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.
Warning signs
How to know you need us
If you recognize any of these, it is worth having somebody look before it becomes a larger job.
- 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We do not quote roofing over the phone, because an honest number needs somebody to look at the job.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.
Every estimate is free, written and carries no obligation — including the parts we would find only after starting, which are priced up front rather than left open.
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.
These are the shortcuts that make a quote look cheaper and cost you more 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 contractor cannot answer these easily, that is the answer.
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Are you licensed for roofing and can I see the certificate?
A licensed and insured contractor will have this to hand and will not be irritated by the question.
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Is the estimate written, itemized and free?
A verbal number is not an estimate. Itemized means you can compare two quotes on the same basis.
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What happens if you find something once you start?
The honest answer names a rate and a process. The answer to worry about is that it never happens.
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Who is actually doing the work?
Employee crew or subcontractor is not a wrong answer either way, but you should know which, and who carries the insurance.
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What is the workmanship warranty, and is it in writing?
Materials carry a manufacturer warranty. Workmanship is the contractor, and it should be written down.
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Will you pull the permit?
For permitted work, a contractor who suggests skipping it is telling you something important about the rest of the job.
FAQ
Choosing a roofer in Nashville
How do I choose a roofer in Nashville?
Check the license and the insurance certificate, get the estimate in writing and itemized so you can compare quotes on the same basis, and ask what happens if something is found once work starts. A contractor who cannot answer those easily has told you what you need to know.
Should I get more than one quote for roofing?
Yes, and compare what is in them rather than the number at the bottom. The cheapest quote is often cheapest because it leaves something out, and on roofing the thing left out is usually the preparation that decides how long the work lasts.
Is the cheapest roofing quote usually a bad idea?
Not automatically — but an unusually low number is information. Ask specifically what is included, what grade of material is quoted, who is doing the work and what the workmanship warranty is. If all four answers are good, the low quote is a good quote.
Do I need a permit for roofing in Nashville?
It depends on the scope. Metro Nashville and the surrounding counties permit and inspect a good deal of this work, and a contractor suggesting you skip a required permit is telling you something about how they approach the rest of the job. We pull the permits our work requires.
How far in advance should I book roofing?
A few weeks where you can. Booking in the quiet season usually means better scheduling and sometimes better pricing than booking in the rush, and it gives you time to make the selections properly.
Free estimate
Need a roofer in Nashville today?
Tell us what is going on and we will get you a free estimate from a local roofer. No obligation, no pressure.