly 1,800 sq ft.
2. Add for pitch. At a 6/12 pitch, add about 12 percent: roughly 2,000 sq ft, or 20 squares.
3. Add waste. Hips, valleys and starter courses usually add around 10 percent, so call it 22 squares.
4. Multiply. At $450–$800 a square, that's about $9,900–$17,600 before any decking or a second layer.

For a two-story, use the footprint of the larger floor, not the total living space. The number won't match a quote exactly. It will tell you whether a quote is in the normal range or far outside it.

What usually isn't in the per-square price

A few things are often priced separately, so ask about each one:

• Gutters. Hail-dented gutters are a separate trade and a separate line.
• Skylights. A new flashing kit may be included; a new skylight unit usually isn't.
• Chimney masonry. Flashing is roofing work; rebuilding a crumbling chimney top is a mason's job.
• Attic insulation. Cheap to add once the roof is on, but not part of the roof price.
• Solar panels. Removing and resetting them is its own cost, and you should ask who handles the warranty on the panels.

When to get quotes

If the roof is old but dry, the quiet months from October through March give you more choice of dates and a crew that isn't racing a backlog. After a big hailstorm, expect a wait of several weeks for any local company. That wait is normal, and a promise of next week in that window is worth checking twice.

Paying for it

Cash, a claim if hail did the damage, or financing. Whichever it is, a large deposit before materials arrive is a red flag; ask how the payments are staged. Keep the contract, the invoice and the shingle paperwork together. You'll want them when you sell.

Three questions that save money

• Can you price it with and without Class 4? Seeing both on one page makes the upgrade an easy yes or no.
• What is the decking allowance, and the per-sheet price past it? This is where most surprise charges come from.
• How long does this price hold? Shingle and underlayment prices move, so get the date in writing.

Ask all three on the first visit and you'll rarely be surprised on invoice day.