Cost

What a Roof Replacement Costs in Schaumburg (2026)

By Schaumburg Roof Repair · September 8, 2026 · 8 min read

The two questions Schaumburg homeowners ask most are "what will it cost" and "why is the other quote $4,000 less." This is the first one, with real 2026 numbers for the northwest suburbs, and enough of the second one that you can read any quote you are handed.

The per-square number

Roofers price by the square — 100 square feet of roof surface. In Schaumburg in 2026, an architectural asphalt shingle roof installed by a licensed contractor runs $450 to $800 per square, and that includes tearing off one layer, synthetic underlayment, ice-and-water shield at the eaves and valleys, new drip edge and flashing, a ridge vent, the village permit and hauling the old roof away.

The range is wide because roofs are not all the same square. A simple gable on a ranch with a walkable 5:12 pitch is at the bottom. A 10:12 two-story hip with three dormers, two chimneys and five valleys is at the top, because every one of those features is flashing labor, and the pitch means harnesses and staging.

By house size

• 1,200 sq ft Weathersfield ranch$9,000–$14,000
• 1,500 sq ft ranch, hip roof$10,000–$16,000
• 1,600 sq ft split-level with flat section$13,000–$19,000
• 2,200 sq ft two-story, hip$14,000–$22,000
• 3,000 sq ft two-story, steep, dormers$20,000–$30,000

Typical ranges, not a quote.

Roof area is bigger than floor area. A 1,500 sq ft ranch has more roof than a 1,500 sq ft two-story, because the ranch spreads out and the two-story stacks. Pitch adds area too; a 6:12 roof is about 12% more surface than its footprint, a 10:12 about 30%.

What moves the number

Layers. Many houses in Schaumburg built before 1980 have two layers of shingles. Removing the second one adds $1–$2 per square foot — $1,500 to $3,000 on a typical house — and you should expect some decking underneath it to be soft, because nobody inspected the deck when the second layer went on.

Decking. Priced per sheet of plywood or OSB, typically $90–$150 installed. The 1960s houses have plank decking with gaps; the spots under old ice dams and around the chimney are the ones that go. A good estimate says how many sheets are expected and what each extra one costs.

The flat section. Split-levels in Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates and Streamwood have a low-slope roof over the garage or family room that needs a membrane at $8–$14 per square foot, not shingles. If a quote for a split-level does not have a separate line for it, ask what is going on that section. The flat roof page explains why it matters.

Ventilation. Opening painted-shut soffit vents, adding baffles and cutting a ridge vent is a $400–$1,000 line. It is also the line that decides whether the new roof lasts 25 years or 17, and whether you get ice dams next January.

Shingle grade. Standard architectural is the baseline. Class 4 impact-rated shingles add 10–20% and may earn an insurance discount. Designer shingles that mimic slate or shake run 30–60% more.

Metal. Standing-seam steel is $1,200–$2,000 per square, so a $14,000 asphalt roof becomes $30,000–$42,000. It lasts twice as long and sheds snow, which is why it comes up on houses with chronic ice dams. Whether that pays depends on how long you plan to stay.

Why the other quote is $4,000 less

Usually one or more of these:

1. Ice-and-water shield only at the eaves, or only one course. On a low-slope Weathersfield ranch, one 36-inch course does not reach 24 inches inside the wall line, which is the usual code minimum and not enough for our winters.
2. No decking allowance — the sheets show up as a change order on install day.
3. Roof-over instead of tear-off. Often allowed on a one-layer roof (your village building department confirms), and a bad idea on almost every roof in the northwest suburbs.
4. Reused flashing. The flashing that leaked on the old roof is left in place.
5. 15-pound felt instead of synthetic underlayment.
6. No permit.
7. No Illinois license, which is a bigger problem than the $4,000.

A worked example

A 1968 ranch off Springinsguth Road: 23 squares, two layers, 5:12 pitch, one chimney, plank decking. Architectural shingles at $560 per square is $12,900. Second-layer removal at $1.50 per square foot on 2,300 sq ft is $3,450. Six sheets of decking at $120 is $720. Opening soffits and adding baffles is $600. Chimney flashing and cricket, $900. Total about $18,600, one long day. The same house quoted at $13,000 is almost certainly a roof-over with reused flashing.

What is usually not in the price

• Gutters. Usually a separate line, and sometimes a separate trade.
• Skylight units. Reflashing is often included; a new skylight is extra.
• Chimney masonry. Flashing is roof work; rebuilding loose brick or a cracked crown is a mason's job.
• Attic insulation. Baffles and opening the soffits may be on the roof quote; adding insulation usually is not.
• Inside repairs. Drywall and paint from an old leak are not part of the roof.

Ask each roofer to list in writing what is excluded, so two quotes cover the same work.

The cost per year

A new roof is easier to judge by what it costs for each year it lasts. A $14,000 architectural roof that lasts 25 years works out to about $560 a year. The same roof put on without opening the soffits might last 17, which is about $820 a year — so the cheaper quote can be the more expensive roof. Standing-seam metal at $30,000–$42,000 that lasts 40–50 years comes to roughly $750–$840 a year, with less snow sitting at the eave. Whether that pays depends on how long you plan to stay.

Paying for it

Most homeowners pay from savings, a home equity line or a loan, and some through an insurance claim when the damage was sudden. If a roofer offers financing, compare the rate, fees and term with a loan from your own bank or credit union before you sign. Ask what deposit is due before work starts and when the balance is due. A large deposit long before the start date is worth questioning.

Timing and price

Late fall is the busy season, and quotes then tend to be firm. January and February are slower, and prices are often a little lower — ask. A replacement can go on in cold weather on clear days, with the crew hand-sealing the shingles. What you should avoid is letting a leak pick the date; an emergency tarp plus a rushed job usually costs more than a planned one.

The replacement page lists everything that should be in the scope, and the cost page has the repair prices too. Any quote should carry the roofer's state license number, which you can check on the IDFPR license lookup; the contractor questions post explains why.

Common questions

Why is my quote above the per-square range? Usually pitch, layers or a cut-up roof. A steep two-story with dormers and several valleys sits at the top of the range or past it, because every feature adds flashing labor and the pitch means harnesses and staging.

Is the permit included? It usually is on a replacement quote, but check. Ask who pulls it, and whether the village inspection is scheduled as part of the job.

How long is a quote good for? Ask. Material prices move, and many roofers hold a price for a set period. Get the date written on the quote.

Do I pay more for a two-story than a ranch of the same size? Per square, often yes, because of height, staging and pitch. In total, not always: a ranch spreads out and has more roof than a two-story with the same floor area, so the ranch can carry the bigger bill.