Roof replacement day by day: what to expect in Dallas

By Cyril Cross, Roofing Guides Editor · Updated September 2026

Before the crew: contract, permit and approvals

Once you sign, the scope is fixed: the shingle line and color, underlayment, flashing, vents and a per-sheet price for any decking that has to be replaced. In Dallas, a full re-roof needs a permit, which the contractor normally pulls; standard re-roof permits are typically processed in one to three business days. If you have an HOA, its approval comes first, and our HOA guide covers how that works.

Two or three days before: getting the house ready

• Move cars out of the driveway and garage for the work days.
• Take pictures and mirrors off walls on the top floor; hammering shakes them.
• Cover belongings in the attic with sheets; some dust always falls.
• Move patio furniture, grills and planters away from the house.
• Plan for pets and children to be away from the noise and the work area.

Delivery day

Materials usually arrive a day or two before the crew, either set in the driveway or loaded straight onto the roof by a boom truck. A trailer or dumpster for the old roof is placed where it will not block the street. If anything delivered does not match the product named in your contract, now is the time to say so.

Day one: tear-off and dry-in

The crew strips the old roof down to the decking, slope by slope, with tarps protecting landscaping and siding. Once the decking is exposed, soft or rotted sheets are found and replaced at the agreed per-sheet price; this is the only part of the job whose quantity is unknown until tear-off. Drip edge and underlayment go on next, so the house is dry even if a storm comes through. On many single-story homes, shingles start the same afternoon. Our decking repair page shows what we look for.

Day two: shingles, flashing and vents

Starter strip, shingles, step and counter flashing, pipe boots, vents and the ridge cap go on in order, working from the eaves up. Flashing at chimneys and walls takes the most care and is where a good crew slows down. On larger or steeper roofs this stretches into a third day. Weather can pause the work; when it does, the roof is left dried in, never open. The full scope is on our roof replacement page.

Cleanup, inspection and paperwork

Cleanup is part of the job, not an extra: debris hauled away, gutters cleared, and a magnetic sweep of the yard, driveway and beds for nails. The city then inspects the work under the permit. You should receive the final invoice, the warranty information and photos of the finished roof.

On an insurance claim, the final invoice is what the insurer needs to release recoverable depreciation on a replacement-cost policy. Our guide to reading your insurance estimate explains that step.