How is ridge vent priced per foot, and what should the per foot price include?
Short answer. Ridge vent is usually priced by the linear foot of ridge, and a fair per foot price should state whether it includes the vent, the cap shingles, cutting the slot, nails and labor or only the vent material. On small retrofit jobs, minimum charges, setup and patching old vents matter more than the per foot number.
What a per foot price can cover
- Material only: the vent itself, sold in 4 foot sections or rolls.
- Vent installed: vent plus the labor to cut the slot and nail it down.
- Vent and caps installed: the most useful number, since the vent is useless without caps over it.
Ask which one a quote means. Two quotes that look far apart may be pricing different things.
How insurance estimates price it
Estimates written in Xactimate list ridge vent as its own line priced per linear foot, with hip and ridge cap shingles as a separate per foot line. If the original roof had a ridge vent, both lines should appear on a replacement estimate. For how those lines work, see Xactimate roof estimates explained.
Why per foot math misleads on small jobs
- A trip, setup and safety equipment cost the same for 20 feet as for 60.
- Retrofits add removing old caps and patching old box vents.
- Steep or high ridges take longer per foot.
On a full replacement
Ridge vent is a small share of the total and is often bundled into the roof price. Ask that it be itemized with footage so you can confirm it covers the whole ridge, with intake work listed too. See roof replacement cost in Georgia and how roofers measure a roof.