Denver roof replacement cost
Recent city permit records put a typical asphalt re-roof in Aurora, right next to Denver, at $11,000, about $500 per roofing square. Half of the 1,228 permits fell between $7,600 and $15,786. Below: what moves your number, what Denver requires, and what Colorado law says your contract must include.
What homeowners declared on recent re-roof permits
Every residential re-roof permit issued by the City of Aurora from April 11, 2026 to October 9, 2026: 1,228 permits. Denver does not publish roof permits as downloadable data, so the neighboring city's open records are the best public benchmark for the metro area.
- Typical declared value
- $11,000
- Middle half $7,600 to $15,786
- Per roofing square
- $500
- Middle half $399 to $667
- Typical roof size
- 21 squares
- Middle half 17 to 28 squares
- Permits analyzed
- 1,228
- 98 percent asphalt shingle
| Roof size (squares) | Typical value | Middle half | Permits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 to under 15 | $5,850 | $4,760 to $7,972 | 106 |
| 15 to under 20 | $8,000 | $6,486 to $11,000 | 324 |
| 20 to under 25 | $11,025 | $8,952 to $14,515 | 303 |
| 25 to under 30 | $13,650 | $10,327 to $17,306 | 149 |
| 30 or more | $19,150 | $14,000 to $27,556 | 250 |
What these numbers are. Declared value is the job value a contractor reports to the city when pulling the permit. It is not an invoice, and a final price can differ. 98 percent of these permits were asphalt shingle roofs and 96 percent described a single-layer tear-off. A roofing square is 100 square feet of roof surface. Middle half means the 25th to 75th percentile.
Source and method. City of Aurora open data, Building Permits 6 Months, residential re-roof sub-type. Per-square and size figures use the 1,132 permits whose description states the number of squares. No addresses are used or published. Download the summary (CSV) · Source data
Denver permit rules and fees
From the City and County of Denver's Roofing Guide and Checklist (updated April 11, 2024) and its building permit fee policy (revised May 21, 2024).
When a permit is required
A roof replacement needs a roofing permit. Repairs need one when they cover more than 10 percent of the roof or two squares, whichever is smaller. New penetrations such as skylights, vents, or solar also need a permit. Roof coatings do not.
What the permit costs
The fee follows job value: $35 for the first $2,000, plus $8 for each additional $1,000 or part of one. Denver uses the higher of the declared value or its reference value of $5.25 per square foot of shingle roof ($525 per square). For a 21-square roof that reference is $11,025, so the permit fee is about $115.
Who pulls it
Permits are pulled by contractors licensed with the City and County of Denver. A homeowner may pull a permit for their own single-family home. Ask your roofer to name who is pulling the permit in the contract.
Old layers come off
Where a roof already has two or more layers of any covering, it must be removed down to the deck and replaced. That tear-off and any deck repair belong as separate lines in your quote.
Wind-rated shingles by area
Asphalt shingles must be tested and labeled to ASTM D7158 (or D3161). Minimum ratings: 115 mph east of Federal Boulevard, 125 mph from Federal to Sheridan Boulevard, and 140 mph from Sheridan to Kipling Street.
Inspections
Quick roof permits are checked by field inspection rather than plan review. Keep the permit number from your roofer so you can confirm the final inspection passed.
Sources: Denver Roofing Guide and Checklist · Denver building permit policy (Admin 138)
What Colorado law says your roofing contract must include
Colorado's residential roofing law, C.R.S. 6-22-101 to 6-22-105, applies before any roofing work starts.
- A written contract signed by you and the roofer, listing the scope and materials, approximate dates, and approximate cost based on damage known at signing.
- The roofer’s physical address, email, and phone, plus their surety and liability insurer if they have one.
- A cancellation policy that lets you cancel within 72 hours of signing and get your full deposit back.
- If insurance is paying, a statement that you may cancel within 72 hours after the insurer denies the claim in whole or in part. The roofer must return payments within 10 days, less the value of work actually done.
- A statement that the roofer cannot pay, waive, rebate, or promise to cover any part of your insurance deductible.
- In bold on the face of the contract: the roofer holds your payments in trust until materials are delivered or most of the work is done.
Summarized from the 2024 Colorado Revised Statutes, Title 6, Article 22. This is a plain-language summary, not legal advice. Read the statute
Coming in 2027: state grants for hail-resistant roofs
Senate Bill 26-155, signed June 4, 2026, created the Strengthen Colorado Homes Enterprise in the Colorado Division of Insurance. Starting with 2027, a fee on homeowner insurers funds grants for homeowners to retrofit their homes with resilient roof systems that reduce hail and wind losses.
The board will weigh whether the home is a primary residence, household income, roof age, home size, whether the area has hail-resistant building codes, and past exposure to severe weather. Contractors paid through the program cannot waive deductibles. Grant amounts and how to apply have not been announced.
Estimate your own roof
Measured roof squares × an installed rate per square, then add or subtract each separately identified item: extra layers, deck repair, flashing, ventilation, and access.
| Worksheet line | Example | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Measured roof surface | 2,100 sq. ft. | Property-specific measurement |
| Squares | 21 | One roofing square is 100 sq. ft. of roof surface |
| Example installed rate | $500 per square | The recent permit median; your quote sets the real rate |
| Example base calculation | $10,500 | 21 × $500, before project-specific additions |
The example uses the recent permit medians to show the math. It is not a Best Roof And Gutter price or a quote for your home.
Five inputs that move the total
Measured roof area
Use roof-surface area, not living-area square footage, and record the measurement method.
System and material
Compare the complete assembly: covering, underlayment, flashings, ventilation, fasteners, and accessories.
Geometry and access
Pitch, height, valleys, penetrations, staging space, landscaping, and material access affect labor and protection.
Removal and deck condition
Record existing layers, disposal, deck-replacement unit pricing, and how hidden conditions become change orders.
Project requirements
Confirm who pulls the permit, code-triggered work, taxes, scheduling assumptions, and any HOA requirements.
Bid-comparison checklist
- Same measured roof area and waste basis
- Same material system and named products, including the shingle wind rating
- Same tear-off, disposal, flashing, and ventilation scope
- Deck-repair unit price and approval threshold
- Who pulls the permit, protection, cleanup, exclusions, and change orders
- Payment milestones, the Colorado contract statements above, and written warranty terms
Get a measured quote for your roof
Send your address and what you're seeing. A written quote should list measured squares, named products, included work, exclusions, permit responsibility, price, payment schedule, timing, cleanup, and warranty documents.