Summary: Summary: Repair when damage is localized, the roof is under 15 years old, and the deck is sound: typical repairs run $300 to $1,500. Replace when the roof is past 20 years, damage is widespread, or repairs would exceed about 30 percent of replacement cost. Warning signs of a done roof: widespread granule loss, curling or cracked shingles across multiple slopes, daylight through the deck, and leaks in more than one place.
Roof age is the first filter. An asphalt shingle roof under 12 to 15 years old with localized damage is almost always a repair candidate: the shingles have life left, matching shingles are usually still available, and the deck is likely sound. Between 15 and 20 years, it is a judgment call that depends on overall condition. Past 20 years, replacement usually wins: you are repairing a roof that will need full replacement within a few years anyway, and repair money becomes down payment on the inevitable.
Check your roof's age from closing documents, permits, or the previous owner's records. If you cannot determine it, a roofer can estimate from shingle style and wear. When buying a home, the inspector's roof age estimate belongs in your negotiation: a 22-year-old roof is a $12,000 to $18,000 near-term cost the seller should share.
A repair is the right call when damage is clearly localized: a few shingles torn off by wind on one slope, a leaking pipe boot, flashing pulled loose at a chimney, or a single puncture from a fallen branch. These are half-day jobs, typically $300 to $1,500, and they restore a roof with years of life left to full function.
The rest of the roof should look healthy: shingles lying flat, granules intact in the gutters (some granule wash is normal for the first year), no widespread curling, and a solid deck with no sagging between rafters. A good roofer will tell you when a repair is enough, because reputable roofers would rather earn your replacement job later than sell you one now.
Widespread granule loss is the clearest end-of-life signal: check your gutters and downspout outlets for sand-like granule piles, and look for bald patches where the asphalt mat shows through. Curling, cupping, or cracked shingles across multiple slopes mean the shingles have baked past their service life. Daylight visible through the roof boards in the attic is a replace-now signal.
Leaks in more than one location, a spongy or sagging deck, and moss or algae covering large areas all point to replacement. So does a simple economic test: if repairs would cost more than about 30 percent of a full replacement, put the money toward the new roof. Patching a dying roof is the most expensive way to buy a roof, because you pay for repairs and then the replacement anyway.
Typical repairs: pipe boot replacement $200 to $500, flashing repair $300 to $800, a small shingle repair $300 to $600, valley repair $500 to $1,500, partial re-decking a section $1,000 to $3,000. A full architectural shingle replacement on a typical home: $12,000 to $18,000. Two or three major repairs in two years often total $3,000 to $5,000, which is a third of a new roof with none of the warranty.
Factor in the intangibles: a new roof comes with a manufacturer warranty (25 to 50 years on materials) plus a workmanship warranty, resets your insurance standing (carriers love new roofs and often discount premiums), and removes the roof as a negotiation point when you sell. A patched 23-year-old roof offers none of that and still leaks at the next weak point.
Get two or three opinions, and be wary of the roofer who only sells replacements or the handyman who only sells repairs: each sees every roof through their own business model. Ask each one the same questions: How old is this roof? What is its overall condition grade? What exactly would you repair, and what would it cost? At what point would you recommend replacement instead?
A trustworthy assessment includes photos of the specific problems, a clear scope for any repair, and an honest timeline: this repair buys you three to five years, or this roof has two to three years left. Put the decision in writing to yourself: if the roof needs replacement within five years, price the replacement now and decide whether the repair is a bridge worth paying for.
Data current as of October 2026. Sources: Angi, HomeGuide, and contractor pricing data. Estimates only, not a quote. Always get multiple written quotes from licensed local roofers.