The price of a new roof depends on far more than square footage, and that is exactly why two quotes for the same home can differ by thousands of dollars. Material choice is the biggest lever, architectural shingles cost more than three tab but last significantly longer and perform better in wind, while impact resistant Class 4 shingles cost more upfront but can qualify for insurance discounts in hail prone regions like the Twin Cities. Roof complexity matters just as much as material, a roof with multiple valleys, dormers, and steep pitches takes longer to install and requires more flashing work than a simple gable roof of the same size. Decking condition is the variable most homeowners don't account for until the old material comes off, since a meaningful share of tear offs reveal at least some soft or delaminated decking that needs replacing before new material goes down. Ventilation corrections, ice and water shield placement, and the number of flashing points being replaced all add real cost that a lowball bid typically skips rather than prices honestly. The cheapest quote is almost never the cheapest roof over its actual lifespan, since skipped prep and thin materials show up as problems within a few years rather than decades.