3 months ago
I had a great experience with Scarlet Roofing. Their team was extremely knowledgeable, professional, and easy to work with from start to finish. They took the time to answer my questions, explain the work being done,…
Roof Replacement
A New Roof Is a Big Decision. Here Is How We Make It Straightforward.
Replacing a roof is one of the largest investments you will make in your home, and it is also one of the easiest places to overpay or get steered wrong. Some contractors push a full replacement when a repair would do. Others quote a low number and then discover the decking, the flashing and the ventilation halfway through, with your roof open and the meter running.
We do it differently. Every replacement starts with a full inspection, photos of everything we find, and a written itemized quote that lists each part of the job before we touch a shingle. If a repair genuinely solves your problem, we will tell you that instead and point you to our repair page. If replacement is the right call, this page tells you exactly what it costs around here, what drives the price, which materials suit our climate, and how the job runs from the first visit to the final walkthrough.
We are based in Surrey and work across Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, so the pricing, permit notes and material advice below are specific to this region and its weather, not generic advice copied from somewhere else.
A Complete Tear Off, Done Right
No shortcuts hidden under a new layer of shingles. Everything old comes off first.
- Complete tear off so hidden rot, soft spots and old flashing issues get caught and fixed, not buried.
- Ventilation corrected on every job. Balanced intake and exhaust extends shingle life and keeps the manufacturer warranty valid.
- All new flashings at chimneys, skylights, valleys and vents. Reused flashing is the most common source of callbacks, so we never reuse it.
- Material options at every budget from architectural shingles to metal and cedar, walked through honestly at your quote.
- Magnetic nail sweep and full cleanup every day, with a final walkthrough before we call the job done.
Pricing Guidance
What a Full Roof Replacement Costs in the Lower Mainland
Most homeowners ask about price first, so let us answer it directly. For a typical detached home in Surrey or Vancouver, a complete tear off and replacement generally falls in these ranges. These are general market figures for our region, not a quote for your home. Your written quote from us will be itemized and specific to your roof. For the full breakdown, see our 2026 new roof cost guide for Surrey and the Lower Mainland.
| Material | Typical installed range | Lifespan in coastal BC | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural asphalt shingles | $8,000 to $14,000 | 20 to 25 years | Most homes. Best value for the money. |
| Premium designer shingles | $14,000 to $22,000 | 30 years and up | Longer warranty and a heavier, more finished look. |
| Metal, standing seam | $18,000 to $35,000+ | 40 to 60 years | Long term ownership and exposed, windy sites. Sheds rain and resists moss. |
| Cedar shake | $18,000 to $30,000 | 20 to 30 years with maintenance | Heritage character and premium curb appeal. |
| Flat membrane, torch on | $8,000 to $18,000 | 20 to 30 years | Low slope and flat sections, garages and additions. |
These ranges assume a complete tear off and reinstall including labour, materials, underlayment, ice and water shield at eaves and valleys, new flashings and debris disposal, on a typical single family home. They are general market guidance for the Lower Mainland and not a binding quote. Every roof is different, which is why our quotes are written and itemized after an on site inspection.
Cost Factors
Five Things That Move Your Price Up or Down
1. Roof size and pitch
Roofers measure in squares, where one square covers 100 square feet. A bigger roof needs more material and more labour days. Steeper pitches cost more too, because the crew works slower, needs extra safety setup, and material waste runs higher on cut up roofs.
2. How many layers are coming off
The BC Building Code allows a maximum of two roofing layers. If your home already has two, everything must come off, which adds tear off labour and disposal. A single layer is faster and cheaper to strip.
3. Decking condition
Once the old roofing is off, we inspect every sheet of decking. Older Surrey and Vancouver homes, especially pre 1980 builds with board sheathing, often need sections replaced. Rotten or soft decking cannot hold fasteners properly, so this is not a corner worth cutting.
4. Flashings and penetrations
Chimneys, skylights, vents and valleys each need proper flashing, and each one adds labour. A simple gable roof with two vents prices very differently from a roof with three skylights, two chimneys and multiple valleys.
5. Permits and access
Most municipalities here require a building permit for a full replacement, typically a few hundred dollars, which we pull on your behalf. Tight access, multiple storeys and extensive landscaping protection also add time.
The honest takeaway
Any quote that does not account for these five is a guess, not a quote. Our written quotes list each one as its own line item, so you can see exactly where your money goes and compare us fairly against anyone else.
Materials
Shingles, Metal, Cedar or Torch On: Choosing Your Material
There is no single best roofing material for every home in the Lower Mainland. The right choice depends on your budget, your home's style, how long you plan to stay, and how much maintenance you want to think about. Here is how the options compare in our climate, where rain, moss and the occasional windstorm do most of the wear.
Architectural asphalt shingles
Are what most of our clients choose, and for good reason. They handle our rain well, they suit almost any home style, and they give the best lifespan per dollar. Look for algae resistant granules if your roof has a shaded north slope, which most moss problems start on.
Metal roofing
, usually standing seam steel, is the longevity play. It sheds water faster than anything else, moss barely gets a foothold, and it stands up to wind that can lift shingle tabs. The upfront cost is roughly double shingles, but on a home you plan to keep for decades the math often works.
Cedar shake
Suits heritage homes and parts of South Surrey and Vancouver where the look matters. It needs maintenance here, regular cleaning and treatment, or our wet climate shortens its life considerably. Beautiful, but go in with eyes open.
Torch on membrane
Is for low slope and flat sections rather than whole pitched roofs. If your home has a flat garage roof, an addition or a low slope section, this is the right system. See our flat roof page for the full detail.
During your quote we walk through these options against your specific roof and budget. We will tell you what we would put on our own homes in the same situation.
Tear Off Versus Overlay
Laying Over the Old Roof Versus Tearing It All Off
You may hear the term reroofing used to mean laying new shingles over the old ones. It costs less upfront, and in some markets it is common. Here is our honest position: we recommend a full tear off in almost every case, and here is why.
| Full tear off | Overlay, second layer | |
|---|---|---|
| Decking inspection | Every sheet checked and bad sections replaced | Hidden. Rot and soft spots stay buried. |
| Underlayment | New synthetic underlayment plus ice and water shield | Old underlayment stays, aged and brittle. |
| Flashings | All replaced | Usually reused, the most common leak source. |
| Warranty | Full manufacturer and workmanship coverage | Often reduced or voided. |
| BC code | Always compliant | Only allowed if one layer exists now. Never a third. |
An overlay saves money on day one and often costs more over the life of the roof, because the next replacement has to strip two layers and fix whatever the overlay hid. We will do an overlay only in the rare case where the existing roof is genuinely sound, and we will tell you plainly when we think it is a bad idea.
Our Process
How Your Replacement Runs, Step by Step
01
Assessment and written quote
A full inspection with photos of your roof, decking access points, flashings and ventilation. You receive a written itemized quote, usually within one business day.
02
Permits and scheduling
We pull the municipal permit on your behalf and schedule around a dry weather window. Most permits take one to two weeks here.
03
Site protection and delivery
Landscaping and siding get protected, a disposal bin is placed, and materials arrive. We only open what we can make watertight the same day, so a surprise shower never catches your home exposed.
04
Tear off and deck repair
Old roofing comes off completely. Every sheet of decking is inspected and damaged sections are replaced before anything new goes on.
05
Underlayment and flashing
Synthetic underlayment, ice and water shield at eaves and valleys, and all new flashings at chimneys, skylights and vents. Ventilation gets corrected at this stage too.
06
New roof installation
Your chosen material installed to manufacturer specification. Active work typically runs two to four days for a standard home.
07
Cleanup, inspection and warranty
Full magnetic nail sweep, complete debris removal, municipal final inspection, then a walkthrough with you. Warranty documents are registered and handed over.
Repair or Replace
When Repair Is Enough and When Replacement Is the Smarter Call
Not every worn roof needs replacing, and we will never sell you a roof you do not need. Here is the framework we use, and the same one we will walk you through at your home.
Repair usually wins when the roof is under about 15 years old, the damage is localized to one area, the shingles still have their granules, and the decking underneath is solid. A well done repair in this situation can buy many more years.
Replacement is the smarter call when the roof is past 20 years, leaks keep appearing in different spots, shingles are curling or losing granules across large areas, there are already two layers, or our inspection finds soft decking. At that point, repeated repairs cost nearly as much as doing it once and properly.
One more scenario we see often: homeowners selling within a few years. A new roof with transferable warranty documents is one of the strongest selling features a listing can have in this market, and it removes the roof as a negotiation point.
Permits and Code
Permits, Inspections and the BC Building Code
Most municipalities in the Lower Mainland, including Surrey and Vancouver, require a building permit for a full roof replacement. The permit fee is typically a few hundred dollars. We handle the application on your behalf and schedule the final inspection when the work is done, so the job closes out cleanly with the city.
The BC Building Code sets the rules we build to: maximum two roofing layers, proper underlayment, ice and water shield at eaves and valleys where required, and adequate attic ventilation. A permit is not just paperwork. It means an independent inspector verifies the work, which protects you and helps at resale.
Financing and Insurance
Paying for Your Roof and What Insurance Might Cover
A roof replacement is a significant outlay, so let us talk about it openly. Many of our clients split the project into a deposit and progress payments tied to milestones, and we can discuss payment structures that suit your situation during the quote. The written quote breaks every cost out, so there are no surprises mid project.
On insurance: standard home policies cover sudden damage, a windstorm tearing off shingles, a fallen tree branch, hail, but they do not cover wear and tear or an aging roof. If storm damage is involved, we document everything with photos and a written report describing the cause, which is exactly what adjusters need to see. We have helped many homeowners through this process.
One note for rental property owners: a full roof replacement is generally treated as a capital expense for tax purposes. Worth mentioning to your accountant.
Warranty
Our Workmanship Warranty in Plain Language
Two warranties protect your new roof. The manufacturer covers the materials against defects, and we register that warranty in your name so the paperwork is done properly. We separately warrant our own workmanship in writing: if anything we installed fails because of how we installed it, we come back and make it right.
What can void coverage is worth knowing upfront: a second contractor altering the roof, major structural changes, or neglecting obvious maintenance like keeping valleys clear. We explain all of this at the final walkthrough and leave you with the documents, not just a handshake.
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Learn moreFor city-specific service details, see Vancouver roof replacement and Surrey roof replacement.
Roof Replacement FAQs
Questions About Roof Replacement
For a typical detached home, architectural shingles generally run $8,000 to $14,000 installed, premium shingles $14,000 to $22,000, and metal $18,000 to $35,000 or more. Those are general market ranges for the Lower Mainland. Your written quote from us will be itemized and specific to your roof.
Active work usually runs two to four days for a standard home. With the municipal permit, which we handle, most projects run one to three weeks from signing to final inspection.
In most Lower Mainland municipalities, including Surrey and Vancouver, yes for a full replacement. We pull the permit on your behalf and book the final inspection.
We recommend a full tear off in almost every case. It lets us inspect and repair the decking, install new underlayment and flashings, and keeps the full manufacturer warranty intact. The BC Building Code allows a maximum of two roofing layers, so an overlay is only possible if you currently have one.
Architectural shingles typically last 20 to 25 years here, premium shingles 30 years and up, metal 40 to 60 years, and cedar 20 to 30 years with regular maintenance. Our rain and moss pressure are the main factors, which is why ventilation and algae resistant shingles matter.
Yes. It is noisy during tear off and installation, and we start early, but the site is protected and cleaned daily. Most families find it very manageable for the few days of active work.
Architectural shingles are the best value for most homes. Metal is the longevity choice, shedding water fastest and resisting moss. We will walk through the options against your budget and how long you plan to stay.
Only for sudden damage like a windstorm or fallen tree, never for wear and tear or age. If storm damage is involved, we document the cause with photos and a written report, which is what your adjuster needs to see.
Ready to Talk About Your Roof?
Get a free inspection and an honest, written recommendation.
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