Repair or replace? How to know which your roof needs

It's the question behind most calls we get: is this a repair, or is it time for a new roof? The honest answer depends on three things — how bad the damage is, how widespread it is, and how much service life the rest of the roof has left. Here's how we work through it on every inspection, so you can think it through too.

Signs a repair is all you need

When the roof underneath is sound, a proper repair is the right — and cheaper — call, and we'll say so plainly.

Signs it's replacement time

The gray area: age plus damage

The hardest cases sit in the middle — say a 15-year-old roof with real but not catastrophic damage. Here, patching can be throwing good money after bad: the repair might hold, but the surrounding shingles are close behind, and you'll be back. We weigh the cost of the repair against the roof's remaining life and lay out both options with prices, so the decision is yours, not ours.

When a storm is involved, timing matters

If wind or hail caused the damage, there's an insurance clock running. Hail bruising and wind-lifted shingles often don't leak right away — but they've shortened the roof's life, and claim windows don't stay open forever. Documenting the damage early protects your options. We inspect, photograph everything, and help you navigate the claim; the decision always rests with your insurer, but you won't do it alone.