Roofing Employee True Cost Calculator
Roofing has the highest workers comp rates in the trades. See what your crew actually costs you per hour.
Employee Pay
What you pay this roofing employee per hour, before any employer costs.
Country
Mandatory employer costs change by country. Select yours.
Mandatory Employer Costs
These are required by law. You pay them on top of every dollar of wages.
Benefits You Provide
Toggle on the benefits you offer. Only include what you actually pay for.
Productivity
Not every paid hour is productive roofing work. Factor in drive time, paperwork, breaks, and downtime.
True Employee Cost
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per productive hour
$0
per paid hour
$0
fully loaded annual cost
Adjust the inputs on the left to see your numbers update in real time.
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True Employee Cost for Roofing Companies
Roofing has the highest workers comp rates in the trades. That alone makes the gap between what you pay your crew and what they actually cost bigger than most roofing company owners realize.
A roofer making $22 per hour costs $42 to $52 per hour when you add workers comp (6% to 10%), FICA, unemployment taxes, and any benefits. Multiply that across a 4 person crew and the daily cost difference is $640 to $960 more than what shows up on paychecks.
This calculator shows you the full picture. Every mandatory cost, every benefit, and the real cost per productive hour after you account for setup, staging, and weather delays.
Mandatory Employer Costs for Roofing
Mandatory costs for roofers are the highest in the trades because of workers comp. Expect to pay 6% to 10% of gross payroll for workers comp alone. Add employer FICA (7.65%), FUTA (0.6%), and state unemployment (2% to 5%), and mandatory costs run 30% to 45% on top of wages. A $22/hr roofer costs $6.60 to $9.90/hr in mandatory employer costs. Across a 4 person crew for a year, that is $55,000 to $82,000 in costs beyond wages.
The Productivity Gap in Roofing
Roofing crews are more productive per hour than many trades because the work is physical and continuous once started. But you still lose 25% to 35% of the day to setup, teardown, material staging, safety meetings, and weather delays. A crew paid for 8 hours typically gets 5.5 to 6 hours of actual roofing work done. Weather is the biggest variable. One rain day per week during storm season costs a 4 person crew $950 in paid but unproductive labor.
Tips for Roofing Employee Costing
- Workers comp is your single biggest hidden cost. At 8% on a $22/hr roofer, it is $3,660/yr per person. For a 4 person crew, that is $14,640 per year just for injury insurance.
- Calculate crew cost per square, not per hour. If a crew costs $950/day in burdened labor and completes 3 squares per day, your labor cost is $317 per square. Use that number in your bids.
- Weather days are paid but unproductive. Budget for 10 to 15 lost days per year per crew. That is $9,500 to $14,250 in labor costs that produce zero revenue.
- Sub crews look cheaper on paper because you skip payroll taxes and workers comp. But you lose quality control, and misclassification penalties can be $10,000 to $50,000 per worker. Know the real cost comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a roofer really cost per hour to employ?
A roofer making $22 per hour costs $42 to $52 per hour in total employer cost. Workers comp alone runs 6% to 10% for roofing classifications, the highest in the trades. Add FICA at 7.65%, state unemployment, and basic benefits, and the burden multiplier for roofing is 1.9x to 2.4x base wages. On a 4 person crew, that gap means $4,000 to $6,000 per month in hidden costs.
Why is workers comp so expensive for roofers?
Roofing is classified as one of the highest risk trades. Workers comp rates for roofers run 6% to 10% of gross payroll, compared to 3% to 5% for most other trades. Falls from height, heat injuries, and material handling injuries drive the rate. A $22/hr roofer with an 8% workers comp rate costs $1.76/hr just for injury insurance. That is $3,660 per roofer per year.
What is the labor burden rate for roofing companies?
Roofing labor burden runs 30% to 45% for mandatory costs due to high workers comp rates. Total burden including any benefits reaches 90% to 140% of base wages. A 4 person crew at $22/hr with 35% mandatory burden costs $118.80/hr total, not $88/hr. Many roofing companies underprice because they only account for wages, not burden.
How do you calculate roofing crew cost per day?
Take each crew member hourly rate, add the burden percentage for mandatory costs (30% to 45% for roofing), then multiply by hours per day. A 4 person crew at $22/hr with 35% burden costs $29.70/hr per person, or $118.80/hr for the crew. An 8 hour day costs $950 in labor alone before materials, equipment, or overhead.
What percentage of roofing labor hours are productive?
Roofing crews are typically productive 65% to 75% of paid hours. Setup and teardown take 1 to 2 hours per day. Material staging, weather delays, safety meetings, and breaks consume the rest. On an 8 hour day, a crew typically gets 5.5 to 6 hours of actual roofing work done. When calculating cost per square, use productive hours, not total paid hours.
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