How long does it take to replace a roof on a 2,000 square foot house?

The floor area of the house is only a rough guide to how long a roof takes. What matters is how much roof surface there is, how hard it is to reach and what the crew finds once the old roofing is off.

Is a 2,000 square foot house a 2,000 square foot roof?

Usually not. A two-story 2,000 sq ft house sits on a footprint about half that size, while a single-story house of the same size has a bigger roof. Overhangs add area, and every bit of pitch adds more. Roofers measure in squares of roof surface, which is why we measure before we schedule. See how roofers count squares.

How many working days does each type of roof take?

Flat roofs on San Francisco row houses vary more than pitched roofs because the work is mostly at the edges: parapet caps, drains, skylights and the joint with the neighbor’s building. We put the expected number of days in writing for each job.

What happens on each day?

1. Setup and tear-off. Protection goes down, the old roofing comes off section by section, and the deck is exposed.
2. Deck repair and dry-in. Rotted sheathing is photographed and replaced, then underlayment and membrane go on so the house is protected.
3. Flashing and roofing. New flashing at walls, chimneys, skylights and vents, then the shingles, tile, metal or membrane.
4. Cleanup. Debris hauled away, gutters cleared, magnet sweep for nails.

The roof is dried-in at the end of every working day. We do not start a tear-off when rain is forecast within 48 hours.

How long before the work starts?

From signed contract to crew arrival is typically 2–6 weeks, depending on permit turnaround and material lead times. In San Francisco, a reroof needs a permit from the Department of Building Inspection (see the SF.gov reroofing permit page), and jobs that need a debris box on the street need space arranged for it. Special-order tile or metal can take longer to arrive than shingles.

What slows a San Francisco job down?

• Three-story buildings with no driveway, where material and debris go up and down by lift or chute.
• Several old layers, or skip sheathing that needs new plywood.
• Winter storms between November and March, which push start dates.
• Solar panels that have to come off and go back on.

For a stage-by-stage view, read our roof replacement timeline and the general answer on how long a roof replacement takes. To get a written schedule for your house, book a free roof inspection. More on roof replacement and on roofing in San Francisco.