RV Roof Reseal Cost

As cozy as an RV is, it is hard to maintain, especially in rough weather. The last thing you want is rainwater being funneled from its roof into the interior.

When an RV roof is not resealed, it can get damaged, resulting in leaks and poor air conditioning efficiency. You might wonder if the RV reseal is cheaper than the damage it prevents.

The RV Roof Reseal Cost is $225 if you do it yourself, $850 if you hire a private contractor or a handyman, and $1200 if you take the camper to a workshop or a dealership. The cost of sealant, the roof material, and the labor pay rates can affect these average prices.

In this article, you will discover the factors that affect the price of an RV roof reseal so you can adjust them to get the best price. You will also learn the pros and cons of resealing the roof yourself and getting the RV top resealed professionally.

Also included are the best products to use for different types of RV roofs and the pricing per square foot for different types of roofs, and professional RV reseal services. But first, let's go over what contributes to the price of the project.

‍Factors That Affect the Price of Reseal

Before we break down the cost of an RV Roof Reseal, let's look at the contributors to the overall price tag. In this section, we will cover each variable alongside recommendations to control RV roof reseal costs.

Size of the RV

One of the key contributors to the RV reseal cost is the size of the area that needs to be sealed. When hiring expert labor for the job (or going to a dealership for the service), you get charged by the hour. The longer it takes to reseal the roof, the more you pay. Even when you DIY the project, you need to buy more sealant for a larger RV.

Control this cost: Because you pay for more material and longer labor engagement, you have decent control over this specific cost. The material needed is necessary, and its cost cannot be cut. But depending on your expertise and the RV roof material, you might be able to cut labor costs by resealing the roof yourself.

Roof Material

On average, there are three types of RV roofs, and they all require different sealants. Given that the sealing products are priced differently, the overall cost of the RV roof reseals differs depending on its material. A rubber roof is the most expensive to reseal, with metal roof reseal being over 50% cheaper. A fiberglass roof is the cheapest to reseal.

Control this cost: There isn't much you can do to control the cost of sealant material. You can replace the roof of your RV, but that might be more expensive than resealing it. Still, it can be something to keep in mind when the RV's roof is due for an organic replacement (usually after 10 years of use).

Extent of Damage

If the reseal is a routine maintenance activity, then the average costs apply, but if there are dents or tears that need to be repaired, the cost of protecting the RV roof can be much higher. Depending on the material of the RV roof and the location of the tears/dents, the damage needs to be repaired before or after sealing.

Control this cost: You can control the cost of resealing a roof with excessive damage by going to a professional. Interestingly, this is the only instance where using professional help comes out cheaper. In most cases, medium-to-minor repairs are done free in the reseal cost.

Cost of Labor

Finally, the largest expense in an RV roof reseal is the cost of labor. When you get your RV sealed from a garage or a dealership, you pay for the labor's time. In resealing the RV yourself, you pay with your own time and save money.

On average, the cost of labor is four times that of the sealant required. But if you get paid more per hour and don't have free time, you need to rely on labor. If you fear damaging the roof and losing more money than you save on roof reseal, you should use experts instead of bootstrapping the operation.

Control this cost: One might assume that this cost is pretty fixed and non-negotiable. But you can save money on roof reseal by hiring an RV expert privately. A dealership or a garage operation charges you for the hourly labor cost and marks up the fee to keep a profit. When you work directly with a contractor, you only pay the cost of labor. This can get you a quote that is 10% below market rates.

Resealing Your Own RV Roof

The cost of resealing your own RV roof is evidently lower than getting it done professionally. The following table covers the different sealing products you can use, their respective coverage, and their average cost.

Pros of Resealing the RV Roof Yourself:

• Shorter waiting period - When your camper goes to a workshop or dealership for resealing, you might have to wait for 2 to 7 days before you can have it back.
• Learn once, save annually - While it can be tough to reseal the roof for the first time, it's worth learning because you can use the skill every year.
• Don't need to drive to a workshop - If you live far away from the relevant experts and shops, you might have to drive a long way before your camper roof can get resealed. But if you can do it on your own, the RV need not leave your home.
• Have an interesting activity to occupy your time - Finally, a chore is a chore only if you see it as one. For the DIY enthusiast, resealing an RV roof can be an interesting project.

Cons of Resealing the RV Roof Yourself:

• Risk of injury - The foremost drawback of doing anything on your RV roof is the risk of falling down and injuring yourself. Sealing the roof is no exception.
• Risk of damage - If you're too rough with grout removal at the preparation stage, you might unintentionally deal damage to your own RV roof. And the cost of repairs might exceed the price of getting the camper's roof professionally resealed.
• Occupies your schedule - Above all, what you lose when resealing the RV roof is your time. For a busy person, it might be cheaper to do higher-earning work and let a professional take care of their RV.

Getting Your RV Roof Resealed Professionally

The second way to get your RV roof resealed is to take it to a workshop or a dealership that offers secondary services. You can also hire a contractor or a handyman to help out with resealing on your property. Compared to doing it yourself, getting professional help is obviously more expensive. But exactly how expensive? The table below covers the average prices of an RV roof reseal.

Pros of Getting Your RV Roof Resealed Professionally

• Peace of mind - The greatest advantage of getting your RV roof resealed professionally is that you have peace of mind regarding the safety and security of your camper. You don't have to second guess how well the roof is resealed.
• Save your time - If you don't enjoy playing the handyman role, having a professional do the job means you don't have to actively engage in the process and can use your time elsewhere.
• Lower risk of damage - Professional help offsets one of the biggest risks of DIY resealing. It lowers the chances of accidental damage or poor reseal treatment.
• No excess material - Finally, you're not left with excess sealant because the professionals who use it have other uses for it. You pay for the exact amount used on your RV.

Cons of Getting Your RV Roof Resealed Professionally

• Relatively expensive - Where you save money with exact material quantity, you overspend on labor.
• Service might be difficult to acquire - Depending on where you live, finding an RV roof reseal expert or service can be hard. In some cases, you might have to drive up to 7 miles to find a dealership that provides a roof reseal service.

Final Thoughts

Hiring a private handyman strikes the perfect balance between getting professional help and getting the RV roof resealed on a budget. But since you have to reseal the camper roof every year, it is reasonable to learn how to do it yourself and save over a thousand dollars across the RV roof's lifespan.