Boulder Roof Repair | Advice & Pricing from a Local Contractor

Average Roof Repair Cost in Boulder, CO

The cost of a typical roof repair in Boulder, CO is around $1,000, with small, simple flat roof repairs costing around $600 and more extensive roof repairs costing up to $3,000 or more.

Roof repair costs can vary, depending on the type of roof, pitch (steepness) of the roof, building access, and, of course, the scope of work itself. 

If you are reading this, you probably are looking for some general pricing for roof repairs. Most roofing contractors are apprehensive about providing general pricing for roofing work, as the circumstances of every repair are different. Most roofing contractor’s don’t want to tell a prospective customer a price for a roof repair, only to find out upon inspection that more labor and roofing materials are needed to complete the job than they originally anticipated. 

To write a formal roof repair estimate or roof repair contract, I would always insist on completing a thorough roof inspection first. There is simply no way to provide a truly accurate roof repair estimate without conducting an inspection first. With that said, I do feel comfortable providing some general pricing information for purposes of this article.

Roof Repair Prices in Boulder, CO

Every situation is unique, and these prices are not guaranteed. Here are a few ‘ballpark’ prices for common roof repairs in Boulder, CO, based on my experience and those of our WestPro Roofing Estimators.

Replacing All Deteriorated Roof Pipe Jacks in Boulder costs approximately $1,200

New Chimney Flashing to fix a leaking chimney in Boulder costs approximately $1,000

Replace Leaking Skylight Flashing in Boulder costs approximately $1,300

Replacing missing shingles in Boulder costs approximately $800

Repairing & Patching holes in a flat roof in Boulder costs approximately $600 - $1000 

It’s likely that you may be wondering, why do roof repairs cost so much? There are few things that go into a roof repair that you may not anticipate. First, identifying matching materials to be used does take some time, especially when it comes to different shingle types and colors. When conducting a roof repair, a roofer has to take into account the condition of the roof surface. When a shingle roof is old, it can become brittle, meaning when a roofer attempts to remove old shingles necessary to complete a repair, other shingles can be damaged in this process. As roofing contractors we will anticipate what is known as a ‘repair factor’ for some roof repairs. A repair factor acknowledges that in order to replace 1 shingle, there will likely be additional shingles that would be damaged in the process. So, if a roof is missing 10 shingles, it may require replacing a total of 20 or even 30 shingles to repair the original 10 missing shingles. 

Repairability, access, what we could call “troubleshooting” are all factors that are built into the cost of most roof repair quotes. 

For example, take this pipe jack installation. 

While this may seem like a simple repair, it involves many steps on a steep roof and additional materials. Hopefully this provides a little more clarity as to why roof repairs can cost as much as they do and hopefully you have just a bit more understanding of what your roofer is dealing with while repairing your roof.

Wood Shake Roofs in Boulder

Repairability problems particularly common with old, brittle wood shake roofs. Often, older cedar shake roofs are so brittle that they are deemed non-repairable. In these cases, it’s not that the roof repair itself is technically challenging, but by simply walking the roof, carrying materials, and attempting to complete repairs, any roofing installer or roof technician would simply cause more harm than good. As an experienced roofing contractor, it’s pretty easy to identify a non-repairable wood shake roof.

Now, most wood shake roofs in the Boulder area have been replaced with new roofing since Wood Roof Coverings were banned in the City of Boulder. However, some shingle roofs, tile roofs, and some composite roofing can still have brittle characteristics, compromising the viability of roof repairs. As a roofing contractor, my advice here may be a bit obvious. Make sure you address roof repairs quickly, while your roof is still of an age and condition that it can still be repaired. I have completed many roof inspections in my career where a homeowner delayed repairs, and delayed calling a roofing company. After inspecting, I have had to break the hard news that the only way to correct their roof problems is to have the roof completely replaced. 

You can learn more information about WestPro Roof Repair Services here.

Cheap Roof Repairs in Boulder.

If you are reading this, and you live in Boulder, you already know that Boulder is not a ‘cheap’ town. This means that for any licensed, insured, and reputable roofing company serving Boulder, there are some unavoidable operational costs. So, it stands to reason that if you receive a roof repair quote in Boulder for a surprisingly low cost, you should proceed with caution. The low cost roof repair option you are considering may not include what is necessary to fix the roof in a responsible way. In my experience, cheap roof repairs typically don’t fix the real problem with your roof.

Roof repairs under $400 tend to only include applying sealant, or other temporary “band aid” fixes. The problem with cheap roof repairs is that they typically don’t work. 

If a roof repair estimate seems cheap, it’ll probably end up costing you more in the long run.

In comparison, a roof repair estimate that costs $1000 may seem expensive, but it will likely include labor and materials for a much more thorough roof repair. Like most things in home improvement, and in life, it’s certainly cheaper to do it right the first time.

Folks, if your DIY roof repair plan involves a spray can product sold on a late night info-mercial, take it from me, don’t do it. There is no “roof repair in a can”. 

When writing roof repair estimates, our roof estimators at WestPro use a template that factors in the cost of materials, labor, and jobsite mobilization. At WestPro Roofing, our roofing estimators account for more thorough and comprehensive roof repairs. That way, our customer doesn’t have to keep calling us every time they have another roof leak or problem. It can be challenging, but our goal is to do roof repairs right, the first time. Doing roof repairs right means taking a bit more time, more planning, more materials, and more labor. 

Completing a proper roof repair often means removing roofing from the problem area in order to inspect how the water is entering the roof, and to inspect the condition of other roof components under the shingles or other roof type. In other words, to do it right, an experienced roofing contractor would have to “open the roof” a little bit to learn more about the problem, and then re-install the shingle, roof membrane, or roof flashing to ensure the roof is water tight. Although the right roof sealant in the right places can be effective, most roof repairs should not be approached using roofing sealant alone.

Flat Roof Repair in Boulder, CO

Flat roofs are generally more easily repaired than shingle roofs. That’s the best part about having a flat roof. The worst part about a flat roof, is that it can be difficult to find the true source of the roof leak, and where to actually make the repair. A thorough flat roof inspection is critical in determining where resources should be put into repairs. 

The cost of a flat roof repair or service will depend on 3 major factors

1. The type of roof covering. TPO Roofs, EPDM / Rubber Roofs, and Asphalt roofs such as BUR or Modified Bitumen are the most common flat roof systems throughout Boulder County.

1. The age and condition of the roof covering. Older flat roofs that have not been maintained, will almost always be more challenging and expensive to service or repair.

1. The amount of moisture that has entered the roof through the leak area. A flat roof can take on a surprisingly large amount of moisture, even through a small hole. Fixing the hole is easy, but remediating the moisture within the insulation, cover board, or other “below the roof” components may require extensive work. To learn more about the implications of wet flat roof insulation, read below.

The Boulder Roofing Code & Repairing Flat Roofs

Currently the City of Boulder enforces the 2018 International Building Code and the 2018 International Roofing Code, according to the City of Boulder Roofing Guidelines . Additionally, roofing installations that expose insulation during tear off, become subject to the standards of the 2020 City of Boulder Energy Conservation Code. Now, this code is specifically referring to both roofing on new construction and the re-roofing (roof replacement) of existing buildings and homes. So, why is the roof replacement code relevant to flat roof repairs within the jurisdiction of the City of Boulder Building Department?

Down the road from Boulder in the City of Longmont, there exists a strict “One Square Rule” where no roof repair over 100 Square Feet can be completed. The City of Boulder does not have such a code. However, in the event that a flat roof repair exceeds 100 Square Feet, a City of Boulder Roofing Permit must be issued. This makes the roof work subject to the updated building codes and inspection from the building department. If the roof repair is extensive enough to require exposing existing roof insulation. This can occur, especially because in most modern flat roof assemblies, the roof insulation is part of the roofing system itself. This means if the roof covering is pulled back to complete a large flat roof repair, the insulation can be exposed. Once the insulation is exposed, the insulation must be brought up to the standards of the 2020 City of Boulder Energy Conservation Code under the permitted work. And, if you remember, a permit did have to be pulled if the repair exceeds 100 Square Feet. In order to bring this roof insulation up to code, you guessed it, you may be looking at a complete roof replacement.

This is a bit of a long winded explanation for me to get to a very basic piece of advice. If you have a flat roof in Boulder, I recommend that you get it inspected early and often, at least every 2 years. If your flat roof is leaking, and you don’t know about it, it may turn into quite the “can of worms” before you know it. As a roofing contractor, I cannot stress enough the importance of proactive roof service and maintenance, especially in areas with stringent code, like Boulder.

Boulder Roofing Contractors 

As a Licensed Boulder Roofing Contractor WestPro Roofing is highly experienced in roof repairs, inspections, maintenance, and installation. We certainly aren’t the only roofing company serving Boulder, but we do have over a decade of experience working with homeowners and commercial building owners in the Boulder area.

WestPro is a licensed roofing contractor and home improvement company serving Boulder, CO. WestPro roofers and roof repair technicians have completed hundreds of repairs and roof replacements within the City of Boulder and Boulder County. 

If you have a home, commercial building, or HOA in the Boulder area and you need a roof repair, roof estimate, or just some advice, Contact WestPro for a free roof inspection, or simply fill out the form below to get a roofing estimate.