Slate Roofing in Minneapolis
There is perhaps no ‘greener’ a roofing material on the market than natural slate when you factor in the methods of production, environmental impact and overall expected lifespan. No doubt, slate is spendy stuff and it usually lasts a long, long time. Slate is perhaps best known as being gray in color, although it naturally occurs in a number of hues, including gray, green, blue, black, purple, red, and mottled. For a quick comparison among your different roof replacement material options, check out our material cheat sheet.
Slate Roof Costs in Minneapolis
Cost Modifiers
The most important factors in determining the cost of the repair or replacement of slate roofs in Minneapolis are slate type, roof size, complexity, roof slope and height. Labor costs will not change significantly from one material to another as all slate roofs are installed piece by piece. Slate roofs come in a variety of colors and thicknesses making the potential cost range from the low to high end quite broad. Unlike cedar, asphalt or metal roofs, slate roofs need to have adequately robust framing to support the weight of the stone. At around 1000lbs per square, most post WWII homes are not framed to accommodate slate. Asphalt shingle roofs, for comparison weigh an average of 240 to 450lbs per square.
Slate Roof Replacement Costs
Let’s say you have a typical 30 square, 9/12 pitch slate roof that needs replacing. What is the potential cost range for this slate roof in Minneapolis? Answer, $54,000 to $156,000 (30 x $1,800-5,200). This assumes you use 1/4” medium grade slate with the recommended underlayment, which realistically will cost $480 to $1,800 per square, resulting in a significant possible cost range depending on your choice of materials. There is a wide cost spectrum among the slate roof products available so budget is a key consideration in determining what to use. If we are repairing your slate roof the existing material will be matched.
Slate Roof Pros and Cons in Minneapolis
PROS
- Extremely long lifespan
- Stunning appearance
CONS
- High initial install cost
- Heavy
Slate Roof Resources
Here are some helpful links to vendors and manufactures that know their stuff.
