The honest rule: repair when the damage is isolated and the roof has life left; replace when damage is widespread, the roof is near end-of-life, or insurance is already paying for it.
When a repair is the right call
- Damage is limited to one area — a few wind-lifted shingles, one flashing failure, a single pipe boot.
- The roof is under ~12 years old with good remaining life.
- The repair cost is below or near your insurance deductible (keep the claim off your record).
We fix these in a single visit more often than not. If a repair will hold, we'll tell you — that's the whole point of an honest assessment.
When replacement wins
- Hail bruising across multiple slopes. Bruised shingles fail early even if they aren't leaking yet — and carriers know it, which is why widespread hail damage usually triggers full replacement.
- The roof is 15+ years old. Repairs on brittle, aging shingles often create new damage, and colors won't match.
- Insurance is paying. If a storm did the damage, you pay only your deductible — replacing a 17-year-old roof for the cost of the deductible beats patching it every spring.
The math most homeowners miss
A storm claim is the cheapest moment you'll ever have to upgrade. The carrier pays for the roof you had; upgrading to Class 4 impact-resistant shingles costs only the difference — and earns a 20–30% insurance discount every year after. See our honest 2026 cost guide for real numbers.
Get a straight answer
Our free inspection ends with one of three honest verdicts: it's fine, repair it, or replace it — with photos to back it up either way. Schedule yours →