Most of what makes a Minnesota roof cost what it does is not a choice anybody is making. Tear-off, ice barrier and a wind-rated shingle are requirements, and they are the lines that go missing from a quote that looks too good.
Four of the biggest cost drivers on a Minnesota roof are code, not preference: a full tear-off where the building code identifies a moderate hail area, an ice barrier running at least 24 inches past the exterior wall line, a shingle rated for at least 90 MPH, and replacement of any rotted deck found underneath. A quote that is thousands below the others is usually missing one of them, and you find out at the inspection.
We do not publish a blanket price, and we would be suspicious of anyone who does. The spread on a Minnesota re-roof is genuinely wide, and the things that move it are listed in the answers below — most of them are requirements rather than choices.
What we will do is put a real number in writing after looking at the roof, itemised so you can see which lines are code and which are options. That estimate is free and it is yours to keep whoever ends up doing the work. If you are collecting comparison quotes, an itemised scope is the only way to compare them honestly — two numbers that differ by thousands usually differ because one of them left something out.
Because of how the building code classifies much of this part of the state. In an area identified as a moderate hail area, asphalt shingles may not be applied over an existing roof covering, which means a re-roof goes to the deck.
Tear-off, disposal and the dumpster are a real share of the job, and they are the easiest lines to leave out of a number over the phone. If a quote is noticeably cheaper than the others for the same roof, this is the first place to look.
There is a second reason it matters beyond the money. A tear-off is the only point at which anybody sees your sheathing. Rot around a chimney or a soft patch under an old leak is found then or it is not found at all.
City of Burnsville: “Dakota County is in an area that is identified as a moderate hail area in the building code. What this means for you is that the building code will not allow asphalt shingles to be applied over any existing roof covering.” Source: City of Burnsville, Re-Roofing With Asphalt Shingles
It is a waterproof membrane under the shingles along the eaves, and Minnesota requires it to run from the roof edge to at least 24 inches past the exterior wall line — on every part of the roof, including garages, porches and bay windows.
On a house with wide overhangs, 24 inches past the wall line is more than one three-foot course of membrane, so it is two. That is material and labour, and it is the single most common place two Minnesota roof quotes quietly differ.
Ask for it in writing, by the measurement rather than by the number of rolls. A scope that says “ice and water shield at eaves” is not the same commitment as one that says how far up the slope it goes.
City of Burnsville: “The Minnesota building code requires that an approved ice barrier underlayment be installed from your roofs edge to a point at least 24 inches past the exterior wall line. This applies to all portions of your roof, including attached heated or un-heated garages, covered porches, bays, fire place enclosures and similar areas.” Source: City of Burnsville, Re-Roofing With Asphalt Shingles
Pitch. Past about 7:12 a roof needs staging and fall protection, and everything slows down. Layers. If there are already two layers up there, both come off and both get disposed of. Access. A dumpster that cannot get near the house means material moves by hand.
Penetrations. Every pipe boot, vent, skylight and chimney is a flashing detail, and a cut-up roof with a dozen of them costs more than a simple one of the same area. Deck condition, which nobody can price honestly until the old roof is off — a good estimate says what sheet replacement costs per sheet rather than pretending it will not happen.
Shingle class. Minnesota requires a shingle designed for 90 MPH wind, some cities require more, and impact-rated products cost more again. We wrote the wind rating up separately.
Put them side by side and look for the lines that are requirements. Does each one say tear-off and how many layers? Does each one state how far the ice barrier runs? Does each one name the shingle and its wind rating? Does each one say what deck replacement costs per sheet?
A quote missing those is not cheaper. It is less specific, and the difference shows up later as a change order or as a failed inspection.
Then check the two things that are not on the paper: that the contractor is licensed, and that the permit is included rather than extra.
Substantially, and not always in the direction people expect. On a covered hail claim your cost is generally the deductible, plus any gap between what the carrier pays and what the work costs. Whether that gap exists depends on whether your policy pays replacement cost or actual cash value.
The Minnesota Department of Commerce illustrates it with a roof: a $30,000 replacement, a $3,000 deductible, a $20,000 cheque, and $13,000 left for the homeowner to find. That is the state's own example, and it is the reason the ACV-versus-RCV question is worth understanding before a storm rather than after one.
Minnesota Department of Commerce: “It’s going to cost $30,000 to replace my roof · My deductible is $3,000 · My insurer is going to send me a check for $20,000 · I’ve got to come up with $13,000 to make repairs.” Source: MN Dept. of Commerce, Before a Disaster: Your Insurance Checklist
This page quotes Minnesota statutes and the adopted Minnesota building code and links to the official text of each so you can read it yourself. It is general information from a licensed contractor, not legal advice, and it is not a substitute for reading your own policy. Statutes and codes are amended; the linked sources are authoritative, this page is not. Last reviewed 2026-10-27.
Straight answers to the questions Minnesota homeowners ask before they call anyone.
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Read the FAQ →We’ll walk it, photograph it, and give you a written scope that says exactly what is required and why. Retail or insurance.
We’ll walk the roof, photograph what we find, and hand you a written scope that names the code requirement behind every line. Yours to keep, whoever does the work.
We measure the work by how it holds up — and by what clients say once we're gone.