Roofing · Nashville, TN
The Nashville homeowner's guide to roofing
What the work involves, what drives the price, what your options are, and what a bad job looks like — written so you can judge any roofer in Middle Tennessee, including us.
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By Michael Blair, owner, Nashville's Roofers · who we are
Warning signs
How to know you need us
Recognize one? Have it looked at before it grows.
- A ceiling stain that grows after rain, or comes back after being painted over
- Shingle granules collecting in the gutters or at the bottom of downspouts
- Shingles curling, cupping or lifting at the edges when you look along the roof line
- Daylight visible through the attic boards, or damp insulation under the roof deck
- Nail heads backing out and dimpling the shingles above them
- A roof past twenty years, or an insurer asking for an inspection before renewal
Your options
More than one right answer.
A roofer who only ever recommends the most expensive option is not giving you advice. Here is the honest range.
Architectural asphalt shingle
The Middle Tennessee standard. Thirty-year class, handles hail better than three-tab, and every crew in the region knows how to install it correctly.
Impact-resistant shingle
Class 4 rated. Costs more up front and many insurers discount the premium for it, which matters in a hail corridor.
Standing-seam metal
Fifty-year service life, sheds ice and debris, and the concealed fasteners are what separate it from cheap exposed-fastener panels.
Synthetic slate or shake
The look of slate at a fraction of the weight, so the framing does not need reinforcing. Worth costing out on older homes in the historic districts.
What it costs
What actually drives the price.
We do not quote roofing over the phone, because an honest number needs somebody to look at the job. These are the things that move it.
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Size and pitch
Roofers price by the square (100 sq ft). A steep roof needs staging and harnesses and costs more per square than a walkable one, which is why two houses with the same footprint can quote very differently.
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How many layers come off
Tennessee lets you go over one existing layer, but a tear-off to the deck is the only way to see rot before it is buried. If a quote is unusually low, check whether it includes a tear-off.
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Decking condition
Nobody knows how much sheathing is rotten until the old roof is off. A fair quote names a per-sheet price up front instead of leaving it open.
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Material
Three-tab is cheapest and shortest-lived; architectural shingle is the Nashville default; standing-seam metal costs two to three times as much and lasts two to three times longer.
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Flashing, vents and gutters
The roof field is rarely what leaks. Chimney and wall flashing, pipe boots and valley details are where the money should go, and where a cheap quote quietly leaves it out.
Estimates are free, written and without obligation. Anything found only after starting is priced up front.
What happens
From your call to the finished job.
Inspection and estimate
Usually within a couple of business days. We get on the roof and into the attic — a quote written from the driveway is a guess.
Materials and scheduling
A week or two for standard shingle, longer for metal or a special-order color. Storm season pushes everything out.
Tear-off and dry-in
Most residential roofs come off and get underlayment down inside one day, so the house is never left open overnight.
Finish and clean-up
Shingles, flashing, ridge vent, then a magnet sweep of the whole yard and driveway before we leave.
Done badly
What goes wrong, and why it matters.
Shortcuts that cheapen the quote and cost you later. Ask anyone you are considering about them.
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Roofing over rot
New shingles on a soft deck will telegraph every bad sheet within a year and void most workmanship warranties.
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Reusing old flashing
Bending old step flashing back into place is faster and cheaper and is the single most common cause of a leak on a brand-new roof.
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Skipping the ridge and soffit vents
An unvented roof cooks the shingles from underneath and can halve their life. Intake at the soffit matters as much as exhaust at the ridge.
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Nailing high
Nails driven above the nailing strip hold nothing. It passes a visual inspection and fails in the first real wind.
Before you hire anyone
Six questions worth asking any roofer.
Including us. If a roofer cannot answer these easily, that is the answer.
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Will you inspect from the roof and the attic, or from the driveway?
The stain on the ceiling has a cause, and it is found on the roof, usually at flashing. A driveway estimate is a guess.
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What is the per-sheet price for bad decking?
It belongs in every replacement quote, because nobody knows the count until tear-off. A quote without it has a surprise in it.
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Will you waive my deductible?
The only right answer is no. Waiving it is insurance fraud in Tennessee, and a roofer who offers it will cut other corners.
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Are you licensed for a job this size, and insured for people on my roof?
A Tennessee contractor’s license where the value requires it, plus liability and workers’ compensation — the certificate, not the promise.
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Repair or replace — and why?
A flashing leak on a fifteen-year-old roof is a repair. A roofer who replaces everything wants the bigger ticket.
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What warranty covers the workmanship, separate from the shingles?
The manufacturer covers the shingle; the roofer covers the install, in writing, with a term. No paper means no warranty.
FAQ
Choosing a roofer in Nashville
How do I choose a roofer in Nashville?
Every roofer on our crews holds the Tennessee contractor’s license the job size requires and carries liability and workers’ compensation coverage, on file with us before anyone climbs a ladder. Ask the six questions below of anyone, including us.
Should I get more than one quote for roofing?
Yes — and compare the scope, not the total. A Nashville roof is priced by the square, the pitch, how many layers come off and what the decking looks like once they do — and a quote that does not name a per-sheet price for bad decking is leaving something out.
Is the cheapest roofing quote usually a bad idea?
Not automatically; a low number is information. A flashing leak on a fifteen-year-old roof is a repair; a roofer who says otherwise wants the bigger ticket.
Do I need a permit for roofing in Nashville?
Metro Nashville and the surrounding counties issues the permit for a full replacement; most repairs need none, and a roofer who tells you to skip a required permit is telling you how the rest of the job will go.
How far in advance should I book roofing?
After a storm the tarp comes first in Nashville, usually the same day, and the estimate follows once the roof is dry enough to walk; in a normal week an inspection is within a few days.
Free estimate
Need a roofer in Nashville today?
Tell Nashville's Roofers what is going on and we will come back with a free written estimate. No obligation, no pressure.