Roofer quoted $24k for a two-storey in Cranston, is that high?

For a two-storey Calgary home, $24,000 sits at the high end of the typical range but is not automatically out of line. Architectural shingle replacements on a standard detached house run roughly $10,000 to $24,000 in 2025-2026, and a two-storey adds real cost because height increases the safety requirements, staging and labour time.

What pushes a two-storey quote toward the top of the range

Roof size matters most. A two-storey in Cranston often has a smaller footprint than a bungalow of the same square footage, so the actual roof area can be modest, but steeper pitches and more complex hip-and-valley geometry add labour. Ask the roofer how many squares (100 sq ft each) the quote covers; a fair price per square foot of roof surface is roughly $5 to $8.50 for standard architectural shingles. If the quote works out to more than $8.50 per square foot of roof area, ask what is driving it.

Other factors that legitimately raise the number: a second layer of old shingles to tear off (add roughly $1 to $4 per square foot), damaged decking beyond the included allowance (roughly $2 to $4 per square foot), new flashings at every wall, chimney and skylight, new vent boots, and the product itself. If the roofer quoted Class 4 impact-resistant shingles, expect 10 to 20% more than standard architectural, which could push a larger roof to $24,000 or beyond. Given that Calgary sits in what the City of Calgary calls "hail alley," Class 4 is worth asking about even if it was not in the original quote, because many insurers offer discounts of up to 50% on premiums according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada.

The number to focus on is not the total but the scope. A written quote should spell out: the number of squares, the specific shingle product and its warranty, full tear-off and disposal, the decking allowance and the per-sheet price for anything beyond it, new eave protection (ice-and-water shield) running at least 900 mm up the slope and to a line at least 300 mm inside the inner face of the exterior wall, new flashings and vent boots, start and completion dates, and the payment schedule. If any of those items are missing or vague, the quotes you are comparing are not actually comparable.

On permits: like-for-like re-roofing (asphalt to asphalt) with no structural work needs no permit from the City of Calgary under Alberta's Permit Regulation. If the roofer is switching you to a different material type, ask the City of Calgary directly whether a permit is required before signing.

Before you commit, check two things regardless of price: confirm the roofer holds an Alberta prepaid contracting licence through Service Alberta's online lookup (any contractor taking a deposit before the work is done must have one), and request a WCB-Alberta clearance letter showing their account is in good standing. WCB-Alberta notes that hiring a contractor without coverage could leave you responsible for outstanding premiums.

Get at least two more written quotes with the same scope, then compare line by line rather than total to total. Two more quotes on the same scope will show you whether $24,000 is the market or an outlier.