What brand and type are the best roofing shingles for the cheapest price per square?

All depends on what you want and how long you want them to last .
There are several different styles of shingles you can pick. The "standard" shingle is a three-tab fiberglass asphalt shingle, which you can see on most houses built 30-40 years ago. The most common type of shingle these days, though, are architectural-type shingles, which look more like a cedar shake. These give your roof a lot more character. Different manufacturers differ in colors and shadow lines, the black mark that gives your shingle that dimensional look. The shingle I use most often is the Pinnacle 35 by Atlas. They're priced around $48.00/square, and give you a good looking, long lasting shingle that you won't be disappointed with. Certainteed (Horizon) also makes very good shingles, but are priced a couple bucks more per square. Best thing to do is go to a home improvement center, pick out a couple that appeal to you, and ask the salesperson if there are any jobs in the area where he can give you an address to go look at them in person. Volckhart http://www.zeuslegacy.com/register.php?ref=2854