What a new roof actually costs in Portland
Roofers price by the “square,” 100 square feet of roof. As of September 2026, a full tear-off and replacement with architectural asphalt shingles in the Portland metro runs about $700 to $1,200 per square, so a typical 1,500 to 2,000 square foot house lands between $14,000 and $28,000. Standing-seam metal runs $18,000 to $36,000 for the same house. The Portland number to hold onto is lifespan, not price: a shingle rated for 30 years lasts 15 to 20 here.
Price per square, installed with tear-off
| Material | Per square | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Architectural asphalt shingle | $700 – $1,200 per square | The Portland default; 15 to 20 years here |
| Premium / designer shingle | $1,000 – $1,600 per square | Thicker, better wind and algae ratings |
| Standing-seam metal | $1,200 – $1,800 per square | 40 to 60 years; sheds moss and rain |
| Cedar shake | $1,400 – $2,200 per square | Beautiful, high maintenance in the wet |
What adds to the number
| Tearing off a second layer | $100 – $200 per square |
| Replacing rotten sheathing | $70 – $120 per sheet of plywood |
| New gutters and downspouts | $8 – $20 per linear ft |
| Skylight replacement | $800 – $2,500 each |
| Ridge vent and ventilation upgrades | $300 – $1,500 |
| Steep pitch or three stories | adds 10 to 25 percent |
| Permit | included in a complete bid |
The Portland roof problem is water, not wind
Thirty-six to forty-three inches of rain a year, a wet season that runs from October to May, and moss that takes hold on any north-facing slope. That is why shingles age fast here, why the sheathing under an old roof is often soft in spots nobody expected, and why the “replace rotten plywood” line is the one that moves a bid after the tear-off. Ask every bidder how they handle sheathing they find rotten, and at what price per sheet, before you sign.
Permits
A full re-roof in the City of Portland generally needs a permit, and the roofer pulls it. Anything that touches structure, sheathing, or adds a skylight always does. A complete bid includes the permit and says so.
Why two quotes for the same roof differ by $5,000
Layers to tear off, sheathing condition, pitch and height, valleys and penetrations, shingle grade, flashing and ventilation, gutters, and each crew’s backlog. None of it shows in a price chart, including this one. The only real number is several written bids on your roof, with photos. That is the entire reason HouseRules exists: post the roof once, license-verified roofers bid on it, and you compare real prices side by side without giving out your phone number.
Get real bids on your roof, free
Post your projectRanges are a survey of published Portland-metro roofer pricing as of September 2026, quoted wide on purpose; real bids on a real roof are the only exact numbers. Also useful: what a deck costs in Portland and how to verify a contractor’s license.