DC · Maryland · Northern Virginia
Roof Replacement & Repair in the DMV
Architectural shingle, standing-seam metal, and flat/low-slope systems. Leak diagnosis, storm damage documentation, and full tear-off replacement.
- Free inspection with photos and a written report
- Fixed written price before any work starts
- We pull the permit where one is required
- Building in the DMV since 2012
Free roofing estimate
Tell us what is going on. We reply the same business day.
Scope
What is included
We self-perform this trade. Everything below is work our own crews do, not something we hand off after you sign.
- Full tear-off and replacement (architectural asphalt, metal, slate-look composite)
- Leak diagnosis and targeted repair
- Flat and low-slope systems — TPO, EPDM, modified bitumen
- Storm and hail damage documentation for insurance claims
- Ridge vent, attic ventilation, and ice-dam correction
- Skylight, chimney, and wall flashing replacement
What it costs
Roofing pricing in the DMV
Most full asphalt roof replacements on a DMV single-family home land somewhere in the mid four figures to the low tens of thousands. Published regional data for 2026 spans roughly $7,000 for a small, simple, single-layer tear-off to well past $26,000 for a large, steep, or premium-material roof — and complex or slate roofs in McLean, Potomac, and Georgetown routinely exceed that band entirely.
These are planning ranges, not a quote
We publish ranges because a real number requires measuring your house, and because any contractor who gives you a firm price over the phone is guessing or anchoring you. Priced per squared area of roof, not per square foot of house. After we inspect, you get a fixed written price — including what a likely surprise would cost — that is yours to keep and compare.
Where the money goes
Architectural asphalt shingle
Lowest cost per square; the default for most of the region
Typical service life in the DMV is about 20–25 years. This is the baseline every other material is priced against.
Standing-seam metal
Commonly two to three times asphalt
Much longer service life and better performance on low pitch. Often the right call when you intend to hold the house.
Natural slate and slate-look composite
Highest cost per square, by a wide margin
Common in Georgetown, Chevy Chase, and older McLean stock. Frequently required rather than chosen where historic review applies.
Flat / low-slope (TPO, EPDM, modified bitumen)
Priced separately from pitched roofing
The default on DC row houses. Different material, different crew, different failure mode — do not price it off a shingle bid.
What moves your number
Pitch and access
A steep roof needs staging and slows the crew. Two houses with identical square footage can differ meaningfully on labor alone.
Layers coming off
Tearing off two or three existing layers means more labor and more disposal than a single layer.
Deck condition — the real variable
Nobody knows the sheathing condition until the covering is off. This is the single most common reason a final number differs from an estimate, which is why we price the per-sheet replacement cost up front instead of discovering it with you on day two.
Penetrations and detail work
Chimneys, skylights, dormers, and valleys are where roofs leak and where labor concentrates. A simple gable and a cut-up roof of the same area are not the same job.
On resale value
Industry cost-versus-value data has put asphalt roof replacement at roughly two-thirds cost recouped at resale in recent years. Treat that as directional: a roof is bought to stop water and to clear a home inspection, not as an investment.
Permits & code
Does roofing work need a permit?
It depends on which government reviews your address, and the difference is not small — the same job can be permit-exempt in one jurisdiction and a filed permit a mile away.
| Jurisdiction | Status | What that means for roofing |
|---|---|---|
| DC | Permit required | Roof replacement is not on the DOB Instant Permits list, so it goes through the normal Alteration & Repair permit process. Budget calendar time for this — it is the single biggest scheduling difference between a DC job and the same job in Virginia. |
| Montgomery County | Usually exempt | Montgomery County lists "roof (covering only)" among work that does not require a permit. Covering only is the operative phrase: replacing the covering is exempt, while structural changes or deck rebuilding are not. |
| Prince George's County | Depends | Building permits are filed through the county’s Momentum portal. Straight roof-covering replacement is commonly treated as ordinary maintenance, but PG County does not publish as clean a homeowner exemption list as Montgomery County, so we confirm scope with DPIE per address rather than assuming. |
| Arlington | Usually exempt | Virginia USBC §108.2 exempts replacement of an unlimited amount of roof covering on a single-family home (Groups R-3, R-4, R-5) where the nominal design wind speed is 100 mph or less — which covers Northern Virginia. Structural deck work beyond the exemption, or any historic district, changes the answer. |
| Fairfax County | Usually exempt | Fairfax County lists "replacement of roof shingles" as exempt, along with replacement of less than 256 square feet (9 boards) of roof plywood — with an explicit exception where the sheathing must be fire-rated, as on many townhomes. Past that plywood threshold, or on a fire-rated townhome assembly, a permit applies. |
| Alexandria | Usually exempt | Virginia USBC §108.2 exempts replacement of an unlimited amount of roof covering on a single-family home (Groups R-3, R-4, R-5) where the nominal design wind speed is 100 mph or less — which covers Northern Virginia. Structural deck work beyond the exemption, or any historic district, changes the answer. |
Permit-exempt does not mean code-exempt
Where no permit is required, no inspector ever sees the work — but the code still applies in full. That is precisely why we photograph the concealed conditions before they are covered. On a permit-exempt job, that documentation is the only proof you will ever have.
Straight answers
What homeowners ask us about roofing
How do I know if I need a new roof or just a repair?
Age is the first filter — most architectural asphalt roofs in the DMV last 20–25 years. Beyond that, we look for granules in the gutters, curling or cupping shingles, daylight or staining in the attic, and repeated leaks in different places. One leak on a 12-year-old roof is usually a repair. Three leaks on a 22-year-old roof is a replacement, and patching it is money you will spend twice.
Will my insurance cover storm damage?
Often, yes — wind and hail damage is typically covered, while wear-and-tear is not. The outcome usually turns on documentation. We photograph the damage, note the storm date, and give you a written report you can file with your carrier. We cannot promise an approval, and we will tell you up front if we think a claim is unlikely to succeed.
How long does a roof replacement take?
Most single-family homes in the DMV are a one- to two-day tear-off and install once materials are on site. Larger or steeper roofs, slate, and metal take longer. Permitting and material lead time is usually the longer part of the calendar, not the crew time.
How much does roofing cost in the DMV?
Most full asphalt roof replacements on a DMV single-family home land somewhere in the mid four figures to the low tens of thousands. Published regional data for 2026 spans roughly $7,000 for a small, simple, single-layer tear-off to well past $26,000 for a large, steep, or premium-material roof — and complex or slate roofs in McLean, Potomac, and Georgetown routinely exceed that band entirely. Those are planning ranges drawn from published regional data, not a quote — the number for your house depends on the specifics, and we put a fixed price in writing after we measure.
Do I need a permit for roofing work?
It depends entirely on your jurisdiction. DC: permit required. Montgomery County: usually exempt. Prince George's County: depends. Arlington: usually exempt. Fairfax County: usually exempt. Alexandria: usually exempt. We confirm your specific address with the permit authority before work starts and pull the permit where one is required.
Service area
Roofing across the DMV
We quote roofing work throughout the District, close-in Maryland, and Northern Virginia.
- Washington, DC
- Bethesda, MD
- Chevy Chase, MD
- Potomac, MD
- Silver Spring, MD
- Rockville, MD
- McLean, VA
- Arlington, VA
- Alexandria, VA
- Falls Church, VA
- Vienna, VA
- Fairfax, VA
While we are there
The rest of the envelope
These details all meet each other. If you are doing one, it is worth knowing the condition of the others — and combining them into one mobilization is usually cheaper.
Siding Replacement
James Hardie fiber cement, insulated vinyl, and cedar. We correct the wrap and flashing behind the siding, not just the panel you can see.
Costs & details →Window Replacement
Full-frame and insert replacement in vinyl, fiberglass, and clad wood. Correct sizing, correct flashing, no drafts at the sill.
Costs & details →Gutters & Downspouts
Seamless 5" and 6" aluminum, half-round copper, and guard systems — sized and pitched to actually move DMV storm volume away from the foundation.
Costs & details →Get a real number for your roofing
Free inspection, written scope, fixed price. Same-business-day reply.