Is the roof inspection free?

Yes. We inspect, photograph every slope and give you a written report at no cost and no obligation, whether or not there is a sale in it.

Are you licensed and insured?

Yes, and you should ask every contractor who knocks on your door the same question — then ask to see it in writing.

How long does a roof replacement take?

Most residential roofs are a one-day tear-off and installation. Larger or more complex rooflines run two to three days, and weather moves schedules more than anything else.

Do you offer financing?

We work with many different financing vendors, so there is usually more than one option. We review what fits after inspecting the roof and giving you a written price.

How do I know if my cedar shake roof needs replacing instead of repair?

When moss, splitting, cupping and soft or rotted shakes show up across several slopes, repairs stop keeping up. If the problems are isolated to a few shakes, a ridge, or the flashing around a chimney, a repair is often the smarter call. Our free inspection photographs every slope, by drone when the roof is too slick to walk, and gives you an honest repair-or-replace recommendation.

Is moss on a cedar shake roof a problem?

Yes. Moss grows between the shakes, holds moisture against the wood and keeps it from drying out, which speeds up rot and splitting. It also makes the roof slick and dangerous to walk. Light moss caught early can be handled as a repair; moss that has been there for years has usually already damaged the shakes underneath.

What can I replace a cedar shake roof with?

You can replace cedar with new cedar, or with a shake-look shingle that gives you the same rustic texture with less upkeep, such as CertainTeed Presidential Shake, IKO ArmourShake or Atlas StormMaster Shake. We walk you through the options, colors and what each one means for your home before you choose.

Do you have to change the roof deck when going from cedar shakes to shingles?

Often, yes. Many cedar shake roofs were installed over spaced or skip sheathing that lets the wood breathe. Asphalt and shake-look shingles need a solid deck, so we check the decking during the inspection and include any new sheathing in your written estimate.

What warranty comes with a cedar shake roof replacement?

Every roof installed by John Beal Roofing comes with our lifetime workmanship warranty, plus the manufacturer's standard product warranty on the materials.

How much does a cedar shake roof replacement cost?

It depends on the size and pitch of the roof, the condition of the decking, and whether you go back with cedar or choose a shake-look shingle. We don't quote a number without seeing the roof. We inspect it for free and give you a written, itemized estimate.

Cedar Shake Roof Replacement | Free Drone Inspection

John Beal Roofing replaces cedar shake roofs across Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky, either with new cedar or with a low-maintenance shake-look shingle. Every replacement starts with a free inspection, by drone when moss makes the roof too slick to walk, and comes with a written estimate and our lifetime workmanship warranty. Call 1-800-564-6232, answered 24/7.

Moss growing across a weathered cedar shake roof, seen from the ladder during a John Beal Roofing inspection — Moss across a cedar shake roof we inspected. It was too slick to walk, so we finished the inspection by drone.

A cedar shake roof is one of the best-looking roofs a house can wear. It is also one of the hardest to keep healthy in Midwest weather. Shaded slopes stay damp, moss moves in between the shakes, and the wood starts to cup, split and soften long before you see a leak on the ceiling.

The video at the top of this page is real inspection footage from one of our jobs. Our inspector got up the ladder, saw how much moss was holding water on the shakes, and decided the roof was too slick to walk. We finished the inspection by drone instead, which is how we handle any cedar roof where walking it would do more harm than good.

Signs your cedar shake roof needs replacing

Moss or lichen on several slopes, not just one shaded corner
Split, cupped or curled shakes across the field of the roof
Soft, dark or crumbling wood at the bottom edges of the shakes
Missing shakes after wind, with felt or decking showing through
Repeated leaks in different spots, even after repairs
Daylight or damp insulation in the attic below the roof

If you only see one or two of these in one small area, read our cedar shake roof repair page first. A repair may be all you need.

Your options: new cedar or a shake-look shingle

When a cedar roof is done, you have two real choices. You can go back with new cedar shakes and keep the natural wood, or you can switch to a shake-look shingle that gives you the same deep, rustic texture with far less upkeep. Popular choices include CertainTeed Presidential Shake, IKO ArmourShake and Atlas StormMaster Shake. We show you samples and photos of each so you can see what fits your house before anything gets ordered.

What a cedar shake roof replacement includes

Full tear-off of the old shakes and felt down to the decking
Decking check, and solid sheathing where the old roof sat on spaced or skip boards and the new roof needs a solid deck
New underlayment with ice-and-water shield at the eaves and valleys
New flashing at chimneys, walls, skylights and pipe boots
Balanced attic ventilation so the new roof isn't cooked from underneath
Permits pulled, magnet sweep for nails and a final walk with you

Why homeowners call John Beal Roofing for cedar shake roofs

Free inspection, photographed slope by slope, by drone when the roof isn't safe to walk
Lifetime workmanship warranty on every roof we install, plus the manufacturer's product warranty
Family-owned since 1947, three generations of the Beal family
BBB Torch Award Winner for Ethics and 50,000+ satisfied customers
Certified installer: Owens Corning Platinum Preferred, GAF Master Elite, CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster
Local offices in every market we serve and a real person on the phone 24/7

Video transcript

Is moss on your cedar shake roof a problem? Here's what it looks like up close. Moss grows right between the shakes, holds moisture against the wood, and makes the whole roof slick. Our inspector wouldn't even walk this one, so we checked it by drone instead. Seeing moss on your roof? Get a free estimate. Call John Beal Roofing.

Where we replace cedar shake roofs

St. Louis314-429-6000 Kansas City, MO816-572-9500 Kansas City, KS913-281-6000 Indianapolis317-726-6000 Springfield, MO417-429-1927 Columbia573-343-8993 Jefferson City573-343-8993 Lake of the Ozarks573-343-8993 Farmington573-343-8993 Cape Girardeau573-343-8993 Southern Illinois618-549-0800 Paducah, KY270-727-5868

Cedar shake roof replacement FAQ

How do I know if my cedar shake roof needs replacing instead of repair?: When moss, splitting, cupping and soft or rotted shakes show up across several slopes, repairs stop keeping up. If the problems are isolated to a few shakes, a ridge, or the flashing around a chimney, a repair is often the smarter call. Our free inspection photographs every slope, by drone when the roof is too slick to walk, and gives you an honest repair-or-replace recommendation.
Is moss on a cedar shake roof a problem?: Yes. Moss grows between the shakes, holds moisture against the wood and keeps it from drying out, which speeds up rot and splitting. It also makes the roof slick and dangerous to walk. Light moss caught early can be handled as a repair; moss that has been there for years has usually already damaged the shakes underneath.
What can I replace a cedar shake roof with?: You can replace cedar with new cedar, or with a shake-look shingle that gives you the same rustic texture with less upkeep, such as CertainTeed Presidential Shake, IKO ArmourShake or Atlas StormMaster Shake. We walk you through the options, colors and what each one means for your home before you choose.
Do you have to change the roof deck when going from cedar shakes to shingles?: Often, yes. Many cedar shake roofs were installed over spaced or skip sheathing that lets the wood breathe. Asphalt and shake-look shingles need a solid deck, so we check the decking during the inspection and include any new sheathing in your written estimate.
What warranty comes with a cedar shake roof replacement?: Every roof installed by John Beal Roofing comes with our lifetime workmanship warranty, plus the manufacturer's standard product warranty on the materials.
How much does a cedar shake roof replacement cost?: It depends on the size and pitch of the roof, the condition of the decking, and whether you go back with cedar or choose a shake-look shingle. We don't quote a number without seeing the roof. We inspect it for free and give you a written, itemized estimate.

Cedar Shake Roof Replacement

Free Roof Inspection