Tear-off is the unglamorous half of a roof replacement: stripping the old material down to the deck, hauling it away, and disposing of it legally. Our published per-square rates include tear-off of one existing layer. Every layer beyond the first adds a per-square charge:
| Material being removed | Added cost per square, per extra layer |
|---|---|
| Asphalt shingle (3-tab or architectural) | $50 |
| Metal panels | $60 |
| Cedar shake | $75 |
| Concrete / clay tile | $125 |
Published estimating references put asphalt tear-off at roughly $39–$53 per square per layer (2026 calculator tables), with heavy materials like tile and slate quoted at $100–$300 per square in consumer cost guides — tile is simply brutal to handle: every piece is heavy, fragile, and must come down without breaking the ones you might salvage.
What drives tear-off cost
- Layers. Two layers of shingles is twice the weight, twice the trips up and down, twice the dump fees.
- Weight. A square of asphalt weighs roughly 230–400 lb installed; a square of tile can exceed 900 lb. Disposal is priced by the ton.
- Pitch and access. Steep roofs and tight lots slow the crew and complicate debris handling.
- Dump fees. Landfill tipping fees for roofing debris vary widely by county and are passed through in the bid.
The honest question to ask
Ask any roofer bidding your job: "Is tear-off itemized, per layer?" Our estimates assume one layer. If your roof has two or three — common on homes re-roofed in the 1990s and 2000s — add the per-layer figure above in the calculator and your range stays honest.
Run your own numbers: the satellite estimator and the roof cost calculator are both free, and both use the published dataset on our methodology page.