This is one of the most common questions we get, and the honest answer is — it depends on a few things we need to see in person to assess accurately.
Generally speaking, repairs make sense when damage is isolated. A few missing shingles, a flashing issue around a chimney or pipe, a small section of wear around a valley — these are contained problems with contained solutions. If the rest of your roof is in good shape and has meaningful life left in it, a quality repair buys you that remaining life at a fraction of replacement cost.
Replacement makes more sense when the roof is aging out across the board, when damage is widespread, or when the underlying structure — the decking, the ventilation, the flashing system — needs attention that a surface repair won’t address. It also makes sense when repair costs are climbing toward a number that starts to justify doing it right instead.
One thing the December windstorm taught us firsthand — nail placement matters more than most homeowners realize. Over-driven nails, under-driven nails, high nails, low nails — each one compromises how a shingle performs under wind stress. When we assess wind damage and find that blow-offs trace back to improper nailing, a repair isn’t a real solution. The problem is systemic across the entire roof, and patching it just delays a conversation you’re going to have eventually anyway. If your roof took wind damage, the real question isn’t just what blew off — it’s why it blew off.
What we won’t do is recommend replacement when a repair is the right answer — or recommend a repair that we know won’t hold. You deserve a straight assessment, and that’s what we provide.