Most asphalt shingle roof replacements on a single family home in Northern Virginia take one day, start to finish. Large or steep roofs, a lot of rotted decking, multiple layers to tear off, or bad weather can stretch it to two or three days. Slate, cedar and metal take longer.
By the Roofing & Gutter Ethics team. Updated November 2026.
What happens on the day
- Setup. Tarps over landscaping, a dumpster or trailer in place, magnets ready for nails.
- Tear off. The old shingles and underlayment come off down to the deck.
- Deck inspection. Every sheet of decking is checked. Soft or rotted plywood is replaced before anything goes down. You see photos of it.
- Dry in. Ice and water shield at the eaves and valleys, synthetic underlayment over the rest, drip edge at the edges.
- Shingles and flashing. Shingles go on with new flashing at walls, chimneys and pipes, then ridge vent.
- Cleanup. Debris hauled away and the yard swept with magnets.
What makes it take longer
- Size and pitch. A big or steep roof takes more time to work safely.
- Rotted decking. Replacing a lot of plywood adds hours.
- Layers. Two old layers of shingles mean twice the tear off.
- Complexity. Dormers, valleys, skylights and chimneys all take detail work.
- Weather. No one should open a roof with rain coming. We schedule around the forecast.
- Material. Standing seam metal, slate and cedar take days, not hours.
Not sure what you are looking at? A free inspection gets you photos of everything we find, yours to keep.
Book a free inspectionBefore the day
The longer part is usually before the work starts: the inspection and written estimate, choosing a shingle and color, ordering material and pulling a permit where one is required. If the roof is part of an insurance claim, the adjuster visit and approval come first.
It is also the right time to look at the gutters. Replacing the roof is the easiest moment to fix drip edge, fascia and gutter pitch, and to start an Annual Gutter Cleaning Plan that keeps the new roof edge dry.