Roof replacement in Madison

Two Madison roofs, same question

A 1924 two-story in Vilas with dormers, plank decking and three previous roofs. A 2001 two-story in Grandview Commons on its original builder-grade shingles, four nails each, a strip of ice barrier that stops a foot inside the wall. They look nothing alike, and they are both due. In Madison's climate an asphalt shingle lasts 18 to 25 years regardless of what the wrapper promised, and a huge share of the county's roofs went on between 1998 and 2008.

Read the roof before you call: bald patches on the south and west slopes, granules in the gutter, edges cupping, spongy decking at the eaves where the ice dams have sat. Two of those and you're there. The post on signs a Madison roof is near the end goes through each one and what it looks like from the ground.

The order we do it in, and why

Day one, 7 a.m. — tear-off. Everything comes off, down to the wood. Wisconsin's Uniform Dwelling Code allows a second layer over a first, and we won't do it: a roof-over hides rotten decking, adds a ton of weight to a structure already carrying wet March snow, and voids most shingle warranties.

Mid-morning — decking. Every sheet gets walked. Delaminated plywood is swapped at $90–$150 a sheet. Plank decking on isthmus houses with gaps wider than a quarter inch can't hold modern nails and gets overlaid with plywood. The quote carries an allowance and you get a photo of each sheet we replace.

Late morning — ice barrier and underlayment. The code minimum for an ice barrier is from the eave edge to 24 inches inside the exterior wall line. On a 4/12 ranch roof or any house that has ice-dammed before, we run it further, plus every valley and around every penetration. The rest of the deck gets synthetic underlayment; felt wrinkles in lake humidity and tears in the wind before the shingles are down.

Afternoon — shingles and flashing. Architectural shingles from GAF, Owens Corning or CertainTeed, six nails each, a starter course with its own adhesive at eaves and rakes. New drip edge, new pipe boots, new step flashing at every wall, new counter-flashing cut into chimneys. Nothing twenty years old gets reused.

End of day — ventilation. Ridge vent cut through the deck, soffit vents cleared or added, baffles at the eaves so the insulation can't block them. Roof ventilation Madison attics mostly lack is the reason roofs here ice-dam and age early, and a replacement is the cheapest moment to fix it.

Before we leave — cleanup. Tarps come off the landscaping, the trailer takes the old roof, and the yard and driveway get a magnet sweep. The replacement day post covers noise, parking, and what to do with the dog.

What it costs

Residential roofing Madison homes need runs $450–$800 per square for architectural shingles installed. On a 1,200 sq ft Westmorland ranch with a plain gable, $9,000–$12,500. On the typical 1,800 sq ft west-side two-story with 22–28 squares, $11,000–$20,000. A steep Vilas roof with dormers, two layers to remove and plank decking to overlay lands toward the top and sometimes past it. Roof replacement cost Madison contractors quote should include the permit as a line; if the quote doesn't say so, ask. The cost page has a table by house type and the post on 2026 replacement costs explains what moves the number.

Roof financing Madison homeowners are offered is usually a manufacturer-backed plan at 12–60 months. We'll show you the terms and leave the decision to you.

Permit and license

The City of Madison Building Inspection Division requires a permit for a tear-off and re-roof, and Middleton, Sun Prairie, Fitchburg and Verona have their own. Only a business holding a Wisconsin Dwelling Contractor certification, with a Dwelling Contractor Qualifier on staff, can pull it. That's the credential to ask any roofer about before the price.

Metal, if you're staying

Standing-seam metal costs two to three times what shingles do, sheds snow on its own, and will outlast you in the house. Metal roofing Madison homeowners pick is usually standing seam in charcoal or dark bronze. We install it and will price it next to the shingle quote so you can see the gap.

Roof replacement Madison WI homeowners get from us is built for fifty inches of snow and a five-month freeze-thaw. That's the whole spec.