Time for a new asphalt roof? Wondering how long it'll take to complete your asphalt roof replacement?
Homeowners don’t replace their roof very often, so it’s understandable to have questions about how the whole process works. And one of the biggest questions asked specifically about the process is, "How long will it take?"
The timeline can feel uncertain, especially when you hear anything from “one day” to “a full week.” I want to get rid of that uncertainty.
For over 35 years, Bill Ragan Roofing has helped homeowners understand everything that goes into the roof replacement process. So, let's break down everything you need to know about how long it takes to replace an asphalt roof.
By the end of this article, I'll answer:
For the average single-family home, an asphalt roof can be replaced in a day. However, an asphalt roof replacement can take two to three days on larger projects.
If you get luxury asphalt shingles and have very complex roof, an asphalt roof replacement could even take five days to a few weeks. So, it really does depend on your specific roof and the shingle you choose.
But as long as everything goes smoothly, you have simple enough roof, and no major issues are uncovered, most homeowners leave for work and come home to a new asphalt shingle roof.
Now that you know how long it typically takes to replace your asphalt roof, you’re ready to learn what actually affects it. There are factors (no matter how big or small) based on your roof and the roofer you hire play a huge role in a roof replacement's timeline.
Let’s look at how size, complexity, weather, and more ultimately determine how long an asphalt roof replacement takes.
The more square footage of roofing area (usually measured in squares), the longer it takes to replace an asphalt roof. Obviously, smaller ranch style homes will not take nearly as long as larger multistory homes.
Just know that the steeper and more complex a roof is, the more total roof area there usually is. So, your home’s square footage is not the same as your roof.
Pitch is the steepness (angle) of a roof, which can go from flat to almost completely vertical. A roof with a steeper pitch has more square footage, which means more materials and more square footage.
A steep pitch also takes longer because installers must take safety precautions (harnesses and tying off), which slows down production. So, the steeper the pitch, the more it affects how long your asphalt roof replacement will take.
On top of increasing square footage, complex roofs take longer to replace because they require more attention to detail and there’s more to work around. Simply put, it takes more time to do things correctly on a complex roof.
Things that make a complex are:
If you roof has any of the above, your asphalt roof replacement will most likely be a multiday project because of complexity.
Roof accessibility is the ability to access your roof at a specific point for tearing off your old roof and getting the new materials on your roof for installation. If your roof doesn’t have easy access, it affects how long it takes to replace an asphalt roof.
Anything around the roof affects accessibility, but the main things are:
Asphalt shingles have the easiest installation compared to other roofing materials, mainly because they usually come on 3 foot mats. However, luxury shingles take longer to install because they're heavier and require more specialized installation compared to architectural or 3-tab shingles.
So, just keep in mind that the type of shingle you choose plays a role in how long an asphalt roof replacement takes.
Every roofing company has crews, but they come in all shapes and sizes. So, the number of members on the crew plays a huge role in a roof replacement's timeline.
And it's not just the workers on the roof, but also the crewmembers on the ground cleaning up.
Roof decking (or roof sheathing) is the wooden boards that make up the framing of your roof. If any of your roof decking’s integrity is compromised or there are signs of rotting, the wood must be replaced before installing your new roof.
In most cases, there are a few boards that have to be replaced. However, what really impacts a roof replacement's timeline is if there's entire sections or a full re-deck.
The weather always can always affect how long it takes to replace an asphalt roof. If it rains on the scheduled day of your roof replacement, it’ll be pushed back until it’s dry enough to work on.
If there's a pop up shower on the radar or it actually rains during the job, they’ll tarp your roof to protect your home and pick up where they left off when it’s dry enough to safely work. High temperatures and humidity also usually mean a crew moves slower and more water breaks as the day goes on.
Just like the seasons bring changes in weather and temperatures, the time of year greatly affects how long it'll take to finish an asphalt roof replacement. Roofers can work longer and get more done as the days grow longer once we spring forward after winter.
That's why March really starts ramping the year up for roofing companies. However, the opposite happens during the winter months when the sun sets sooner and production has to stop much earlier.
You now know how long it’ll take to replace your asphalt roof. If you don’t have a large and complex roof, your asphalt roof can usually be replaced in a day.
After reading this, you have a better understanding of how long the roof replacement process takes. But what actually happens when getting a new asphalt shingle roof?
That's why I wrote another article breaking down the full roof replacement process from beginning to end.
Check out 8-Step Process to Replace Your Roof to learn what you can expect when the roofers show up to your home on the big day.