Tearing off an old roof and getting rid of it usually adds $1,500 to $4,500 to a replacement, according to HomeAdvisor: $1,000 to $3,000 for the removal and $500 to $1,500 for hauling and disposal. Fixr prices the same work by the square and lands lower at the bottom: about $50 a square on average, up to $150 a square for heavy material or more than one layer. Two things move your number most: how many layers are on the roof now, and how big the roof is. This page shows how to read the tear-off line on an estimate and what is reasonable to ask about it.
What tear-off covers
On an estimate, tear-off is the work of stripping the old roof covering down to the deck. Disposal is separate work: loading the old material into a dumpster or truck, hauling it away and paying to dump it. Some roofers price them as one line, some as two, and some fold both into the price per square for the whole job.
A complete tear-off line should say:
- how many layers of old roofing it assumes;
- whether the old underlayment, flashing and drip edge come off too;
- who pays the dumping fee and who supplies the dumpster;
- what cleanup it includes, such as picking up loose nails in the yard.
A line that says only "tear-off" gives you no way to tell what was priced. Our guide to comparing roofing estimates shows where the line sits among the rest, and how much of a roof's price is labor shows how crew time fits around it.
Two published prices, side by side
| Source | Tear-off | Disposal | What it says about layers |
|---|---|---|---|
| HomeAdvisor, roof replacement page, updated June 17, 2026 | $1,000 to $3,000 | $500 to $1,500 | A roof with several layers costs more, because each layer has to be stripped and disposed of; no dollar figure |
| HomeAdvisor, shingle roof page, updated June 17, 2026 | $1 to $5 per square foot of roof, removal only | not given | not given |
| Fixr, roof replacement page, updated February 4, 2026 | Average $50 per square, dumping fees included | included | Up to $150 per square for heavier materials or multiple layers of shingles |
Roofers price by the square, which is 100 square feet of roof. HomeAdvisor's $1 to $5 per square foot works out to $100 to $500 per square (our arithmetic). That is well above Fixr's $50 to $150, and the sources do not explain the gap. HomeAdvisor describes its price as depending on labor rates, pitch and how easy the roof is to reach. Fixr's average includes dumping fees, which may partly explain why it is lower on a simple roof. Take the spread as the honest range: a plain one-layer roof sits near the low end of both, and a steep or heavily layered one near the top.
What a typical roof adds up to
This is our arithmetic, for a made-up roof, to show how the ranges play out. Take a 25-square roof, 2,500 square feet of surface.
| Method | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Fixr, $50 to $150 per square | $1,250 | $3,750 |
| HomeAdvisor, $100 to $500 per square (removal only) | $2,500 | $12,500 |
| HomeAdvisor, flat ranges (removal plus disposal) | $1,500 | $4,500 |
The top of the per-square-foot method is a stretch for a normal roof; HomeAdvisor's flat range for the whole job is the better guide to what most homeowners pay. If your tear-off line comes in far above $4,500 or far below $1,250, ask what it assumes.
How layers change the price
Every layer is more material to strip and more weight to haul and dump. HomeAdvisor says a roof with several layers costs more to strip for that reason, and Fixr raises its range to as much as $150 a square for more than one layer. Neither gives a price per extra layer, so ask the roofer to price a one-layer and a two-layer assumption in writing.
The shingle roof cost calculator adds one layer or two to a shingle roof's price. Ask the roofer how they counted layers. If a roofer finds more layers than the estimate assumed, the extra cost should follow a rate you agreed beforehand. Our guide to putting new shingles over old ones explains why codes that follow the International Residential Code do not allow a recover on a roof that already has two layers, so a two-layer roof must be torn off in full.
Layers matter at the next roof too: a layover saves the tear-off now, and when that roof wears out both layers have to come off at once. The same guide has the side-by-side comparison.
Dumpster size and weight
Disposal cost depends on how much the old roof weighs and how much space it fills. The dumpster sizes below come from one dumpster vendor, not a neutral standard, so treat them as a vendor's rule of thumb and check them with your roofer.
| Roof size | Dumpster the vendor suggests |
|---|---|
| Under 20 squares | 10 to 15 cubic yards |
| 20 to 40 squares | 20 cubic yards |
| 40 to 60 squares | 30 cubic yards |
The same vendor says one square of single-layer asphalt shingles takes up about half a cubic yard, that you should multiply by the number of layers, and that a 20-cubic-yard dumpster holds about 40 squares of one layer, or about 20 squares of two. It puts 20 cubic yards of asphalt shingles at about 7.7 tons, and says a full tear-off can run to 5 to 10 tons. Weight, not volume, is often the limit, which is why it advises sizing up when you are unsure and asking about a heavy-load container.
The point for you: the roofer, not you, normally arranges the dumpster. You still need a place for it. A driveway that can carry a loaded container, with the container close to the house, makes the job faster. If it cannot sit on your property, ask the roofer where it will go and who handles any approval that needs.
Where the old shingles go
Old asphalt shingles do not have to go to a landfill. The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) says torn-off shingles can be taken to a recycling center, and that homeowners should ask their roofing contractor about recycling practices to be sure the shingles are recycled. Most recycled shingle goes into paving: roads, driveways and parking lots. ARMA cites a National Asphalt Pavement Association survey that found 797,000 tons of reclaimed asphalt shingles were used in new pavement in the United States in 2023.
ARMA also says shingle recycling is available in the United States and some places in Canada, and that new sites keep opening. It does not say it is available near you, and it points to two outside directories rather than listing facilities. So the practical question is local:
- Does your roofer take shingles to a recycler, or to a landfill?
- Does recycling change the dumping fee on the estimate?
- Is the roofer willing to say in writing where the material goes?
Recycling may cost the same, less or more than a landfill depending on what sites are within reach. The sources here give no figure, so we give none.
Tear-off versus a layover
If the existing roof is one layer, flat and sound, some roofers will offer to lay new shingles over it and skip tear-off and disposal. That removes the $1,500 to $4,500 line, but it also hides the deck, adds weight and can affect warranties. Our layover guide covers the trade-offs, and the roof replacement process shows what the crew does once the old roof is off.
When the roof is off, the deck is exposed, and any rotten board is found at that point. That is a separate line from tear-off. Our guide to roof decking and underlayment covers what it costs and how to ask for a price per sheet in writing.
Questions to ask about the tear-off line
- How many layers did you assume, and what is the price if there are more?
- Does the line include the dumpster and dumping fees?
- Where do the old shingles go, and can you recycle them?
- Do you remove the old underlayment, flashing and drip edge, or leave some in place?
- How do you protect the yard, plants and the siding while the old roof comes off?
- Who cleans up loose nails, and how?
For the full list of what a roofer should answer before you sign, see the roof replacement cost guide and the per-square comparison in roof cost per square foot.
Frequently asked questions
Is tear-off included in the price of a new roof?
Often, but not always. HomeAdvisor lists removal and disposal as an added $1,500 to $4,500 on top of a replacement, and Fixr treats it as its own per-square figure. Ask whether the price per square in your estimate includes it.
How much does it cost to remove a second layer of shingles?
Neither HomeAdvisor nor Fixr gives a price per extra layer. Fixr puts the top of its range at $150 a square for heavy material or more than one layer, against a $50 average. Ask each roofer for a written price for one layer and for two.
Do I pay for the dumpster separately?
It depends on the estimate. Fixr's $50 per square includes dumping fees. HomeAdvisor lists hauling and disposal as its own $500 to $1,500 line. Check whether the dumpster and the dumping fee are in the roofer's tear-off price.
Can old roofing shingles be recycled?
Often yes. ARMA says torn-off shingles can go to recycling centers instead of a landfill, and says to ask your roofer about it, because availability depends on where you live.
Can I save money by skipping tear-off?
You can skip it only where the code allows and the old roof is sound. It saves the line above now and returns later. Read the layover guide before choosing.
How we got these numbers
HomeAnvil does not yet publish price data of its own. This page is general information, not insurance, legal or financial advice. Every figure comes from a published source, read on October 13, 2026:
- HomeAdvisor, roof replacement cost, updated June 17, 2026: removal, hauling and disposal, and the note on extra layers.
- HomeAdvisor, shingle roof replacement cost, updated June 17, 2026: tear-off per square foot.
- Fixr, roof replacement cost, updated February 4, 2026: tear-off and disposal per square, and the higher figure for heavy material or layers.
- Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association, asphalt shingle recycling, August 28, 2024, and its recycling infographic, 2025: recycling statements and the 2023 tonnage.
- A dumpster rental company's roofing dumpster guide, no date shown: dumpster sizes, volume and weight. This is a vendor's figure and the weakest source on the page.
- The per-square conversion of HomeAdvisor's per-square-foot figure and the 25-square example are our arithmetic.
We will update this page when these sources publish new figures, and the date above will say when.
Related guides
Can you put new shingles over old ones?Often yes, once: the building code bars a layover on a roof with two or more layers. What a roof-over saves, what it adds in weight, and what it hides.
How much does a roof replacement cost?A roof replacement typically costs $5,900 to $13,400, or $400 to $1,100 per square installed. How to measure your roof, what moves the price and how to compare estimates.
How much does a new roof cost per square foot?A new roof costs $4 to $11 a square foot installed, or $400 to $1,100 a square, per HomeAdvisor. Prices by material and what raises the rate per foot.
How do you compare roofing estimates?Compare roofing estimates line by line: squares, price per square, product lines, tear-off, decking, underlayment, flashing, permit, warranties and payment terms.
Roof decking and underlayment: what they are and costReplacing roof decking costs $2 to $5 a square foot; a sheet of plywood or OSB runs $9 to $64. How the deck, underlayment and ice barrier work.
What happens during a roof replacement, step by step?An asphalt shingle roof usually goes on in one to three days. What happens before, during and after, from tear-off and deck repair to flashing and cleanup.- How much of a new roof's price is labor?Published sources put labor anywhere from 15% to 65% of a new roof's price, or $150 to $400 a square. Why they disagree and how to read the labor line.
- What hidden costs come with a new roof?Rotted decking at $2 to $8 a square foot, permits of $100 to $1,400, code upgrades and disposal can add 15% to 20% to a roof estimate. How to cap them in writing.
- How can you save money on a new roof?Compare estimates for the same scope, pick a simpler design and material, time the job and skip nothing that protects the deck. Federal home energy credits ended after 2025.
- How do you prepare your home for a roof replacement?Clear the driveway and a 15-foot ring around the house, cover the attic floor, take down wall hangings and plan for pets. A checklist from shingle maker guidance.