What a tear-off actually involves, how to read a quote, and the cases where replacing now is the wrong move. Then we match you with vetted local roofers - free.
Reviewed by Michael ThompsonA roof replacement means stripping the existing covering back to the wooden deck, repairing the deck where it has rotted, and rebuilding the whole weatherproofing system - underlayment, flashings, ventilation and the new covering. Most single-family homes are finished in one to three working days. It is the right call when the covering has reached the end of its service life, and the wrong call when a small number of localised failures are doing all the damage.
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Measurement, deck assessment and a written scope
A roofer measures the roof in squares (100 sq ft each), records pitch and the number of layers already on it, and inspects the attic from below for staining, daylight and inadequate ventilation. That produces the scope everything else is priced from.
Watch forA quote produced from satellite imagery alone with nobody in the attic. Aerial measurement is accurate for area; it tells you nothing about the condition of the wood you are about to nail a new roof onto.
Permit and material ordering
Most jurisdictions require a permit for a full tear-off, and the inspection that follows is your independent check on the work. Materials are ordered to the measured square count plus waste allowance, and delivered to site or loaded onto the roof.
Watch forA contractor who offers to skip the permit to save you money. The permit is what triggers a municipal inspector to look at the job, and skipping it can surface as a problem at resale.
Property protection and tear-off
Landscaping, decking, AC units and windows are covered, and dumpsters positioned. The old covering, underlayment and flashings come off down to bare deck. Layers matter: two existing layers is twice the tear-off labour and twice the disposal.
Watch forA quote that assumes one layer when the roof has two. Ask how many layers were counted and what happens to the price if a second one appears. Get the answer before the first shingle comes off, not from the crew chief on day one.
Deck repair - the line item that moves the price
With the deck exposed, soft, delaminated or rotten sheathing gets cut out and replaced. Nobody can price this accurately in advance because nobody can see it until the old roof is off.
Watch forNo unit price for decking in the contract. A fair quote states an allowance and a per-sheet rate for anything beyond it. Without that number written down you are agreeing to an unbounded charge decided by the crew on the roof.
Underlayment, ice barrier and drip edge
A water-resistant underlayment covers the whole deck. In freeze climates an adhesive ice-and-water membrane runs along the eaves and up the valleys. Drip edge is fitted at the eaves and rakes so water leaves the roof rather than running behind the fascia.
Watch forDrip edge quietly omitted. It is inexpensive, it is a code requirement in most of the country, and its absence is the single easiest way to spot a corner-cutting job from the ground once the scaffolding is gone.
Flashing - replaced, not reused
Every place the roof meets something else - chimneys, walls, valleys, plumbing vents, skylights - is where roofs actually leak. On a full replacement these details are rebuilt with new metal and new boots.
Watch for"We reuse the existing flashing where it is sound." Old flashing has been fastened, bent and weathered for two decades. Reusing it puts twenty-year-old metal under a brand new roof, and it will be the first thing to fail.
Ventilation, then the new covering
Intake at the soffits and exhaust at the ridge are corrected or added before the covering goes on, because a sealed attic cooks shingles from underneath and voids most manufacturer warranties. Then the field is installed to the manufacturer nailing pattern - placement and nail count decide whether the wind rating on the box means anything.
Watch forVentilation treated as optional. If the new roof goes onto the same inadequate venting the old one had, you have bought the same shortened lifespan a second time.
Clean-down, magnet sweep and final inspection
Debris is removed, the property is rolled with a magnet for nails, and the municipal inspector signs off. You should receive the manufacturer warranty registration, the workmanship warranty in writing, and the permit close-out.
Watch forFinal payment requested before the municipal inspection has passed. Hold a retention until sign-off - it is the only leverage you have left at that point.
A full replacement on a typical single-family home generally runs from the high four figures into the tens of thousands, driven mostly by roof area, pitch, number of layers coming off, and the covering you choose. Deck repair is the usual variable. Our cost guide breaks it down properly.
See the full roof replacement cost guide - by material, size and region →
Estimate your roof size and material need → Squares, waste allowance and pitch factor - the numbers your quotes are built from.
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Quotes come to you. Compare them against the checklist further down this page, then hire whoever you want - or nobody. There's no fee and no obligation either way.
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Everyone else ranking for this is paid when you say yes. Here's when you shouldn't.
| Option | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Asphalt shingles | The default in most of the country. Architectural grades outlast 3-tab substantially. |
| Metal roofing | Longest realistic service life of the mainstream options, highest upfront spend. |
| Tile roofing | Clay and concrete. Heavy - the structure has to be rated for it. |
| Slate | Generational lifespan, specialist installers only, structural load to verify. |
| Synthetic slate | Slate look without the weight, at a fraction of the structural demand. |
| Metal vs shingles | The comparison most homeowners are actually weighing. |
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Twenty years on and around home improvement work. Reads our guides for the things that are technically true and practically wrong.
Every guide on this site is written by a member of our team and checked by someone else before it publishes, and every figure carries the source and the date we pulled it. Found a number that looks off? Tell us - corrections are the cheapest quality control we have.