Roof Replacement FAQs

When Does Roof Replacement Make More Sense Than Repair?

It generally makes more sense to replace a roof when there are leaks occurring in several separate, non-related locations, the shingles have become brittle, the shingles have suffered significant deterioration, damage to the decking is extensive, like-for-like materials to make necessary repairs are unavailable, or repeated repairs continue to fail. While age of the roof can provide some helpful background knowledge; condition, fix-ability, and anticipated remaining useful life should be the driving factors behind what type of recommendation is made.

What Should a Complete Roof Replacement Include?

When a homeowner chooses to do a full replacement of their roof they are usually choosing to remove their old roofing and examine the decking (wood) underneath once removed. They may need to replace damaged sections of the deck as required/authorized, install new underlayment and/or ice-and-water protection where needed. They will update flashing around chimneys, vents, etc., install new roofing material chosen by the homeowner, ensure that adequate ventilation exists to prevent future damage, clean up debris from the tear off process and perform a final inspection. The written proposal should clearly identify which items are included, as well as how decking replacement (if needed) would be priced if it were not previously estimated.

Why Does an On-Site Inspection Matter?

The square footage of living space does not determine roof size. Factors affecting both labor and materials include: roof pitch, overhanging eaves, garage(s), dormer(s), valley(s), chimney(ies), skylight(s), number of pre-existing layers of roofing, accessibility of equipment used to service the roof and other features such as flashing, ventilation, drainage and overall condition of the decking. These factors cannot be reasonably determined from an average estimate found online, which is why an on-site assessment matters.