How Long Does Roof Replacement Take?

Get the General Idea of How Much Time It Takes From Start to Finish

If you've found yourself here, you're likely looking at a complete roof replacement and want to know how long it will take to get your home or business back to regular operation. We often hear this question, and unfortunately, there is no "one size fits all" answer.

The time it takes to replace a roof can vary greatly depending on the size and pitch of the roof, the type of roofing materials being used, and the project's complexity. However, we can give you a general idea of how long it will take to replace your roof from start to finish and account for a few common factors you may experience.

Why Replace Your Roof In The First Place

There are a few key reasons you may need to replace your roof, and depending on your roof's issues, they each take a different amount of time. First, we'll go over the four most common reasons for roof replacement and estimate how long it will take to address these issues.

Your Roof Is Just Old

This is probably the most common reason people replace their existing roofs. Over time, all roofs will eventually reach the end of their lifespan and need to be replaced. Depending on your roof type, they can last between 20 and 50 years.

We'll begin by removing the old shingles first. This is a reasonably straightforward process but depending on how many layers of shingles you have, it could take a bit longer. Once the old shingles are off, we'll inspect your flashing and roof deck to ensure they're both in good condition. If not, we'll need to replace any damaged or rotten plywood, which will add time to the project.

After the old roof is taken care of, we can begin installing the new one. Depending on the roof we're installing, this process can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days.

Overall, replacing an old roof will take 1-2 days for a smaller roof and up to a week or more for a larger roof.

Shingles That Are Curling Or Missing

If your shingles are curling or missing, it's likely due to age and weather damage. This is a common issue in cooler climates and usually only affects a few shingles here and there. In most cases, we can replace the damaged shingles and be on our way.

However, If there’s structural damage, it may be necessary to replace the entire roof. In this case, we'll follow the same process outlined in the previous section.

Replacing a few damaged shingles will only take a few hours but replacing your entire roof will take 1-2 days for a smaller roof and up to a week or more for a larger one.

Damaged Flashing

The flashing is the metal strips installed around your chimney, vents, and skylights. Over time, the flashing can become damaged or loosen, leading to leaks.

If you're only dealing with a few damaged flashing pieces, we can remove and replace them. However, if the damage is widespread, we may need to replace the entire flashing system, which can take a few hours or up to a few days if we wait for materials to arrive. While your roof is exposed, we'll protect it by installing a tarp.

Overall, replacing damaged flashing will take a few hours for a minor repair and up to a few days for a more extensive repair.

Leaks

When dealing with a leak, it's essential to act fast. The longer the leak goes unrepaired, the more damage it will cause. If the source of the leak isn't obvious, we'll first need to locate it, which could be a hole in your roof or damaged flashing. Once we've torn off the shingles and other necessary components and found the source, we'll make the required repairs and seal up the area to prevent further leaks. We'll then finish up replacing your roof.

Replacing your entire roof will usually take up to a week or longer if you're dealing with roof leaks.

Discolored Walls Or Ceilings

Discolored walls or ceilings are likely due to a leak in your roof. As water enters your home, it can cause severe damage to your walls, ceiling, and insulation. If you notice discoloration, you must act fast and call a professional roofer.

Once we've found the source of the leak, we'll follow the same process as detailed above. After making the necessary repairs and sealing up the area to prevent any further leaks, we'll proceed to reroof. Replacing your entire roof will usually take up to a week or longer, depending on the factors we'll mention below.

What Determines How Long Your Roof Replacement Will Take?

A few factors will determine how long it takes to replace your roof. These include:

The size of your roof
The type of roof you have installed
The number of layers you're removing
The condition of your roof deck
The climate
The complexity of the job
The roofing material

We'll review expected replacement times based on these factors and more below.

Type Of Roofing Material

Wood Shakes: Wood shakes usually take 60 to 70 hours to replace. Depending on the crew size, this is usually around 3 to 4 days.
Synthetic Slate: Because synthetic slate weighs less than natural slate, roof installation shouldn't take as long. On average, you can expect the roofing replacement to take 3 to 4 days.
Flat Roof: A flat roof usually takes 2 to 3 days to replace, as we can complete large sections simultaneously.
Concrete Tile: Concrete tile roofing is a bit more time-consuming, as each tile needs to be placed individually. On average, replacing a concrete tile roof will take 8 to 10 days.
Steel Sheets: Steel sheets are relatively quick and easy to install, and on average, it will take 1 to 2 days to replace your roof.
Asphalt Shingles: Asphalt shingles are the most common type of roofing material and are also one of the quickest to install. On average, replacing an asphalt shingle roof will take 1 to 2 days.
Natural Slate: Natural slate is one of the more complex types of roofing to install, as each slate is hefty and needs to be placed individually. It usually takes 6 to 8 days to replace a natural slate roof.

Total House Size

Generally speaking, if your home is under 2000 square feet, your replacement will likely take less than a week. However, if your home is between 2000 and 3000 square footage, it's likely to take a week or more. And if your home is over 3000 square footage, the average roof replacement process will take more than a week.

Complexity Of Roof Architecture

Your home’s roof accessibility will have a significant effect on the time it takes to replace it. The more complex the roof's architecture, the longer it will take to replace. For example, a simple gabled roof will take less time to replace than a roof with multiple valleys, dormers, and other features because the roofing team will have to take more time to be careful around those features and cut the materials around them properly.

Weather

As we mentioned before, weather conditions can affect the time it takes to replace your roof. Working in the rain, snow, or high winds will take longer because the roofing team will have to take more breaks and be more careful while they're working. Additionally, working on the roof in the rain can damage the interior of your home, causing us to have to cover your house and wait until the rain stops to resume working. Depending on your climate, consider scheduling roof work for the dry season for a quicker job.

The Replacement Process

Now that we've gone over some factors impacting the time it takes to replace your roof, let's look at the process itself.

A Basic Example Of A Roof Replacement Timeframe

Assuming that your roof is a typical asphalt shingle roof on a traditional ranch home, here's an example of what the stages of replacement might look like:

Initial Meeting and Estimate: The first step is to schedule an initial meeting with the experienced roofing contractor. During this meeting, they'll inspect your roof and provide you with an estimate of the cost and time it will take to replace your roof.
Design + Material Meeting: Once you've decided to move forward with the roof replacement, you'll meet with the contractor again to discuss the design and materials for your new roof. This is the time to ask questions and ensure you're on the same page about the roofing project.
Contract Draft: After you've decided on the design and materials, the contractor will draft a contract for the roof replacement. This contract will outline the project's scope of work, cost, and timeline.
Signing Contract: Once you're both happy with the contract, you'll sign it and schedule a date for the work to begin.
Build Begins: On the day the work is scheduled to begin, the roofing crew will arrive and start tearing off your old roof. This process usually takes 1-2 days.
Dry In: Once the old roof has been removed, the crew will install a new layer of felt paper or an ice and water shield to help protect your home from the elements. They'll also install any new flashing or other features that were part of the design. This process usually takes one day.
Shingle Install: The next step is to install the new shingles. This process will take 1-2 days, depending on the size of your roof.
Clean Up: Once the job is done, the crew will do a final walk-through to ensure that everything looks good and that you're happy with the work. They'll also clean up any debris from the job site.

Can I Stay In My Home During The Roof Replacement Project?

This is a common question we get from homeowners. The answer is usually yes; you can stay in your home while the roof is being replaced. However, there are a few things you should keep in mind if you decide to stay:

There will be noise: The replacement process is not a quiet one. There will be a lot of noise from the crew working on the roof and the materials being installed. If you have small children or pets, we recommend finding somewhere else for them to stay while the work is being done.
There will be dust: Another thing to keep in mind is that there will be a lot of dust and debris during the replacement process. This is especially true if you have an asphalt shingle roof. If you have asthma or allergies, we recommend finding somewhere else to stay during the job.
Your power may be out: One last thing to remember is that your power may be out during the replacement process. This is usually only the case if we're working on your roof and need to turn off the power to your home. If this is the case, we'll let you know in advance to give you time to make arrangements.

Replacing your roof is a big job, but it's one that we're here to help you with. If you have any questions about the process or would like to schedule a roof replacement, please give us a call. Our roofing professionals are always happy to schedule a consultation.