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What Cedar Shake, Synthetic and Slate Roofs Cost in Calgary

$20,000 to $36,000 for cedar on a typical house

Cedar shake runs about $10 to $18 per square foot. Real slate or clay tile is about 4.5 times a standard asphalt roof, often $40,000 to $60,000 or more.

Calgary figures for 2025-2026 · reviewed 2026-09-27 · how we set these ranges

Rough out your own number

Change the inputs and the range updates. It is a starting point for comparing quotes, not a quote.

= 20 squares

Not sure? Ask each roofer for the square count on the quote. One square is 100 sq ft of roof.

sheets (4 by 8) · $65 to $130 each
Typical range for these inputs — Ranges only. Your roof's pitch, access and condition move the real number; compare written quotes.

The quote, line by line

Cedar shake replacement$10 to $18 per sq ft

Removing old shakes is slower than shingles

Synthetic shake or slateSimilar or somewhat higher

Lighter than real slate; ask for the impact and fire information

Real slate or clay tileAbout 4.5 times standard asphalt

Often $40,000 to $60,000+; heavier than most roofs were built for

Structural check and permit for clay or slateRequired for clay

The City of Calgary lists shingles to clay as needing a building permit

GST5%

Why Calgary prices look like this

  1. Wood burns

    Untreated wood shakes are more combustible than asphalt or metal, and some insurers charge more for older wood roofs. Get your insurer's number before you choose.

  2. Heavy materials need a structural answer

    Slate and clay are heavy. The City lists changing from shingles to clay as needing a building permit, and a structural engineer should confirm the frame first.

    Source: City of Calgary

  3. Older roofs and asbestos

    Houses built before 1990 carry a higher risk that some roofing materials contain asbestos; removal must be done by trained workers.

    Source: Alberta OHS

Red flags in a cedar shake & slate quote

  • Cedar-to-asphalt or cedar-to-synthetic called "like-for-like" with no permit check
  • A slate or clay quote with no structural review
  • No named product for synthetic shake or slate
  • Tear-off on a pre-1990 house with no asbestos question asked

Before any deposit: ask for the roofer's Alberta prepaid contracting licence (Service Alberta's online lookup) and a WCB-Alberta clearance letter, and get the contract in writing.

More on the job itself: Cedar Shake & Slate

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