Most homeowners only replace a roof once or twice in their lives, so it is normal to wonder what actually happens between the first phone call and the last nail. This guide walks through what to expect during roof replacement the way we run it at Malick Brothers Exteriors: the free inspection, the written estimate, material choices, scheduling around Pittsburgh weather, the tear off, the install, cleanup and the final walkthrough.
We are a family owned roofing company based at 500 Perry Highway in West View, founded in 2022 by Ryan Malick. Everything below describes a typical roof replacement in Pittsburgh on a shingle roof. Low slope, metal and slate projects follow the same outline with a few differences we call out along the way.
The roof replacement process at a glance
Here is the short version. Each stage gets its own section below.
- Free roof inspection and consultation
- Written estimate with materials, scope and warranty spelled out
- Material and color selection
- Scheduling, permits and preparing your home
- Delivery, protection of your property and tear off
- Deck inspection and any wood replacement
- Installation of the new roof system
- Cleanup, final walkthrough and warranty paperwork
For most single family homes in the North Hills and Pittsburgh, steps 5 through 8 happen in a single day. The weeks before that are mostly paperwork, decisions and waiting for your spot on the schedule.
Step 1: Free roof inspection and consultation
Every project starts with a free inspection. One of our estimators comes to your home, gets on the roof when it is safe to do so, and checks the shingles, flashing, valleys, pipe boots, chimney, ventilation and gutters. Inside, we look at the attic when we can for signs of moisture, daylight or poor airflow. We also listen. If you have a leak over the kitchen or a sagging spot you have noticed from the street, tell us so we can trace it.
If you are dealing with storm damage and an insurance claim, say so at this visit. We document the damage with photos and have met homeowners and their adjusters on site to walk the roof together. A roof inspection is also worth scheduling on its own if you are not sure whether you need a repair or a full replacement.
Step 2: A written estimate you can actually read
After the inspection you get a written estimate. It lists the roof system by name, the underlayment, ice and water barrier, ventilation, flashing, the number of layers coming off, how wood replacement is handled if we find rot, the dumpster, cleanup and the warranty. It also says what is not included so there are no surprises.
We do not give prices in blog posts because every roof is different. What drives the number is the size and pitch of the roof, how many layers have to come off, the number of penetrations and valleys, the condition of the decking, the shingle line you choose and whether gutters, soffit or fascia are part of the job. Ask any contractor to show those items on paper. You can also confirm a contractor's Pennsylvania Home Improvement Contractor registration on the PA Attorney General HIC lookup. Ours is PA174918.
If you would like to spread the cost out, we offer financing and can go over the options when we review the estimate.
Step 3: Choosing materials and colors
Most of our residential roofs are complete Atlas shingle systems: Atlas shingles, Atlas or Gorilla Guard underlayment and Atlas ventilation installed together. Because we are an AtlasPro+ Platinum Select contractor, a complete Atlas system qualifies for the Atlas 50 year warranty. Popular lines on our recent jobs include Pinnacle Pristine and StormMaster Shake, both with Scotchgard protection against the black algae streaks you see on so many older roofs around Pittsburgh. Colors we have installed in the last year include Morning Harvest in Allison Park and Ross Township, Black Shadow in Bellevue and Emsworth, Burnt Hickory in Ben Avon and Weathered Wood in Squirrel Hill.
We also install standing seam and metal roofing, repair slate, and handle low slope sections with MuleHide .060 EPDM rubber or a 2 ply low slope system. Many Pittsburgh houses have a flat porch roof or a rear addition attached to a shingle roof, and we price both parts in the same estimate. The full list is on our roof materials page.
Step 4: Scheduling, permits and getting your home ready
Once you sign, we order materials and give you a start date. Shingle roofing is sensitive to rain, so the date can move a day or two if a storm front is coming through. We work all year, including winter, and plan around the forecast rather than rushing a roof on in the rain. If your project is weather dependent, your project manager will tell you the day before whether the crew is coming.
Permit rules vary by municipality around Pittsburgh. Some boroughs and townships require a building permit for a full tear off and some do not. We handle the paperwork where it is required and tell you if an inspection visit from the municipality is part of the job.
How to prepare for roof replacement day
- Move cars out of the driveway and garage the night before so the dumpster and the delivery truck have room.
- Take pictures, mirrors and anything fragile off the walls of upper floors. Hammering overhead shakes the whole house.
- Cover anything stored in the attic with a drop cloth. Old nails and dust fall through the decking during tear off.
- Move patio furniture, grills, planters and toys away from the house.
- Plan for kids and pets. The noise is constant from early morning until the shingles are on.
- Let close neighbors know the date. Shared driveways and tight streets in places like Bellevue and West View need a little coordination.
Step 5: Delivery, protection and tear off
Materials usually arrive the day before or first thing in the morning. The crew sets a dumpster in the driveway, hangs tarps along the walls and over landscaping, and covers windows, decks and air conditioning units in the drop zone. Then the tear off starts. Old shingles, underlayment and flashing come off down to the bare wood. This is the loudest and messiest part of the day and it moves fast. On a typical home the roof is stripped before lunch.
Step 6: Deck inspection and wood replacement
With the roof stripped, we walk the decking and look for soft spots, rot around chimneys and valleys, delaminated plywood and the old plank decking common in Pittsburgh homes built before the 1960s. Nobody can see all of this from above the shingles, which is why your estimate spells out how wood replacement is priced. If we find bad decking we show you, usually with photos from the roof, before we continue. Most roofs need a few sheets at most. Occasionally a house needs more; on a Morningside job we re-sheeted the entire roof with new decking and rebuilt the porch roof before a single shingle went on.
Step 7: Installing the new roof system
The new roof goes on in layers, from the eaves up:
- Drip edge along the eaves and rakes.
- Ice and water barrier along the eaves, in the valleys and around penetrations. This is not optional in our climate. Pittsburgh winters bring repeated freeze and thaw cycles that push meltwater under shingles at the edges.
- Synthetic underlayment over the rest of the deck.
- New flashing at the chimney, sidewalls and pipes. We have used copper chimney flashing on jobs where the homeowner wanted it, including one on Mt. Washington.
- Starter shingles, then the field shingles, nailed to the manufacturer's pattern.
- Ridge vent and cap shingles. Proper intake and exhaust ventilation is part of the Atlas system requirement and it keeps the attic cooler in summer and drier in winter.
For low slope sections, the crew installs the MuleHide EPDM or 2 ply system on the same day where the layout allows. If gutters are part of the job, the 5 or 6 inch seamless gutters go on after the roof is finished so the drip edge and shingle overhang are set first.
You see the whole job, even if you are at work
You do not have to stay home to know what is happening. We document the whole roof replacement with phone photos and drone shots, and your project manager sends updates during the day: the stripped deck, any wood we replaced, the underlayment and flashing before they are covered, and the finished roof. Customers tell us this is the part they did not expect. It also means you have a photo record of what is under your shingles, which is useful for insurance and for the day you sell the house.
Step 8: Cleanup and the final walkthrough
When the last cap shingle is on, the crew pulls the tarps, blows off the roof and gutters, picks up debris around the house and sweeps the yard, beds and driveway for nails. Then your project manager walks the property with you, goes over the roof, answers questions and makes sure you have the warranty registration and the paperwork for your records.
After the Job Is Finished
You are not done with us when the truck leaves. If something looks off after the first heavy rain, call the office and we come out. Our repair division handles shingle, slate, tile and flat roofs, so the same company that installed the roof is the one that services it. The Atlas warranty on a complete system is registered in your name, and our workmanship stands behind the install.
If you also need siding, soffit, fascia or gutters, many homeowners have us do it in the same stretch. A Ross Township project in November 2025 combined a new roof with James Hardie siding, soffit, fascia and gutters, and a Mars project in August 2026 combined the roof with gutters and new skylights.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a roof replacement take?
On most single family homes in the Pittsburgh area, our crew tears off and finishes the roof in one day. We have done three roofs in one day in a single West View neighborhood. Large or steep roofs, roofs with multiple layers, heavy wood replacement, attached low slope sections or a rain delay can push a project into a second day. Your project manager gives you a realistic timeline before we start.
Should I stay home during roof replacement?
You do not have to. Many customers go to work and follow along through the photo and drone updates we send. If you stay, expect constant noise and vibration from early morning until the shingles are on, and keep kids and pets inside or away from the drop zone around the house. We only need you at the start to confirm details and at the end for the walkthrough.
What happens if you find rotten decking?
We stop, photograph it and show you before we continue. Your estimate already states how wood replacement is handled, so there is no renegotiating on the roof. Most homes need a few sheets at most. The decking has to be solid because the shingle warranty and the nails holding the roof down both depend on it.
Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Pittsburgh?
It depends on the municipality. The City of Pittsburgh and the boroughs and townships of the North Hills each set their own rules, and some require a building permit for a full tear off while others do not. We tell you up front whether your job needs one and take care of the application where it is required.
What if it rains on the scheduled day?
We watch the forecast and will move the start date rather than open your roof ahead of a storm. If a surprise shower hits mid job, the crew tarps the exposed deck immediately. Ice and water barrier and synthetic underlayment are both water resistant, so a roof that is dried in can wait out weather safely until shingles go on.
Will my yard be full of nails afterward?
It should not be. The crew tarps the ground during tear off, picks up debris by hand and sweeps the yard, beds, walkways and driveway for nails before leaving. If you find a stray nail in the days after, call and we come back.
Ready to see how it works on your roof?
The best way to understand the process is to start it. Schedule a free inspection and we will walk your roof, show you what we find and put a written estimate in your hands with no pressure. Contact Malick Brothers Exteriors or call 412-616-0191.
