I hear you on the “hidden history” thing—my place looked fine from the ground, but when I switched to a cool roofing material last spring, we uncovered three layers of old asphalt. Total mess. Cost more up front, but I’m saving on energy now and storms don’t freak me out as much. Honestly, I think a lot of those old repairs just patch over bigger issues... sometimes it’s worth biting the bullet and doing a full replacement if you can swing it.
Honestly, I think a lot of those old repairs just patch over bigger issues... sometimes it’s worth biting the bullet and doing a full replacement if you can swing it.
Yeah, you nailed it. I see this all the time—folks think they’re saving money by stacking new shingles over old ones, but it just hides problems and makes things worse down the line. Once you start peeling back those layers, you never know what you’ll find... rotten decking, old leaks, even missing flashing. It’s like opening a can of worms.
The upfront cost for a full tear-off is definitely higher, but you get peace of mind and usually better energy efficiency, especially with cool roofing like you mentioned. Plus, insurance companies tend to look more favorably on full replacements after storm damage versus patch jobs.
I’ve had customers who tried to save a buck with spot repairs, only to end up paying double when the next big storm hit. Sometimes it’s just not worth the gamble, especially if your roof’s already pushing 20+ years or has multiple layers.
Had to deal with this a couple years back after a nasty hailstorm. I tried patching a few spots myself at first, thinking I’d save some cash, but it just kept leaking in new places. Ended up biting the bullet and doing a full tear-off. Cost me more upfront (about $9k for a mid-sized roof, asphalt shingles), but honestly, it’s been way less stress since. Insurance covered a chunk, but only because I went with the full replacement—if I’d kept patching, they probably would’ve pushed back. Sometimes you just gotta rip off the band-aid, you know?
That $9k figure lines up with what I’ve seen for a full tear-off and replacement, especially if you’re in an area with lots of hail. Did you get multiple quotes, or just go with the first contractor? I’ve noticed insurance is way more likely to approve a full replacement if the damage is widespread—patch jobs just don’t cut it for them. Curious if you had to fight with the adjuster at all, or did they just sign off once you showed the extent of the leaks? Sometimes it feels like insurance wants you to patch forever, but that just drags out the hassle.
Sometimes it feels like insurance wants you to patch forever, but that just drags out the hassle.
That’s been my experience too. Last year after a hailstorm, the adjuster wanted to approve just a few shingle patches even though there were leaks in three rooms. I had to push back and show them photos of the water stains and some granule loss on almost every slope. Took a couple weeks of back-and-forth before they finally agreed to a full replacement.
$9k sounds about right for a full tear-off, especially if you’ve got architectural shingles or anything more than basic 3-tabs. I’m in north Texas and prices here have crept up with all the storms lately. One thing I learned: getting two or three quotes really helps, not just for price but because some contractors are way better at documenting damage for insurance.
I do wish insurance companies would stop with the “just patch it” approach. It’s never really fixed for long, and you end up dealing with more headaches down the road.
