Menu Close

Do My Shingles Need Replacing?

If you own a home, you probably remember how exciting it was to sign the papers and hold the keys in your hand. For the first time, you had your very own home – a place in which you could live, invest, and grow for years to come. It’s a great feeling, but it also comes with a lot of responsibilities. There are a lot of things you don’t even think about until the time comes, and suddenly you realize you could be in for an unexpected expense totaling thousands of dollars. This happens to every homeowner. The trick is learning how to identify maintenance problems while they are still small, whenever possible. If you could afford to pay someone to manage all of these details of your home, it might be nice – but that’s also the point of being a homeowner. You get to take responsibility for how things are going.

Shingles are one of those things that creep up on you. Obviously, you’d rather be spending your hard earned dollars on a glamorous kitchen renovation, or maybe new sod for that struggling yard. There are a million ways to spend money on a house, and shingles aren’t considered the most exciting.

They are, however, among the most vital. There are few aspects of the house that are as important as the roof, and shingles are a critical aspect.

So when you glance up at your roof tomorrow, ask yourself: Do my shingles need replacing?

Unless the situation is obviously very bad, the answer is probably no. You probably don’t need all new shingles. There may, however, but considerable damage and weakness in your shingles. Think of the abuse these materials are taking as the seasons pass. In a place like New Jersey, the summers can be broiling and the winters can be fierce. Depending on precipitation levels, temperature swings, quality of the singles, humidity levels and many other factors, your shingles might actually be in need of attention.

When you check online for information about what it costs to replace all of your shingles, you’ll probably find estimates anywhere from $1500 – $10,000. It really depends on the size of your roof, the materials you want (shingles come in many different varieties), and the contractor you choose to lay those shingles.

But when you consider the importance of shingles, and what can happen when you neglect the integrity of your roof, taking care of this problem is a much more sensible strategy as a homeowner, even if it means holding off on that kitchen island.

A word does need to be said, however, for the contractor you hire. This is a huge important detail, unless you’re going to try and shingle the roof yourself. Some homeowners frankly are capable of achieving a good result, provided they take the time to really plan carefully and executive every step correctly, while paying very close attention to safety. Costs can also spiral upward when going the DIY route; but some people still prefer to try it. Otherwise, it’s best to research local roofing contractors and find one in your area that guarantees an efficient result that’s on time, on budget, and installed to the highest professional standards.