From the storms that blow through, to a weeks worth of rain coming down in an hour’s time. Roofs take a beating in Tulsa, and every roof responds differently depending on the quality of the installation, the products used, and how old it is.
This blog could be over in 10 seconds easily if I just listed every repair quote we’ve given customers, or given you a lazy range like “have your neighbor patch it for $100 or pay thousands with a good local roofing company.” Green Country Roofing can do better than that. By the time you’re done reading, you’ll be a roofing repair expert. Haha.
Let’s get to work.
Quick Breakdown
Here’s what we’re going to cover:
- Know the repair cost vs. replacement cost — Would you spend $2,000 on repairs if a new roof costs $10,000? Maybe or maybe not, but at least you know.
- How good of a repair can actually be done — Some shingles don’t unseal cleanly, and a bad repair can cause more damage than the original problem.
- Are more repairs likely in the future — It’s great if we can fix one thing, but what if the roof is failing and more issues are right behind it?
- Questions to ask a contractor — An Oklahoma registration and insurance is number 1. Does the salesperson or the installer even have the qualifications to assess and repair the roof properly? There are a lot of salesmen in our industry and not actual roofers.
- When NOT to repair — There are just scenarios when a repair is no longer a good option. When a repair has been repaired and that repair has been repaired again, there is a time when replacement is just best.
- How much does a repair cost. Ask if there is a minimum charge. $500-$1,500 is the range I hear often in Tulsa. Depending on your budget you may have to call a few more places but this could save you time and energy.
Let’s talk about each one.
Repair Cost vs. Replacement Cost
Knowing all of the information is key. Knowing that replacement cost figure and combining that with what is wrong with the roof, age, and potential other issues is what matters. Think about how insurance companies handle car crashes. The cost to replace the car is this amount and the cost to repair is that amount — that’s how they make that decision. The only factor they have to consider is whether after they repair it, the engine is going to blow up a year down the road. Right?
But that is the repair game. Your repair bill is $1,500 for a $15,000 roof and a year from now you have another $1,500 bill from another leak. This happens and then that. I feel incredibly bad when we are in these types of situations. But these are the real-world situations when it comes to repair work compared to just replacing the roof.
A clean localized repair in progress — underlayment exposed, damaged section cut out precisely. This is what a proper repair looks like before the new shingles go in.
How Good of a Repair Can Actually Be Done?
Failed wall flashing, rotted deck, stucco wall — this repair grew in scope fast. What looked like a simple fix turned into a full section replacement.
Not every repair is created equally. You can have an older roof that has never sealed down correctly and have the quickest and easiest repair ever because removing the shingles is easy. Or you have a 5-year-old roof where the shingles have completely sealed down and now you can’t unseal the shingles. What happens then is the shingles rip and tear creating a bigger issue. The repair area may be small, but the damage around it can be even worse than the repair itself.
What can you do? Before a repair is attempted or a contract is signed, see if the contractor would do a small test area — unseal a shingle or two and see how easily they come apart. Repair work can be done most of the time, but at what risk — another leak, a bad repair job, or damage to the surrounding area that wasn’t there before. That may not be okay with you.
A failed pipe boot right next to an exhaust cap. This is one of the most common repair calls in Tulsa — and one of the most frequently done wrong.
If you want a repair and that is all, then repair, but if you knew that the repair that was completed damaged the area by three times, would you still have done a repair?
Are More Repairs Likely Down the Road?
Blown off shingles are the most common repair along with leaks caused by the reuse of flashing. Let’s say you repair those blown-off shingles or replace the pipe flashing that was reused. But next time the wind blows you have more shingles blown off, or another downpour and the other pipe jack leaks, or maybe it’s the chimney. This is incredibly frustrating for homeowners — I have seen it.
This week I was on a new construction roof where a good portion of the shingles throughout the roof were not sealed down properly. A small tornado came through and blew 11 shingles off the roof in 3 separate spots–not necessarily enough damage for a claim, and she also didn’t have a good policy to file a claim anyway. Here is the issue. Does she repair the roof for $800, being warned that the shingles are loose? Or does she replace the roof? Think about if the roof is repaired and we are literally starting the storm season. Next time the wind blows, more shingles blow off and this time more blow off causing interior damage. Not good — or should the roof just be replaced and the problems are solved? That is the question.
The color difference tells the story — new shingles blended into an older roof. It works, but this is exactly why we always talk about repair vs. replacement before signing anything.
Questions to Ask a Contractor
Always make sure the roofer is registered and insured in the state of Oklahoma. From there, knowing if the roof is repairable or if additional leaks may happen are good questions. If the contractor says we’ll repair the roof and doesn’t say anything else, and you are ok with repairing it at any cost — nothing is wrong with that. If you knew of potential issues such as creating more damage by repairing the roof, would you change your mind about repair vs. replacing the roof?
In addition, you have a salesman selling and another roofer doing the repair. But the question is — what qualifications does the salesman have to be able to assess the leak? Yes, some are simple blown shingles with wood exposed and a leak happens. My 5-year-old daughter could figure that out — but not the newborn we have. Haha. But what about the ones that are a little trickier? With my 30 years of roofing experience, I still run into problems from time to time. What if the salesman has been on the job for a year? Can he find the tough ones? Don’t always assume that every person coming out to inspect your roof has ever even installed a roof before.
Warranty for repairs. Is there one? What if you paid for a repair and it’s still leaking, then what is the process? Do you pay for another attempt? Maybe, maybe not, but if you don’t know or ask, this can be frustrating and more expensive than expected.
When NOT to Repair
There have been times when we have not wanted to perform repair work. It doesn’t happen often, but it does come up.
- The roof is 25+ years old and shows extreme wear
- It has already been repaired multiple times in the same areas
- There are multiple failing areas, not just one isolated spot
- The repair cost is getting close to 30-40% of a full replacement
We do more repair work than we should, but these types of repairs are usually more of a liability for us than a mutual benefit — but not in any way a sales tactic to force you to buy a new roof.
Minimum Charge for Roofing Work
Roofing companies can have a minimum charge so before you call everyone out, ask about the minimal charge. This could save time and energy if you are on a budget.
How Much Do Repairs Actually Cost?
This is the part you’ve been waiting for — you read everything word for word so you could be an expert, but here is the issue. It’s almost impossible for me to tell you how much a repair is going to cost. There are so many variables to account for.
For instance, you might need to have 5 shingles replaced in one spot or 5 shingles in 5 different spots. The price will be different. Or how about 10 shingles in 10 different spots? Or how about that roofer who tarped those spots with a 5×5 tarp so now each spot requires replacement of 20 shingles? Now the other factors are the pitch of the roof. Is it a normal pitch, medium pitch, or an incredible steep pitch? I’m sorry but the factors are endless. Now factor in the pricing variance for 500 roofing contractors in Tulsa.
However, I would say this –the minimum charge of $500-$1,500 will cover most repairs.
The best advice is confirming their experience and confirming if repairing the roof is the best option
Bottom Line
Repairs can be the right call. They can also turn into a money pit if the roof isn’t diagnosed properly or the situation isn’t explained honestly. We just want you to have the full picture before you decide.
I won’t tell you we’re the only ones who can fix your roof — there are good roofers in Tulsa. What I will tell you is that leaks are what I built my career on. Five years straight, that’s all I did. We take repair work seriously because there is nothing worse than a leaky roof. Give us a call at 918-607-7409 and let’s figure out what’s going on.