Repair it if the damage is in one spot and the rest of the roof has years left. Replace it if the shingles are near the end of their life, if leaks keep coming back in different places, or if the deck underneath is soft. Most roofs we inspect clearly fall on one side or the other.
Here is how we decide, so you can check our thinking against your own roof.
The quick test
| Repair usually makes sense | Replacement usually makes sense |
|---|---|
| One leak, one area, one cause | Leaks in more than one place, or back after a repair |
| A few shingles blown off in a storm | Shingles curling, cracking or shedding granules across the roof |
| Flashing or a pipe boot has failed | Architectural shingles near 30 years, 3-tab near 20 |
| Deck is solid when we walk it | Deck is soft or sagging in more than one spot |
| Matching shingles are still made | Your shingle is discontinued and the patch would not match |
How old is your roof?
Age is the first thing we look at. InterNACHI's life expectancy chart puts architectural asphalt shingles at about 30 years and 3-tab shingles at about 20. Virginia's hot summers, freeze and thaw winters and tree cover can shorten that.
If your roof is past those marks, a repair buys you time, not a roof. That can still be the right call if you are selling soon or saving up. We will tell you roughly how much time it buys.
What we check on the roof
- Shingles. Curling, cracking, bald spots where the granules are gone, and how many are missing.
- Flashing. Chimneys, walls, skylights and valleys are where most leaks start, and many can be fixed without touching the rest of the roof.
- Decking. We walk the roof and check the attic for soft spots, stains and daylight.
- Layers. How many roofs are already on the house. See the next section.
- Ventilation. A hot, damp attic ages shingles from underneath.
The two-layer rule
Virginia's residential building code is based on the International Residential Code. Under its reroofing rules, you cannot add a new layer of shingles over a roof that already has two or more layers, or over one that is water-soaked or too deteriorated to hold new roofing. In those cases the old layers have to come off.
We tear off to the deck on every replacement anyway. It is the only way to see and fix rotted boards, and it is how our 10-year workmanship warranty is backed.
When a repair won't match
A patch only works if the new shingles match the old ones. When a shingle line is discontinued, a repair can stand out, and on a storm claim that can change what your insurer pays for.
One customer had a wind damage claim where the insurer first approved only sections of shingles. Those shingles were no longer made and the new ones were a different size. After we documented it, the claim covered a full roof, the mansards, the carport and 12 sheets of plywood. "Ricardo's determined efforts in dealing with the insurer resulted in a new full roof." John W Allen, Google review, October 2025.
Permits, warranty and what each option costs you in time
In Fairfax County and Prince William County, replacing roof shingles does not need a building permit. Replacing a large section of decking does: 256 square feet or more in both counties. Fairfax County also lists roof repairs as permit work. We tell you up front if your job needs one, and we pull it.
A repair is usually a half-day or one-day job. A full replacement on a typical house is usually one to two days, longer on a large or steep roof. Our repairs carry a 60-day warranty on the area we fixed. A new roof carries our 10-year workmanship warranty and the shingle manufacturer's own warranty.
From a recent repair
Not every inspection ends in a new roof. "Ricardo is just great! Fixed my roof, didn't try to sell me a bunch of stuff I didn't need." M B, Google review, December 2025.