It costs from $1.20 to $4 a square foot to remove and replace the roof or $1,700 to $8,400 for a typical 1,700-2,100 square foot ranch-style home, with a gentle slope. The cost per square foot for a wood shingle roof is between $6.37 and $8.77.
If any areas of the roof have become severely damaged, it's usually better to remove the old shingles and start from scratch. If you're going to add a roof on top of an old one, it's a good idea to remove any loose shingles and apply a new layer of 30-pound roofing felt before laying the new shingles.
Calls to contractors across the country revealed that prices range from $4,500 to $10,000 to tear off and replace a roof with basic shingle in 2016. Prices can also vary greatly depending on where you live.
If any areas of the roof have become severely damaged, it's usually better to remove the old shingles and start from scratch. If you're going to add a roof on top of an old one, it's a good idea to remove any loose shingles and apply a new layer of 30-pound roofing felt before laying the new shingles.
Some people wonder if they need to move out while the new roof is being installed or while a roof repair is going on. The simple and short answer is no, there's no need to. If you don't want to leave the house or you can't leave your house, there are some roof replacement logistics to keep in mind.
Tear off: The tear-off method is exactly what it sounds like: when the roofing company you hire tears off your existing roof, and then puts on an entirely new roof. Overlay: An overlay roof occurs when keep your existing roof as is, choosing instead to shingle on top of it.
Repairs can be done to the damaged sections of the roof, one area at a time. In fact, rain can give a roofer a chance to see if the water is draining effectively, or pooling in sections that could point to a problem. If large areas of the roof are being repaired, the areas that still need repair can be tarped.
Here's what you need to know.
- Shop around. Some roofers don't worry much about customer satisfaction since replacing a roof is a once-every-few-decades job, which means they don't have to count on repeat business.
- Strip away the old.
- Go top shelf.
- Pay attention to the paperwork.
- Don't pay until you see the magnet.
If you think your roof may have been damaged by hail, wind, or storms, and you have homeowners insurance, you may qualify for a free roof. Look online for roofing companies or a roofing contractor that does free roof inspections. You should not have to pay for a roof inspection.
Patching Damaged Areas
Understandably, many homeowners wonder if they can patch a damaged or deteriorating section of roof rather than replace the entire thing. They may even opt to roof over the existing shingles instead of tearing off the old roof. You must replace the entire roof as quickly as possible.You might be surprised to find that the answer is yes. A roof repair or even replacement can be done when it is raining. The exception would be a flat roofed structure. Safety is always a primary consideration for roofers and roofing in the rain requires caution.
The most effective method of cleaning algae and moss from a roof is with a 50:50 mix of laundry strength liquid chlorine bleach and water. Apply with a sprayer and allow the solution to dwell on the roof surface for 15 to 20 minutes, and then rinse thoroughly with low pressure water.
Once you've found the leak you can make a temporary leak patch from some plywood or shingle and some roofing tar. Use a putty knife to spread the tar into the leaking hole on the inside of your roof. Place the shingle or plywood onto the tar and spread more of the tar around the edges of your patch.
Roof Preparation Before Installing Roof Shingles
- Secure the roof boards. If you are using the same roof boards without replacing them you really should check each and every one to make sure none of them need replacing.
- Installing the drip edge. Install the drip edge around the eave ends of the roof.
- Ice and water shield.
- Adding the layer of felt.
Nail length
Roofing nails should be long enough to penetrate the roofing material and go 19 mm into OSB, solid wood, plywood or non-veneer wood decking, or through thickness of decking, whichever is less. Some situations allow nails with less penetration above exposed soffits if extra nails are used.The answer is yes, you can lay new roof shingles over old ones. But before we get started, one thing must be clear: adding new roofing over old (sometimes called a "re-roof") is possible only with asphalt shingles (also called "composition shingles").
A good roofer should get about 10-12 sq per day…more for the easy roofs and less for difficult ones. All numbers are based on quality installation at a decent pace.
Most roofers will work a 40-hour week.
Average Cost to Replace a Roof by House Size
| House (& Roof**) by Square Foot | Re-Roofing Cost* |
|---|
| 1,100 (1,160) | $4,200 - $6,000 |
| 1,200 (1,265) | $4,500 - $6,500 |
| 1,500 (1,581) | $5,500 - $8,000 |
| 1,600 (1,687) | $6,000 - $8,500 |
