All glossary terms
Roofing
Tear-Off
Definition: Tear-off is the removal of an existing roof down to the deck before installing a new roof. It typically adds $1.00–$1.75 per sq ft per layer to the total job cost.
Tear-off is the removal of existing roofing material — shingles, underlayment, sometimes flashing — down to the bare wood deck. Most building codes allow a maximum of two layers of asphalt shingles on a roof, so a third re-roof always requires tear-off.
Cost factors:
- Number of layers (each adds material to dispose of)
- Roof pitch (steep roofs are slower)
- Disposal fees (varies by region; dumpster + tipping fees)
- Discovered damage (rotted decking, ice/water shield needed)
- Crew time (typically 30–50% of new install time)
Typical pricing: $1.00–$1.75 per sq ft per layer in most US markets. A 2,000 sq ft single-layer tear-off runs $2,000–$3,500 on top of the new roof cost.
Why it matters for quoting: tear-off is the single biggest variable item homeowners forget to ask about. Budget quotes that exclude tear-off look artificially cheap, then come in 30% higher on the binding estimate. SatelliteQuotes lets you make tear-off a configurable add-on so customers see the line-item cost up front.
When you can skip tear-off: a single existing layer in good condition with no major leaks can sometimes be roofed over (per local code). It saves money short-term but reduces the new roof's life by 2–5 years and voids most manufacturer warranties.