How much does it cost to repair missing shingles?

A few missing shingles cost $150 to $450 to fix, per a national cost guide. Get a roofer's bid before the deadline.

UpdatedOctober 30, 2026 · By Ben Sikes

How much does it cost to fix missing shingles?

Fixing a few missing shingles is a small repair: Modernize's national cost guide puts it at $150 to $450. Get a licensed roofer's written bid before your inspection deadline, and ask the seller for that number. Granule loss spread evenly across the roof is usually normal weathering. Uneven loss is a question for the roofer.

Key takeaways

Ask the roofer why the shingles came off. If they were nailed wrong, the problem may not stop at the gap.
On an older roof with brittle shingles, a clean patch may not be possible. Get that in writing too.
One insurer calls replacing missing shingles routine upkeep, so don't plan on a claim to cover it.

Are missing shingles bad?

Yes, until they're replaced. Shingle maker CertainTeed says a displaced or broken shingle creates a direct path for water. Neither source says how long a roof can go with shingles missing, so get the roofer out inside your window. Ask whether water has already reached the underlayment or the decking below.

The bigger question is why they came off. The home inspectors' trade group, the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI), tells inspectors to check the nailing wherever shingles are missing. If it's wrong, "the problem may not be limited to that area." InterNACHI's two questions are the ones that set your price: is the damage limited to a few shingles, or have shingles on the whole roof failed the same way?

If the report also notes a ceiling stain or wet decking, treat it as an active leak and get the roofer out first. Don't climb up to look yourself. CertainTeed says only your contractor should set foot on the roof.

Is granule loss normal?

Often, yes. On a new roof, shingle maker IKO says loose extra granules come off in the first few years and show up in gutters and downspouts. IKO says that loss does not shorten the shingles' weatherproofing life. InterNACHI says granule loss that is even across the roof is usually normal weathering.

Granules shield the asphalt from the sun's ultraviolet rays. Three patterns are worth a roofer's closer look:

Bare asphalt showing. For the extra granules a new roof sheds in its first years, IKO says the loss only becomes a performance concern when bare spots of asphalt are exposed. On an older roof, bare spots call for the roofer, not a wait-and-see.
Loss on one side of the roof. InterNACHI says loss limited to slopes facing one direction may come from more sun or storms. South- and west-facing slopes are more likely to take a beating. Send uneven loss to the roofer.
Deep granules in the gutters. InterNACHI tells inspectors to check whether the shingles are losing granules early.

How do you fix it? InterNACHI describes a spot repair for a few bare places, roof mastic sprinkled with granules, and says it is not common. Even loss across the whole roof is an age question, so ask the roofer how many years the shingles have left.

Can you replace just the missing shingles?

Individual shingles can usually be replaced, InterNACHI says. The roofer breaks the adhesive bond, pulls the nails, slides in a matching shingle and hand-seals it. On older roofs with brittle shingles, pulling one out without damaging its neighbors may be impossible. Then the job grows.

What the figure covers	Source	Cost
Small fixes like a few missing shingles	Modernize, national	$150 to $450
Damaged or missing shingles, from one or two asphalt shingles to slate or clay tiles	Fixr, national	$150 to $700
Wind damage and missing shingles, from small tab swaps to several squares along ridges and hips	Modernize, national	$250 to $1,500
1 to 3 shingles	Tri-Link Contracting, local, Pittsburgh area	$150 to $300
4 to 10 shingles	Tri-Link Contracting, local, Pittsburgh area	$300 to $600

The roofer's bid covers the roof, and your report has other lines. Kept prices every line of an inspection report for $79, usually under 4 hours, and marks the ones that need a professional's quote.

The spread is mostly scope. Tri-Link, a Pittsburgh-area roofer, adds $100 to $300 to color-match a repair on an older roof, since old shingles fade in the sun. It also says two-story homes cost 30% to 50% more than single-story ones.

Say you're buying a one-story house near Pittsburgh, and the report lists six missing shingles on an older roof. Tri-Link's 4 to 10 shingle price plus its color-match charge gives $300 + $100 = $400 at the low end and $600 + $300 = $900 at the high end. Wet decking under the gap would add a line only the roofer's bid can price.

Who can price it before my deadline?

A licensed roofer who walks the roof. Ask for a written bid that says how many shingles are missing and whether the nailing is sound on the other slopes. It should also say whether any granule loss has reached bare asphalt, and whether the decking is wet. Those answers decide whether this is a patch or a bigger job.

For how to get a bid inside your window, see how to get repair estimates during the inspection period.

What do I ask the seller for?

Ask for the repair the roofer scoped, or a credit equal to the roofer's written bid. Name the scope, the trade and where the number came from. For example: replace the missing shingles on the rear slope and reseal lifted tabs, as scoped in the licensed roofer's written bid, attached. If the seller makes the repair, ask for matching shingles and the roofer's invoice before closing.

What to ask for after a home inspection covers how this line fits with the rest of your list. The buyer repair request letter template has the wording around it.

What if the seller says no?

You can accept the roof as is, ask for a smaller credit or a price cut, or cancel if your inspection contingency is still open. A patch on one slope and shingles failing across the whole roof are different decisions. Weigh it with the other roof findings on your report, and see when to walk away after a home inspection. Your contract sets the exact dates and terms, so confirm them with your agent.

Will insurance cover missing shingles?

Usually not when age or upkeep is the cause. Liberty Mutual says routine upkeep, such as replacing missing shingles, is "the responsibility of every homeowner," not the insurer's. It says wind, hail, fire and some water damage may be covered under a standard policy. Damage from an aging roof usually isn't.

Granule loss is similar. InterNACHI says insurers don't treat long-term, even granule loss as functional damage, unless the shingles seem to be failing early. Ask the agent writing your policy how they treat the roof lines on your report.

Missing shingles are one line on a long list. Upload your inspection report to put numbers on the rest while the roofer prices the roof.

Sources

Cost figures are modeled from public wage and materials data unless a line says observed. Kept is accountable for the numbers on this page, and corrections go to support@usekept.com. How we price.