Roof Replacement in the Phoenix Area

When repairs are no longer enough, we tear off the old roof and install a new one: tile, shingle, metal or foam, for homes across Phoenix and the East Valley. Licensed ROC #358508, with a 10-year workmanship warranty (25-year available). Call (602) 849-7990 for a free estimate.

Tile Roof: Replace the Underlayment or the Whole Roof?

On most Valley tile roofs the tile is still sound when the underlayment beneath it wears out. In that case you don't need a new roof: we lift and stack the tile, install new underlayment and flashing, and reinstall your existing tile. See tile underlayment replacement. A full tile roof replacement makes sense when many tiles are broken or brittle, the profile can't be matched, or you want a different look. For a single leak, tile roof repair may be all you need.

Roof replacement cost guide · Roof cost calculator · Roof financing

Roof Replacement in Arizona: What's Involved, What It Costs, and How to Plan It

A roof replacement is the biggest roofing decision most homeowners make, and it usually comes up after years of small leaks or one bad storm. The word covers several very different jobs. A shingle roof gets torn off and rebuilt. A tile roof often keeps its tile and gets a new waterproof layer underneath. A foam roof may only need a fresh coating.

This guide goes past the basics on the page above. It covers which kind of replacement your roof actually needs, why we tear off instead of layering over, what goes into each layer, how material changes affect weight and permits, what drives the price, how insurance and solar fit in, and how to check a contractor before you sign.

Which kind of replacement does your roof need?

Start with what is actually worn out. On most Valley homes the answer depends on the roof type.

  • Concrete or clay tile in good shape, with old underlayment: a tile underlayment replacement. The tile comes off, the underlayment and flashing are replaced, and the same tile goes back on.
  • Tile that is badly broken, discontinued or the wrong weight for the house: a full tile replacement with new tile.
  • Asphalt shingle that is brittle, curling or losing granules across the roof: a full tear-off and new shingle roof.
  • Foam with a worn coating but dry foam underneath: a recoat, not a replacement.
  • Foam that has soaked up water in large areas, or a flat roof patched many times: tear-off and a new foam or flat roof system.
  • Metal with widespread fastener, panel or trim problems: an estimator looks at whether repair or new panels make more sense.

Why Valley roofs wear out on a schedule

Roofing in the desert ages from the top down and the inside out. Sun breaks down the exposed surface, while heat trapped under tile or shingle bakes the underlayment. Big daily temperature swings make every layer move, and that movement loosens fasteners and opens seams over time.

The underlayment is the part that sets the schedule. In our climate it usually lasts 15 to 25 years, no matter how good the tile on top still looks. That is why a whole subdivision built in the same few years tends to need roof work at about the same time.

Monsoon season, June 15 to September 30, is when worn roofs give out. Wind-driven rain finds every gap, and a roof that was getting by with small weaknesses can start leaking in several places after one storm. Planning a replacement before June beats scheduling one in the middle of storm season, when crews and materials are in demand.

Why we tear off to the deck

On every replacement we remove the old roof down to the wood deck. Some contractors lay new shingles over old ones to save labor. We don't, for three reasons.

First, you can't judge the deck through the old roof. Water damage, soft boards and old leak spots only show once the roof is off. We replace damaged deck boards before anything new goes down.

Second, building code limits layovers. Under the International Residential Code, which Valley cities adopt in some form, a new layer can't go over a roof that is water-soaked or deteriorated, over clay or concrete tile, or over a roof that already has two or more layers.

Third, a second layer traps more heat, adds weight and hides problems the next roofer will have to deal with. A clean deck gives the new underlayment and flashing a flat, solid surface to seal against.

What goes into a new roof, layer by layer

The roof covering is the part you see, but most of what keeps water out is underneath it. A replacement rebuilds all of it:

  • Deck: the plywood or board sheathing, inspected after tear-off with damaged pieces replaced
  • Underlayment: a high-temperature synthetic or self-adhered membrane rated for the heat under an Arizona roof
  • Flashing: new metal at walls, chimneys, skylights, valleys and roof edges, where most leaks start
  • Pipe and vent flashings: new boots and roof jacks so old, cracked ones aren't reused
  • Roof covering: tile, cool-rated shingle, foam or metal, installed to the manufacturer's instructions
  • Ridge and hip: the top caps that shed water off the high points of the roof

Attic ventilation

Attic airflow affects how hot the underside of the roof gets and how long the underlayment and shingles last. The residential code generally calls for 1 square foot of net vent area for every 150 square feet of attic. That can drop to 1 per 300 when the vents are split between high vents near the ridge and low vents at the eaves.

Many older Valley homes have too few vents, or vents that were covered during earlier reroofs. A replacement is the easiest time to fix that, because the roof is already open. Ask your estimator to check the attic vents as part of the inspection.

Choosing materials and switching roof types

Tile: if your tile is sound, keeping it is usually the better value. When some pieces are broken and the profile is no longer made, we move original tile to the slopes you see from the street and put close-match replacements on back slopes. If you want new tile, concrete and clay come in flat, S and barrel profiles, and your HOA may limit which colors you can use.

Shingle: we install cool-rated shingles. The Cool Roof Rating Council tests how much sunlight a roof product reflects and how well it gives off heat, both when new and after three years outdoors. Lighter colors generally rate better. The council publishes the numbers but doesn't set a cutoff for what counts as cool, so compare the ratings for the colors you are considering.

Foam: for flat and low-slope roofs, foam is sprayed as one continuous layer and topped with a protective coating. The coating is what takes the sun, and it has to be renewed on schedule for the foam to last.

Metal: standing-seam and other metal systems are an option on many homes. An estimator prices metal after looking at the roof, since panel type and trim details vary a lot.

Switching from shingle to tile is the change that needs the most planning. Concrete tile is much heavier than asphalt shingle, so the roof framing has to be able to carry it, and most cities require a permit for that change. Going from tile to a lighter material reduces weight but may still need HOA approval because it changes how the house looks.

What a replacement costs

These are the typical ranges we see across the Valley. Shingle replacement runs about $8,000 to $15,000. A tile underlayment replacement runs about $10,000 to $22,000. A full tile replacement with new tile runs about $15,000 to $35,000. Foam roofs run about $4,000 to $18,000. Metal and commercial roofs are priced by an estimator after an inspection.

Where a roof falls in its range depends on things you can mostly see from the ground, plus a few you can't:

  • Size and pitch: steeper roofs take more time and safety equipment
  • Complexity: each valley, hip, skylight, chimney and wall joint adds flashing work
  • Layers to remove: a roof with more than one layer costs more to tear off and haul away
  • Deck condition: damaged boards found after tear-off are replaced at the time
  • Tile reuse: how much original tile survives removal, and whether matching tile is available
  • Flat sections: carports, patios and additions with their own roof system
  • Solar panels: detach and reset is added to the project when panels are on the roof

Tax credits and financing

Don't plan on a federal tax credit for a new roof. Cool-coated metal and asphalt roofs were removed from the federal energy efficient home improvement credit starting in 2023. The credit itself ended for improvements placed in service after December 31, 2025. Ask your tax preparer about your own situation.

Financing is available for roof replacements, which lets you spread the cost over time instead of waiting for a leak to force the decision. Terms depend on the lender and your credit, so ask your estimator for the current options when you get your price.

Storm damage, insurance and your deductible

If storm damage is what's pushing you toward a new roof, call your insurance company to start a claim. We photograph and document the damage, and we can meet your adjuster at the house so they see the same things we do. Whether the claim is approved, and how much it pays, is up to your insurer.

Arizona law sets clear limits on contractors in storm-damage claims. Under A.R.S. § 32-1158.02, a contractor can't advertise, pay, promise to pay or rebate your deductible. A contractor also can't act as your adjuster or negotiate the settlement for you, because adjusting claims requires a state license. We never pay, waive or rebate a deductible. Be careful with anyone who offers to.

The same law gives homeowners time to back out of storm-repair contracts tied to an insurance claim. You can cancel within four business days of signing for any reason, or within 72 hours after you learn your insurer has denied the claim. Any contractor working on these claims has to spell out those rights in the contract.

Solar panels and roof replacement

Panels have to come off before tear-off and go back on after the new roof is in. We handle the solar detach and reset as part of the job, so you aren't coordinating a separate solar company around the roofing crew.

If your roof is near the end of its underlayment life and you are thinking about adding solar, replace the roof first. Taking panels off and putting them back later adds cost that is easy to avoid.

Getting your home ready

Tear-off is loud and dusty, and some debris gets into the attic. A little preparation makes the work go faster:

  • Move cars out of the garage and driveway so the crew can get trucks and dumpsters close
  • Cover or move anything stored in the attic, and take fragile items off walls and shelves
  • Keep pets inside or away from the house during tear-off
  • Give neighbors a heads-up about noise and trucks
  • Mark sprinkler heads, low lights and garden areas near the house
  • Clear patio furniture and grills away from the roof edges

Checking a contractor before you sign

Look up the license on the Arizona Registrar of Contractors website. Our license is ROC #358508. Make sure the license class covers residential roofing, the name matches the contract, and the license is active.

Hiring a licensed residential contractor also gives you some protection. If a licensed contractor breaks state contracting rules, you can file a complaint with the Registrar, and some homeowners can claim against the Residential Contractors' Recovery Fund. That fund doesn't cover work by unlicensed contractors.

Get the scope in writing: tear-off depth, underlayment type, how damaged deck boards are priced, which flashings are replaced, who handles solar, and what the warranty covers. Arizona lien law also helps owner-occupants. If you live in the home and contracted directly with the roofer, suppliers and subcontractors you didn't sign with generally can't put a lien on it.

Permits, HOAs and city rules

There is no single statewide rule for roof permits. Mesa, Phoenix and Buckeye don't require a permit to reroof with the same material. Tempe, Scottsdale and Goodyear exempt like-for-like reroofs but require a permit when deck or framing is replaced. Apache Junction requires a permit for reroofing. Switching to a heavier material, such as shingle to tile, generally needs a permit. Our city guides explain the local rule, and where a city's code is unclear, we confirm with the city before work starts.

HOAs are a separate approval from the city. Keeping the same material and color usually goes through quickly. A new color, tile profile or material often needs approval first, and we can provide the product details and samples your HOA asks for.

After the new roof is on

Our work comes with a 10-year workmanship warranty (25-year available), and the materials carry their manufacturer's own warranty. Keep the contract, photos and warranty papers with your home records, because a buyer or insurer may ask for them later.

A new roof still needs a little attention. Have it checked after major monsoon storms, keep foot traffic on tile to a minimum, keep scuppers and gutters clear, and renew the coating on foam sections on schedule. Small problems found early stay small.

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