Expect three stages. Before: a free inspection, a line-by-line written estimate, a permit, and a start date. During: tear-off to the wood deck, rotten wood replaced, new underlayment to dry it in, then the new roof, usually in 2 to 3 days. After: a final inspection by the building department, a magnetic sweep for nails, and your warranty in writing.
If you've never been through one, the unknowns are the stressful part: how loud it gets, what happens if a storm rolls in with the old roof off, and whether the price climbs once the crew sees the wood underneath. Here is each step, in the order it happens on a Gulf Coast home.
Before tear-off day, you get an inspection, a written estimate, a material choice, a contract and a building permit. Most of your decisions happen here, not on install day.
We start with a free, drone-assisted roof inspection and a written photo report you keep, with no trip or diagnostic fee. Sometimes the right answer is a repair, not a new roof. For a first opinion, text a few roof photos to (941) 345-0072.
Every estimate we write is itemized, and replacement quotes are good for 30 days. Whoever you hire, check that yours names the material and its wind rating, the underlayment, flashing, permit, cleanup, warranty, and a deck repair allowance with a per-sheet rate for rotten wood. That deck line matters most, because nobody sees every bad sheet until the old roof is off. Here is what drives roof replacement cost in Florida.
Shingle, metal and tile each change the price, the weight on your framing, and how long the job runs. If you're torn, see our comparison of Florida roofing materials. Our default shingle is Atlas Pinnacle Pristine, and we install other major brands on request. Judge colors outside, against your own walls, not on a screen.
Read the contract before you sign. The payment schedule is written into it, and a deposit is collected on large replacements. Qualified homeowners can finance through Ygrene or Synchrony Bank.
Florida's construction lien law requires the owner to record a notice of commencement with the county clerk before work starts and post a certified copy at the property. Jobs of $2,500 or less are exempt. Over $5,000, a copy also goes in with the permit application. In Manatee County, the notice and a nailing affidavit are uploaded to the permit portal and posted at the house.
You get a start date and an exact timeline before the job starts. Rain can push the date, so keep that week loose if you can.
The crew tears the old roof off down to the wood, replaces any rotten wood, seals the deck with new underlayment, and puts the new roof on. A building inspector checks the work partway through.
Our crews typically arrive around 7 AM, and a dumpster goes on the property.
Old roofing, underlayment and nails come off down to bare plywood. This is the loudest, messiest part of the job.
With the roof off, every sheet of the deck is in view. Rotten or delaminated sheets (plywood with its layers peeling apart) are replaced at the rate written into your estimate and photographed for the job's photo report. More on how Florida roof decks get damaged.
Homes permitted before the Florida Building Code took effect on March 1, 2002, must have the deck re-nailed wherever the existing nailing falls short: 8d ring-shank nails (ridged nails that grip the wood) about 6 inches apart along the framing. Newer homes are exempt.
Underlayment, the waterproof layer under the finished roof, goes over each section after it's torn off. That's called drying in. On roofs with a 2:12 slope or steeper (at least 2 inches of rise per foot), current Florida code calls for a self-adhered membrane over the whole deck, taped deck seams plus underlayment, or two layers.
Metal flashing goes where the roof meets walls and around pipes and vents, with drip edge along the edges. On Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key, we use stainless steel or coated fasteners and corrosion-rated flashing as standard practice. Then a building inspector checks the dry-in before anything covers it.
Shingles, metal or tile go on over the inspected underlayment, then the ridge and vents.
Most single-family homes take 1 to 3 days, usually 2 to 3, weather permitting. Larger homes, complex roofs and tile can run 3 to 5 days. You get the exact timeline before the job starts.
What stretches the timeline:
| Roof type | Inspections during the job | Final inspection |
|---|---|---|
| Shingle, metal, TPO or other flat-roof membrane | One combined dry-in, flashing and in-progress inspection, with all underlayment and flashing visible and valleys left exposed | Roof 100% complete, all debris cleaned up |
| Tile | A dry-in and flashing inspection, then an in-progress inspection with up to 50% of the tile installed | Roof 100% complete, all debris cleaned up |
Other counties and cities set their own inspection steps.
Each section gets new underlayment after tear-off. Once it's dried in, a pop-up storm lands on the waterproof layer instead of bare wood. Crews watch the weather, pause when a storm moves in, and pick back up when it clears.
Summer afternoon storms are part of roofing on the Gulf Coast, which is why the order matters: tear off a section, check the wood, dry it in, move on.
No roofer can promise zero risk while a roof is being replaced, so be wary of one who does. If you see water inside during the job, tell the crew right away, while the roof is still open and the spot is easy to find.
Yes. The work is all outside and the house stays usable. It's loud, though, and the yard gets busy, so plan a little.
Tear-off and nail guns are loud, and you'll hear footsteps overhead most of the day. Move work calls and naps to another room, or another day.
Keep dogs and cats indoors, away from the noise, the trucks and loose nails. Some owners board them for the day.
Old roofing comes down around the edges of the house, and the dumpster is no place to play. Keep kids away from both until the crew wraps up for the evening.
The dumpster and trucks need room. Park out of the way the night before, and pull your car out of the garage if the dumpster might box it in.
On older roofs, dust and debris can drop into the attic during tear-off, so cover anything stored up there. Hammering can rattle pictures and mirrors on upper floors, so take down anything fragile.
At the start of the job, point out delicate plants, the pool and outdoor lights. Move patio furniture and potted plants away from the walls.
There shouldn't be. Our crews clean up the yard each evening and run a magnetic sweep for nails across the lawn, flower beds and driveway. The dumpster is hauled away when the job is done.
Tear-off pulls up a lot of old nails, and some land in the grass no matter how careful a crew is. One stray roofing nail can flatten a tire or end up in a bare foot or a dog's paw.
On the final day, take a slow walk around the house and point out anything that got missed. You'll see past customers mention the cleanup in the reviews below.
The building department does a final inspection, the permit closes, and you get your warranty in writing. Then it's time for a new wind mitigation inspection, because a new roof can change your insurance credits.
In Manatee County, the final inspection checks that the roof is 100% complete and all debris is cleaned up.
Every job follows a crew checklist and gets a photo report, and Josh reviews detailed photo reports daily. Our workmanship warranty runs 5 years, in writing, and the manufacturer's warranty passes to you in full. On Atlas Pinnacle Pristine, that's the Atlas Lifetime Limited Warranty. We're not a certified Atlas installer.
The OIR-B1-1802 is the Florida form insurers use to verify wind-resistant features for discounts. It stays valid up to five years unless the house has a material change, and a new roof counts as one. A permitted new roof can improve the answers for roof covering, deck attachment and secondary water resistance (the sealed layer under the roof). After every replacement, we coordinate with a licensed wind mitigation inspector so you get a completed form to send your insurer. Read how a wind mitigation inspection can lower your premium.
Keep the paperwork in one folder for insurance and resale:
How long the new roof lasts depends on the material and the Florida sun. See realistic Gulf Coast roof lifespans by material, or what a Coastline roof replacement includes.
"...it only took 3 days for a 3,800 sqft roof. Wonderful experienced team installed and showed up every day on time. Our home is a high two-story peak roof and these men did a fantastic safe job. Not one nail hit the lawn."Faith E.Hurricane Ian roof replacement, Florida Gulf Coast
"From beginning to end the roof was done in 2 days. One night the crew stayed until 8:00. Each evening before leaving the crew ensured the yard was cleaned."Sharon T.Hurricane Milton roof replacement, Florida Gulf Coast
"Their team worked really hard, were all super polite and respectful, did a great job cleaning up. Wouldn't even know they were there except for my beautiful new roof!"Kevin F.Roof replacement, Florida Gulf Coast
It shouldn't, except for one line: the deck. A fair estimate carries a deck repair allowance and a per-sheet rate for rotten wood beyond it, so the only thing that changes is the number of sheets, at a price you already agreed to. If a quote has no deck line at all, ask why before you sign.
Cash, check, credit card, Zelle, Venmo, or financing through Ygrene or Synchrony Bank for qualified homeowners. The payment schedule, including the deposit on large replacements, is written into your contract.
Sometimes, and if most of the roof still has life in it, a repair can be the better buy. The limit is Florida's 25 percent rule: if more than 25 percent of a roof or roof section is repaired or replaced within 12 months, that whole roof or section has to be brought up to current code. Roofs built, repaired or replaced under the 2007 Florida code or later are the exception: only the part being worked on has to meet code.
As soon as you have it. Send the completed OIR-B1-1802 to your insurance agent, who passes it to the insurer. Ask your agent when the credit starts, because each insurer sets its own rule.
A drone-assisted inspection, a written photo report, and a line-by-line estimate if a new roof makes sense. No trip or diagnostic fee.
Leave your name and number. We typically call back the same day during business hours. Consent to texts is not required.
