How Long Does a Roof Installation Take?
Honest Answer From an Oklahoma Roofer
Most new roofs we install take 1.5 to 2 days. That's it.
Size matters, sure. A small house in Moore might be done before dinner on day one. A big two-story in Edmond with a steep pitch and a bunch of valleys? Give us two full days, maybe a little more. But for the average home around Norman and the OKC metro, you're looking at a day and a half.
People are always surprised by that. They picture a week of hammering and a yard full of debris. The truth is a lot less painful, and we'll walk you through exactly how it goes.
What Actually Happens on Day One
Our crew shows up early. First thing we do is protect what's yours. Tarps over the flower beds, plywood against the siding, and the dump trailer parked where it won't crack your driveway.
Then the tear-off starts. All the old shingles come off, right down to the wood decking. This part is loud. There's no way around that.
Once the decking is exposed, we inspect every inch of it. This step matters more in Oklahoma than almost anywhere else. Hail and wind-driven rain get under shingles and rot the wood underneath, and you'd never see it from the ground. If we find soft spots, we replace those boards on the spot and photograph everything. Those photos come in handy if you're working through an insurance claim.
By late afternoon, the underlayment and drip edge are on. Here's the part homeowners care about most: even if we haven't laid a single shingle yet, your house is watertight overnight. We never leave a roof exposed. Not in Oklahoma. Storms don't ask permission.
Day Two: Shingles, Flashing, Cleanup
Day two is when it starts looking like a roof again.
We install shingles from the eaves up, following the manufacturer's specs to the letter. We're certified by GAF, CertainTeed, and Owens Corning, and those certifications aren't just wall decorations. They mean we can offer stronger warranties than a non-certified crew, and it means the manufacturer has vetted how we work.
After the field shingles come the ridge caps, flashing, and vents. Then the part your bare feet will thank us for: cleanup. We run magnetic sweepers across the whole yard and driveway to pull up stray nails. Then a final walkthrough with you before we leave.
What Can Stretch the Timeline
A few things can add time, and we'd rather you hear them from us upfront:
- Weather. It's Oklahoma. If a storm rolls through, we pause and pick back up when it passes. Your roof stays protected the whole time thanks to that day-one underlayment.
- Hidden decking damage. More rot than expected means more boards to replace. Usually adds a few hours, not days.
- Roof complexity. Dormers, skylights, multiple valleys, steep pitches. All of it slows things down a bit.
- Insurance timing. Here's something worth knowing: if your roof is part of a hail claim, the slow part is never the install. It's the approval. That can take a few weeks. We help our customers navigate the whole claim from the first inspection to the final check, so once the insurance company signs off, we're on your roof within days, not months.
Getting Your Home Ready
You don't have to do much, honestly. A few things help:
- Pull your cars out of the garage and driveway the night before
- Take pictures and anything fragile off the walls (the hammering vibrates through the whole house)
- Flag your sprinkler heads so we can work around them
- If you work from home, day one is a good day to hit a coffee shop
- Keep kids and pets inside until we've done the final magnet sweep
That's it. You don't even need to be home. Plenty of our customers in Norman and Edmond head to work like normal and come home to a new roof.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a roof installation take in Oklahoma?
For Big Dawgs Roofing, most new roof installs take 1.5 to 2 days depending on the size of the roof. Smaller homes are often done in one day.
Can you really install a roof in one day?
On smaller, simpler roofs, yes. We'll give you a real timeline for your specific house during your free inspection, not a guess.
Do I need to be home while you work?
No. We just need the driveway clear and access to an outdoor outlet.
What if it storms mid-project?
We pause, your roof stays sealed under the underlayment, and we finish when the weather clears. We never leave a roof open overnight.
How long does an insurance roof replacement take start to finish?
The install itself is still 1.5 to 2 days. The insurance approval usually takes one to four weeks, and we handle most of that back-and-forth for you.
I think I have hail damage. How fast should I act?
Soon. Most policies have filing deadlines, and hail damage only gets worse while you wait. A free inspection takes less than an hour.
Ready for a Real Answer About Your Roof?
Every roof is a little different. The only way to know your exact timeline is to have someone get up there and look.
Call Big Dawgs Roofing & Construction at (405) 639-7691 for a free, no-pressure inspection anywhere in Norman, Oklahoma City, Edmond, or Moore. Storm damage? We'll document it, photograph it, and walk you through the insurance process too.
Big Dawgs Roofing & Construction. GAF, CertainTeed, and Owens Corning certified. Proudly serving Norman, OKC, Edmond, Moore, and surrounding Oklahoma communities.
