Your First Roof Replacement on a 25-35 Year Old Home

Why this age range matters

Asphalt shingle roofs commonly last 20 to 30 years. A house that is 25 to 35 years old is right where original roofs start to show their age: granules washing into the gutters, shingles curling at the edges, a first leak around a vent or chimney. In Sterling, that describes a lot of Cascades, whose homeowners association was formed in 1990, along with the later homes in Countryside, which was built from 1981 through 1991, and other neighborhoods built around the same time.

What a first replacement usually involves

The good news about an original roof is that there is usually only one layer to remove, and the decking underneath has only had one roof nailed into it. The less good news is that original builder roofs were installed to the standards and budgets of their day, and 25 to 35 years of attic heat and moisture can hide problems the shingles have been covering.

• Tear-off of a single layer down to the deck, which also lets the roofer see the entire deck.
• Decking check: soft spots near the eaves, around chimneys and under valleys where water has been working its way in.
• New underlayment over the whole deck, with extra protection at eaves and valleys as the scope specifies.
• New flashing at walls, chimneys and skylights rather than reusing tired original pieces where they are no longer sound.
• New pipe boots. The rubber collars around plumbing vents commonly crack long before the shingles fail.
• A ventilation review, often the biggest upgrade over the original roof.

Ventilation: the upgrade most original roofs need

Some houses from this era were built with a handful of box vents or gable vents, soffit vents that have since been blocked by insulation, or bath fans that were ducted toward a soffit or simply left to blow into the attic. A first replacement is the best time to sort that out: open up a continuous ridge vent if the roof suits it, make sure soffit intake is clear, and route every exhaust fan to a proper roof or wall cap. The model residential code Virginia's code is based on says exhaust air must go outdoors, not into the attic, soffit, ridge vent or crawl space. Our ridge vent and bathroom fan guide goes into detail.

Decking surprises

Nobody can see the deck clearly until the old roof is off. On the second Sterling project shown on this site, new decking went down before the underlayment and shingles. That is common on older roofs and is exactly why a scope should explain how decking repair is handled if it is needed: what triggers it, how it is priced, and how you will be told before it is done. Virginia's building code exempts replacement of up to 256 square feet of roof decking on typical homes from permits; more than that, or decking that was originally fire-rated at a townhouse party wall, is outside the exemption.

Choosing the new roof

Original builder roofs were often basic shingles. A first replacement is your chance to choose: most Sterling homeowners go with architectural shingles such as GAF Timberline HDZ or CertainTeed Landmark, and some choose a heavier, more dimensional product such as GAF Grand Sequoia or CertainTeed Presidential Shake. In a large association, check the approved products and colors before you decide. If the association requires an exact match to the original look, ask how it handles original colors that are no longer made.

Planning steps

1. Get an inspection, including the attic, so the scope reflects the real condition.
2. Collect two or three written scopes and compare them line by line.
3. Pick a shingle line and color, and get association approval in writing.
4. Confirm who handles any Loudoun County permit.
5. If you have solar or a satellite dish on the roof, line up removal and reinstallation.
6. Prepare the house and driveway for work days.

What it typically costs

The division's typical Northern Virginia reference ranges are $9,000–$16,000 for a basic replacement, $16,000–$28,000 for mid-range (architectural shingle, moderate complexity, some decking repair) and $28,000–$50,000+ for high-end. Many first replacements on 1990s colonials fall into the mid-range description, but size, pitch, complexity and decking decide it. Ranges, not quotes.