Should I buy a house with a 20-year-old roof?

Buying a house with an old roof

You can buy a house with a 20-year-old roof if you know how much life it has left and the price reflects it. The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) puts the average life of a typical residential roof at 15 to 20 years, so a 20-year-old roof is at or past it. Get a licensed roofer's written bid before your deadline and base your request on it.

Key takeaways

• Homeowners insurance won't pay to replace a roof worn out by age, so settle it in this deal.
• On a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan, the appraiser checks for at least two years of remaining roof life.
• Ask the roofer, in writing, how many years are left and whether the wear is local or roof-wide.

Is a 20-year-old roof too old?

Not by itself. InterNACHI says the age of a roof "is usually the major factor in determining when to replace it." But its shingle research adds that "multiple factors can combine to drastically extend or shorten the service life of the shingles."

Those factors are specific. South-facing slopes wear faster from sun and heat cycling. Flatter roofs shed water more slowly. Darker shingles absorb more heat and age faster. Low-quality shingles fail before high-quality ones.

Shingle type matters too. InterNACHI's life expectancy chart puts three-tab asphalt shingles at 20 years and architectural shingles at 30, assuming regular maintenance. A 20-year-old three-tab roof has reached that figure; an architectural one has not. Your roofer can tell you which you have.

Read your report's roof section for the words that matter. Near the end of their life, InterNACHI says, "most shingles will have common failures," including random surface cracking and faster granule loss. If the report notes a ceiling stain or an active leak, get the roofer out first.

Does a 20-year-old roof need to be replaced?

Not always. InterNACHI says most roofs "often can be repaired rather than replaced," and "an isolated leak usually can be repaired."

The cost guide Fixr draws the line this way. A repair might make sense if the roof has 10 or more years of useful life left and the damage is localized. Replacement is better for widespread wear, moss, or missing shingles.

Only a licensed roofer who walks the roof can tell you which one you have, and put a price on it. How to get repair estimates during the inspection period covers getting a roofer out fast.

How much does it cost to replace an old roof?

The sources below differ mostly on what they include, so match the row to the scope your roofer writes up.

HomeAdvisor says to budget removal and disposal at $1,500 to $4,500 on top of its range, plus permits. Fixr's labor figure already includes removing the old roof.

Suppose the roofer says a roughly 2,000-square-foot asphalt roof needs replacing. Fixr prices that at $6,000 to $10,000. Add a permit, which Fixr puts at $100 to $500, and the total is $6,100 to $10,500. Rotted decking found during tear-off is extra, and only the roofer's bid prices it.

Does homeowners insurance cover a 20-year-old roof?

Not for age. Liberty Mutual says homeowners insurance "will not pay for a roof replacement from normal wear and tear, and age." Its own example is a 20-year-old roof losing shingles to age and lack of maintenance, then leaking. That is "a maintenance issue," not a covered event. Storm damage from wind or hail may be covered.

Even a covered claim pays less on an old roof if your policy pays actual cash value (ACV). In Liberty Mutual's example, a new roof costs $15,000 and a 20-year-old roof has depreciated by 80%. The payout is $3,000, minus the deductible. A replacement cost value policy pays to replace it with a similar roof, without depreciation.

Liberty Mutual also calls older roofs "a higher risk for insurers." Get a quote on this house, with the roof's age, and ask which kind of coverage you'd have.

What do I ask the seller for?

Ask for the repair or replacement the roofer scoped, or a credit equal to the roofer's written bid. Name the scope, the trade and where the number came from, then attach the bid. 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.

If the seller replaces the roof instead, ask for the roofer's invoice, the final scope and the permit before closing.

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 roof with 10 years left and a roof that needs replacing now are different decisions. When to walk away after a home inspection helps you weigh it. Your contract sets the exact dates and terms, so confirm them with your agent.

Can I get an FHA loan on a house with an old roof?

The appraisal checks the roof. HUD's Handbook 4000.1 says the appraiser must notify the lender "if the roof covering does not prevent entrance of moisture or provide reasonable future utility, durability and economy of maintenance and does not have a remaining physical life of at least two years." Give your loan officer the roofer's written estimate of remaining life, and ask what a flag would mean for your closing.

What about a 20-year-old metal, tile or slate roof?

Age means less on those. InterNACHI's chart puts metal at 40 to 80 years, clay and concrete at 100-plus, and slate at 60 to 150. The roofer's condition call still decides.

How do I know what the rest of my report is worth?

Get the roofer's bid on the roof, then price the rest. Kept prices every line of an inspection report for $79, usually under 4 hours, and marks the ones that need a professional's quote.

If the roof is one finding among many and your deadline is close, upload your inspection report to Kept so the roofer's bid sits next to prices for the rest of your list.

Sources

• InterNACHI, Roofing
• InterNACHI, Mastering Roof Inspections: Asphalt Composition Shingles, Part 30
• InterNACHI, Standard Estimated Life Expectancy Chart for Homes
• HUD Handbook 4000.1
• Liberty Mutual, Roofs and Home Insurance
• Fixr, How Much Does a Roof Replacement Cost?
• HomeAdvisor, How Much Does Roof Replacement Cost?
• Staydry Roofing, Indianapolis Roof Replacement Cost Calculator