Roof replacement · RI · New England
Roof replacement cost in Rhode Island
Rhode Island's roofs face some of the smallest combined storm and fire losses in FEMA's index, so the price is about region and labor.
Wages: BLS, May 2025 (released ) · figures checked · Built by Radif Partners · How prices are built
- Typical roof job, all house sizes
- $13,020
- Middle half of jobs
- $8,010 to $20,010
- Roofer mean wage
- $30.57/h
- Versus U.S. roofers
- +9%
Roof replacement in Rhode Island, hired out
$15,010
Most jobs between $10,420 and $20,830 (middle half of reported prices)
| House size group | 1,500 to 1,999 sq ft |
| National median (homeowners’ reports) | $13,192 |
| Regional level (Census division) | +15.3% |
| State labor adjustment | −1.3% |
| Typical price in Rhode Island | $15,010 |
Roofers in Rhode Island: $30.57 an hour on average, 9% above the national mean. Range from homeowners who hired a professional (2021 to 2023, American Housing Survey 2023), in August 2026 dollars; permits, tear-off of unusual materials, structural repairs and local surcharges vary job to job. How this is calculated.
Replacing a roof in Rhode Island with a professional contractor costs about $13,020, and most jobs fall between $8,010 and $20,010, compared with $11,450 at the national median. Most of that premium is regional. The New England division reported prices about 15% above the national level in the 2023 American Housing Survey, and every state in it, from Connecticut to Maine, starts from that figure. Rhode Island roofers earned a mean of $30.57 an hour in May 2025, per BLS, above the $27.95 national mean but below Massachusetts and Connecticut, which pulls the estimate a little under theirs. Weather plays a small role. Adding up the 7 hazards this site reads from FEMA's National Risk Index, Rhode Island has the 2nd smallest expected annual losses to buildings of any state; even hurricanes, the largest line, are rated only Relatively Low. The state's one- and two-family dwelling code is based on the International Residential Code.
One of the calmest hazard profiles in the country
Few states show less storm exposure than Rhode Island. Across hail, strong wind, hurricanes, tornadoes, winter weather, ice storms and wildfire, the FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025) puts its combined expected annual losses to buildings at about $25 million, the 2nd lowest total nationwide. Hurricanes account for most of it, $18 million, rated Relatively Low. Tornadoes add $4.2 million. Hail is Very Low, winter weather Relatively Low and wildfire Very Low.
Part of the reason is size: a small state has fewer buildings to lose, so dollar totals stay low. The ratings are low as well, not just the dollar figures. For an owner, it means the roof decision usually comes from age, leaks or a sale rather than from a storm, and there is time to gather bids.
Paying less than Boston or Hartford crews
Massachusetts roofers average $35.09 and Connecticut roofers $32.93, both above Rhode Island's $30.57. All three share the New England price level, so the difference in the estimates comes from labor alone: $13,480 in Massachusetts, $13,260 in Connecticut and $13,020 here. In a state this compact, a bid may come from a firm based in either neighbor, and its price may reflect that home wage.
The Rhode Island dwelling code
The Rhode Island State One and Two Family Dwelling Code, known as RISBC-2, adopts the 2021 International Residential Code with Rhode Island amendments; the rule shows a technical revision as the current version. Your local building official decides whether a reroof needs a permit at your address.
On a house of 3,000 to 3,999 sq ft, the Rhode Island estimate reaches $18,230, with the middle half between $13,020 and $25,010. A smaller home of 1,000 to 1,499 sq ft comes to about $11,200. Coastal houses near the bay may justify extra attention to edge fastening and flashing, the details that hold up when a tropical storm does pass through; ask whether those are in the base price.
With no storm deadline pushing the decision, compare at least three written bids line by line: tear-off and disposal, decking allowance per sheet, underlayment type, shingle line and the length of the workmanship warranty. Differences between Rhode Island quotes often hide in those lines rather than in the total.
Rhode Island roof prices by house size
| House size | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1,000 sq ft | $4,220 | $9,110 | $15,620 |
| 1,000 to 1,499 sq ft | $7,030 | $11,200 | $15,620 |
| 1,500 to 1,999 sq ft | $10,420 | $15,010 | $20,830 |
| 2,000 to 2,499 sq ft | $10,420 | $14,320 | $20,830 |
| 2,500 to 2,999 sq ft | $10,420 | $15,620 | $25,010 |
| 3,000 to 3,999 sq ft | $13,020 | $18,230 | $25,010 |
| 4,000 sq ft or more | $11,250 | $19,530 | $31,260 |
Other jobs in Rhode Island
| Job | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water heater replacement | $1,320 | $2,060 | $3,010 |
| Central air conditioning | $5,730 | $9,550 | $13,650 |
| Furnace or other built-in heating | $5,050 | $8,420 | $12,630 |
| Fence | $2,830 | $5,650 | $9,850 |
| Deck, porch or patio | $3,570 | $7,800 | $16,140 |
| Driveway or walkway | $2,840 | $5,740 | $11,290 |
Trade wages in Rhode Island
| Occupation | RI mean hourly wage | U.S. mean | RI jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roofers | $30.57 | $27.95 | 360 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters | $39.23 | $34.70 | 1,820 |
| Heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers | $33.55 | $31.14 | 1,450 |
| Electricians | $35.65 | $34.37 | 2,420 |
| Carpenters | $30.92 | $31.55 | 2,580 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance | $23.15 | $26.64 | 1,160 |