How much does a wood shake roof cost?

Wood shake roof cost per square foot

A new wood shake roof costs $11.51 to $15.41 per square foot at Homewyse's national average. Whether you face a repair or a replacement depends on how much of the roof is damaged. Before your deadline, get a roofer's written bid that says repair or replace, and an insurance quote on the roof as it stands.

Key takeaways

• Repair works when damage covers a small share of the roof and the deck underneath is sound.
• Some insurers won't cover a wood roof, or want a fire-retardant treatment first.
• Oregon State's examples show up to a tenfold gap in roof life between Hawaii's wet, warm side and Oregon's dry high desert, so ask the roofer for remaining life, not age.

How much does it cost to repair or replace?

Replacement costs come from different sources, each with its own scope.

Your list has more lines than the roof, and Kept prices every line of an inspection report for $79, usually under 4 hours, and marks the ones that need a professional quote.

Take a roof with 2,000 square feet of surface. This Old House puts a new cedar shake roof at $11,000 to $27,000, and that range already includes old-roof removal and the permit. Homewyse's rate comes to $23,020 to $30,820 for the roof alone, without tear-off or the permit. This Old House prices old-roof removal at $1 to $5 per square foot and a roofing permit at $400 to $1,700. Add those and the Homewyse job runs $25,420 to $42,520 before sales tax ($23,020 + $2,000 + $400, up to $30,820 + $10,000 + $1,700). The two sources differ in scope, so the gap between them is not a disagreement.

None of these figures covers a spot repair. If your report flags a few shakes, the roofer's written bid is the only number to rely on.

That spread is why a national guide can't set your number. Roof area is not floor area, and the installer measures the roof. Ask the roofer whether the bid includes tear-off, disposal, the permit and sales tax.

Is a wood shake roof a problem?

It depends on condition and on insurance. Cedar shakes are split, thicker than sawn shingles, and the Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau says a well-installed shake roof is built to last. How long it lasts rarely comes down to the wood itself; grade, installation and maintenance almost always decide it. Oregon State University Extension describes how wood roofs break down:

• Sun slowly weakens the surface.
• Wetting and drying cracks, splits, cups or warps the shakes.
• Moss and lichens trap debris, so the roof stays wet longer and rots faster.
• Decay fungi, usually hidden under the overlaps, can rot shakes until they are no longer serviceable.

The Bureau names moisture in the roof deck, rot at the eaves and moss lifting the shakes as the most common causes of early replacement. If your report mentions any of those, the deck matters as much as the surface. For the other lines in your report's roof section, see roof findings on an inspection report.

Can a wood shake roof be repaired, or does it need replacing?

Whether the roof can be repaired comes down to a clear test from the Bureau. Repair is still viable when:

• The damage is isolated to a small share of the roof.
• The shakes around it are sound, with no widespread cracking or cupping.
• The deck shows no rot or long exposure to moisture.

Replacement is the answer when curling, cupping or splitting runs across several roof planes. It is also the answer when shakes have lost real thickness to weather, when leaks keep coming back after spot repairs, or when rot at flashings, ridges or eaves has reached the structure.

A roofer who works on wood roofs makes this call. The Bureau says the assessment should cover the deck as well as the surface, so ask for both in writing. How to get repair estimates during the inspection period covers getting that visit booked in time.

Can you get insurance on a wood shake roof?

You may be able to get insurance on it, but find out before your deadline. Progressive says wood roofs "aren't fire-resistant" and that "some insurance companies won't cover a wooden roof or may require you to apply a fire-retardant protectant" before they will. It also says some insurers cover an older roof only at actual cash value, not full replacement cost.

That matters because lenders generally require proof that you have homeowners insurance. Call an insurance agent this week and ask three things:

• Will you cover this roof as it stands?
• Do you need a fire-retardant treatment or a roof inspection first?
• If this roof is damaged, what will the policy pay toward a new one?

If coverage depends on a treatment or a new roof, that goes on your request too.

What should you ask the seller for?

Ask the seller for what the roofer's bid says the roof needs:

• A repair, if the damage is isolated. Ask the seller to have a licensed roofer replace the flagged shakes before closing, with receipts.
• A credit for the bid, if you'd rather hire your own roofer after you move in.
• A replacement, a credit or a lower price, if the roofer says replace or your insurer won't cover the roof as it is.

Attach the bid and any insurance conditions to the request. What to ask for after a home inspection shows how the roof fits with the rest of your list, and the buyer repair request letter template gives the wording.

What if the seller says no?

If the seller says no, change the form of the ask before you drop it. If they won't hire a roofer, offer to take a credit or a lower price for the same bid. If they refuse everything, decide whether you can cover the roof and get insured on your own. If you can't, read when to walk away after a home inspection. Your contract sets the deadline and terms for all of this, so confirm the dates with your agent.

How long does a wood shake roof last?

The InterNACHI life expectancy chart lists wood roofing at 25 years. It adds that life varies with usage, weather, installation, maintenance and materials. Oregon State says a roof on the wet, warm side of Hawaii may last a quarter as long as one in Western Oregon, and a tenth as long as one in Oregon's dry high desert. Ask the roofer for the remaining life of this roof.

How do you maintain a wood shake roof?

To maintain a shake roof, Oregon State says to clear leaves, needles and debris before the wet season, cut back overhanging branches, and keep gutters clean. Power washing is mostly cosmetic, and done wrong it can fracture shakes. The Bureau adds yearly or twice-yearly inspections and prompt repair of isolated damage. Ask the seller for maintenance records and receipts for past repairs or any fire-retardant treatment.

If the roof is one finding among many, upload your inspection report to Kept and spend your remaining days on the roofer and the insurance quote.

Sources

• Homewyse, Cost to Install a Shake Roof
• This Old House, How Much Does a Cedar Shake Roof Cost
• Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau, How Long Does a Cedar Roof Last?
• Oregon State University Extension, The Care and Maintenance of Wood Shingle and Shake Roofs
• Progressive, How roof type impacts insurance
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, What is homeowner's insurance?
• InterNACHI, Standard Estimated Life Expectancy Chart for Homes