Full Roof Replacement in St. Louis, MO
A full replacement in St. Louis, MO means the old roof comes off, the deck gets a close look and a new roof goes on. Tell us about your house and what the roof is doing. We ask a few questions, then set up a visit with a local roofer, who measures and writes the price down.
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Request Your Estimate
Four quick fields. We read every request and set up the roofer's visit.
The roof visit, the written estimate and any work that follows come from a local roofing company, not from Roof Replacement St. Louis MO. See our Referral Marketing Disclosure.
Starting Over With a New Roof
Patching works while the trouble stays in one place. Once bald shingles, curled edges or leaks show up across most slopes, a new roof is often the steadier choice. The crew strips everything to the deck, fixes soft boards, then installs new underlayment, flashing, vents and roofing.
Housing in the City of St. Louis runs old: Census survey data puts the median year built at about 1938. Many of these roofs have been redone more than once, so layers and sheathing deserve a careful look before any price goes on paper.
Where Full Roof Replacement Fits
- Brick walls, tired roofs. The City's Cultural Resources Office describes its Queen Anne homes as mostly brick. A brick house outlives several roofs, so the flashing where the roof meets the masonry matters on every job.
- Slate on a mansard. Second Empire mansards in the City were roofed in slate, at times in a decorative pattern. Trading slate for something else is a bigger step; see the permit notes below.
- Low-slope tops. On some two-family flats and row houses, the roof is nearly flat. Those need different materials, priced by the roofer separately.
- Hidden layers and soft boards. An older house may carry two roofs, one over the other. Ask how many come off and how rotten sheathing gets priced.
- An attic that bakes. The National Weather Service counts about 35 to 40 days a year at 90°F or hotter here. Ask about intake and exhaust vents while the roof is open.
The Cost of Full Roof Replacement
These rows come from home-cost sites; they are not our prices or a bid. The St. Louis row is a 2024 area figure, the Missouri rows 2026 statewide averages. Steep Victorian rooflines, dormers, slate and extra layers push a job higher, and your roofer writes down the real number.
| Cost row | Figure | Source (year) |
|---|---|---|
| Missouri whole roof, average | about $6,931 (range about $5,392 to $17,837) | This Old House (2026) |
| St. Louis asphalt shingles, per sq ft installed | about $5 to $8 | HomeBlue (2024) |
| Missouri slate, per sq ft | about $15.19 | This Old House (2026) |
Rough out your own total with the roof cost calculator or the roof replacement cost guide.
Inspection, Estimate, Install
- Send your request. Tell us about the house and what you have noticed. We follow up with questions and book the visit.
- The roofer looks it over. A local roofer measures, counts layers, checks the attic and takes photos. That inspection and the numbers belong to the roofer.
- Read the written estimate. Look for tear-off, sheathing by the sheet, underlayment, flashing, vents, cleanup and warranty terms.
- Sort out the permit. City rules let a re-roof in the same material skip the building permit, as long as new sheathing stays at a quarter of the roof or less. Switch materials or replace more boards, and a permit applies. Have the roofer check with the Building Division's permit desk, 1200 Market Street, Room 425, and decide who files.
- Clear historic review. In Soulard, Shaw or another local historic district, or on a City Landmark, the Cultural Resources Office usually wants its own permit for roof work. Smaller jobs can be approved at its counter, City Hall Room 424.
- Tear-off and install. Ask for photos of the bare deck, a magnet sweep for nails and the manufacturer warranty in your name.
What Sets This Apart
We answer the questions homeowners usually dig for, at no cost. Missouri has no statewide roofing license, so a business card proves little. City contractors need a City graduated business license, and the License Collector's office in City Hall can confirm a roofer holds one.
- Coverage on paper. Liability and workers' comp proof, an itemized contract and written warranties.
- No cash-only deals. Skip anyone who wants the full amount before work begins.
Quick Answers
Do I need a permit to replace my roof in the City of St. Louis?
Not for a like-material re-roof with 25% or less of the sheathing replaced. A change of material, or more than a quarter of the sheathing, makes it a permit job. Historic-district homes and City Landmarks usually need Cultural Resources Office approval either way. Settle in writing who files.
I live in a St. Louis County suburb. Whose rules apply?
Many County cities have their own building offices. Your roofer should check with your city, or with St. Louis County if your city uses the County for permits. Kirkwood, MO requires a city Contractor's Business License. And if your subdivision has trustees or an HOA, get their color approval first.
Can I switch my slate roof to shingles?
In the City, a change of material needs a building permit. In a local historic district or on a City Landmark, check with the Cultural Resources Office before changing the roofing material, such as slate or tile to shingles. Have a slate repair priced too.
Should the new roof go over the old one?
First learn how many layers are already up there. A tear-off exposes soft sheathing and lets the roofer redo the flashing against the brick, while an overlay hides the deck from view. The written estimate should name the method and its cost.
Other Ways to Fix a Roof
After a storm, see storm and hail damage roofs. Weighing materials? Compare metal roof replacement and shingle roof replacement. One trouble spot may need only roof repair; the repair or replace quiz helps decide.
Request a Replacement Inspection
Ready for real numbers on your house in St. Louis, MO? Send a short request and we'll book the visit. The inspection and written estimate come from a local roofer, with no charge to ask.