Roof replacement
Roof replacement in Durham
When the shingles are bald on the south slope, the roof is on its second or third layer, or you've patched it three times in two years, replacement is the honest answer. Here's what a roof built for Durham heat and humidity includes, and what it costs on a Durham house.
When it's time
Durham's two roof populations reach the end differently. The 1990s subdivisions — Woodcroft, Hope Valley Farms, Parkwood's later phases, the neighborhoods off Fayetteville Road — got 25- and 30-year architectural shingles at build. In this climate those are done at 18–22 years, which puts most of them due now. The older houses in Trinity Park and East Durham are on layer two or three, and the question isn't whether the shingles are worn but what's under them. The signs:
- Granules piling in the gutters and bare black patches on the south and west slopes
- Shingle edges curling or cupping — where wind gets its grip
- Two or more repairs in the last couple of years in different places
- More than one layer visible at the drip edge
- Decking that gives underfoot, or daylight through the boards from the attic
- Algae streaks that have turned into moss, which means the granules are gone
If you're seeing two of those, read our post on signs a Durham roof is near the end, then call for an inspection. If it has a few years left, we'll say so.
What a replacement built for the Piedmont includes
Residential roofing Durham houses need has one enemy the beach doesn't: attic heat. A roof here fails from underneath as often as from above. Every replacement we do includes:
Full tear-off to the deck. No roof-overs. A second layer hides rot, adds 300 pounds per square, and voids the shingle warranty.
Decking inspection and replacement. Every sheet gets walked. On 1920s–50s houses with 1x6 board decking we often find gaps wider than the code allows and replace or overlay with plywood. Soft plywood on newer houses is swapped at $90–$150 per sheet, with photos.
Synthetic underlayment across the whole deck, not felt. Felt wrinkles in our humidity and tears in the first gust.
Ice-and-water membrane in every valley, around every penetration, and along the eaves. Durham doesn't get ice dams often, but the December 2002 ice storm proved it can, and wind-driven rain gets under shingles the same way.
Architectural shingles from GAF, Owens Corning or CertainTeed with an algae-resistant granule blend — copper-infused granules that slow the black streaking for 10–15 years — nailed with six nails per shingle, and a starter strip with its own adhesive at eaves and rakes.
New drip edge, pipe boots and flashing. We don't reuse 20-year-old flashing. New step flashing at walls, new counter-flashing at chimneys, new boots on every vent.
Ventilation. Ridge vent cut in, soffit vents cleared of the blown insulation that was pushed over them. Roof ventilation Durham attics lack is the main reason 30-year shingles last 20 here, and it's cheap to fix during a replacement.
Cleanup. Tarps over the azaleas, a trailer for the old roof, a magnet sweep of the yard and driveway for nails.
What it costs
Architectural shingle roof replacement in Durham runs $450–$800 per square installed. On a typical 2,000 sq ft two-story in Hope Valley Farms with a 24–28 square roof, that's $11,000–$22,000. A 1,200 sq ft bungalow in Old West Durham with a simple gable can be $9,000–$12,500, unless there are three layers and board decking, which adds $1,500–$4,000. Steep pitch, lots of valleys and dormers, and decking replacement push toward the top. The cost page breaks it down by house size, and the post on 2026 replacement costs explains what moves the number.
Roof financing Durham homeowners ask about is available through the manufacturer programs most roofers use; a home equity line is often cheaper for a $15,000 roof. We'll give you the numbers without pushing either.
Permits and the paperwork
Durham City-County Inspections handles permits for both the city and the county. Whether a like-for-like reroof needs one depends on the scope — decking replacement and structural work change the answer — and we ask them, not guess, and pull the permit whenever one is required. Ask any roofer whether the permit is in their price. If they say a permit is never needed, ask how they know.
Shingle choice
Three-tab shingles are still sold and still cheaper. We don't install them on houses; they're rated for 60 mph wind and the seal strip fails early in our heat. The post on architectural versus 3-tab shingles has the comparison. And if you plan to stay 15 years or more, a standing-seam metal roof costs two to three times as much and is the last one you'll buy.
Other roofing services
Roof Repair
Leaks at boots, flashing and valleys, wind-lifted shingles, soft decking — found from the attic, priced in writing, fixed in a visit.
Roof Repair →Storm Damage & Claims
Tarping, photos from the roof, a scope your adjuster can read, and the repair — for wind, hurricane remnants and the pines they bring down.
Storm Damage & Claims →Roof Inspection
A walked inspection with photos and a written report — for buying a house, filing a claim, or finding out how many years the roof has left.
Roof Inspection →Metal Roofing
Standing-seam and exposed-fastener metal for the farmhouses north of town and the new builds in it — the roof that outlasts three shingle roofs.
Metal Roofing →Questions we get asked
How long does a roof replacement take in Durham?
One day for most single-story homes, two for a large two-story or a cut-up roof with a lot of valleys. We don't start a tear-off if the forecast shows rain before we can dry the deck in, which in a Durham summer sometimes means starting at seven and watching the radar. Every deck is covered with underlayment before the crew leaves.
Should I get architectural or three-tab shingles?
Architectural. They're thicker, rated for 110–130 mph wind instead of 60, last 5–10 years longer, and cost only about 15% more on a Durham roof. Three-tab is what you see peeled back in the yard after a thunderstorm.
Will my homeowners insurance pay for a new roof?
Only for sudden damage — wind, a fallen pine, a hurricane remnant — not for age. If a storm creased shingles across most of a slope, that's a claim. If the roof is bald from 22 Carolina summers, that's a purchase. We'll tell you which before you call your insurer.
What is the best time of year to replace a roof in Durham?
Any month, honestly. Spring and fall are comfortable for the crew and the shingles seal quickly. Summer works but we start early and stop before the afternoon storms. Winter is often the fastest way onto the schedule; we just avoid days under 40 degrees when the adhesive strip won't activate until it warms up.
Need roof work in Durham?
Call for a free estimate. Mon–Sat 7am–7pm.