What Is the Average Timeline for a Basic Roof Replacement?

A question roofing contractors get all the time is, “How long will a basic roof replacement take?” There’s no real way to answer that based on several factors, including the size of the roof and the roofing materials you want. However, if the conditions are absolutely perfect, the timeline is short.

Perfect Weather, Perfect Week

Let’s assume that the time you have scheduled to have a complete roof replacement falls into the most perfect week of perfect weather. It’s neither too hot nor too cold. It’s not rainy or wet. It’s just perfect. With weather like this, your basic roof replacement could be completed in a week if the crew starts at sunup and works until sundown.

Nothing Fancy on the Roof

A basic roof replacement is just that- basic. There’s absolutely nothing fancy going up and no extra construction happening. You bought the bare minimum for the required shingles and materials. No extra flashing or anything is needed and no materials that are any different from the type of shingles you already have means that your roof is torn off and quickly put back on. Additionally, if your roof is basic in shape (i.e., two slopes meeting at a single peak), it will go very quickly. 

Your Contractor Has Nothing Else Scheduled

Some roofing contractors schedule more than one roofing project in a week. Doing so ensures that the crew will have consistent work. When all the stars align just for you, the contractor and the crew only have your roof to work on. That narrowed focus, combined with perfect weather and the most simplistic roofing job possible boils it all down to a week of ten-hour days.

The tear-off happens the first day, with some re-roofing work happening, followed by the ongoing replacement work. If everything happens just like this, you may even have a new roof before the weekend.