Full tear-off and new roof covering for Palouse houses, planned around snow, ice and whatever the decking shows once the old roof is open.
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A roof replacement takes the old covering off down to the deck and puts a new roof system on the same structure. The crew repairs the decking, then installs underlayment, flashing and covering in a set order. On the Palouse the work is planned around snow, eave ice and the ventilation that keeps the attic cold.
A roof replacement takes the old covering off down to the deck and puts a new roof system on the same structure. It is the right answer when repairs are being made to earlier repairs, when the boards under the covering are soft or stained, or when a leak keeps returning at a different spot every winter. On the Palouse the decision is shaped by two seasons that work against a roof in different ways.
Much of the housing here is old enough that the roof is not the only thing that needs a look. Moscow has historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places, including Fort Russell, which its nomination describes as almost totally residential in use, and the Downtown Historic District. A National Register listing records historic significance; it is not a local rule about roof color or material, and the Community Development department is the office that confirms whether a particular property sits in a district with design review.
A replacement is a bigger job than a repair, and it is a job about the whole roof system rather than the surface you see from the street. That system is the covering, the underlayment beneath it, the flashing at every edge and penetration, the drip edge and ventilation, and the decking that holds all of it. Before anyone talks about the job, a crew should walk the roof where it is safe to do so, look at the attic underneath, and check the eaves where snow and meltwater have been sitting.
The old covering comes off to the deck, the deck is repaired board by board, and the new underlayment, flashing and covering go on in an order that keeps water moving outward. Each layer is laid so that it sheds over the one beneath.
The order matters more than most people expect. Underlayment is lapped so that each course sheds over the one below it, and flashing is set so that any water reaching it is directed back onto the roof rather than into the wall. Skipping or reversing one of these steps is how a new roof starts leaking, and it is hard to see the fault once the covering is down.
Size, pitch, the number of layers and the condition of the decking decide most of the cost, and on the Palouse the snow detailing is the next largest factor. The price is explained and approved before work starts.
Roof area and pitch set the material and labor. A steep roof, or one that is hard to walk, takes more time and more safety setup. The number of layers already on, and what the decking looks like once it is open, can change the job after the old covering comes off, which is why the crew checks the deck early and says so when it finds something new.
Covering an old roof with a new layer can avoid a tear-off, but it only makes sense when the deck is sound and the existing covering is flat and in good condition.
The main risk is what you cannot see. A second layer hides rot, soft sheathing and failed fasteners, and it keeps any moisture that has already got under the old covering trapped against the deck. Each winter that moisture freezes and thaws, and the damage grows where no one can inspect it.
Eave protection, valley detailing, ventilation and flashing at every edge matter more on the Palouse than the color of the covering.
Ice barrier underlayment is the most important item at the eaves. Pullman's published design criteria state that it is required there, and on the Idaho side the Moscow Building Safety Division confirms what the adopted code requires for a given address. Whichever side of the line you are on, the crew should ask the question and write the answer on the estimate.
In Moscow a reroof is its own small permit category, and in Pullman reroof is a listed permit category. The rules depend on which city or county the house sits in.
Moscow's Building Safety Division handles plan review, inspections and code administration, and applications go through the city's Online Permit Portal. A simple reroof is an exception to the site-plan requirement that applies to larger building work, so the paperwork is lighter than a remodel. Pullman issues permits through its Civic Access Portal, and its application asks for the general contractor and that contractor's current state registration number.
Do not climb onto a roof to pull off an old covering, and do not work on a roof with snow or ice on it. Tear-off and deck repair are work for a crew with fall protection and the experience to read a soft deck before a foot goes through it. A homeowner can safely look at the roof from the ground, check the attic for daylight and staining, and photograph the eaves. Stop and call when you see sagging, a spot that gives underfoot, or water staining on the ceiling below a valley.
A technician walks the roof where it is safe to do so, measures the surface, and counts the layers already on it. The attic is checked from below for staining, daylight at penetrations and the condition of the sheathing underneath. The eaves and valleys get the closest look, because that is where snow and meltwater have been working on the roof.
The old covering is removed down to the sheathing in a controlled way, so that nothing is left loose on the roof or in the gutters. Nails, drip edge and old underlayment come off as well, because leftover layers hide problems and trap moisture against the deck. This is the stage where the real condition of the roof shows itself.
Each board is checked by eye and by feel. Soft, delaminated or rotted sheathing is cut out and replaced with fresh panels fastened to the rafters, and the repairs are noted for the homeowner. A roof that looks sound from the ground can have a wet deck underneath, so this step is not optional on an older house.
Underlayment goes on in a set order, starting at the eaves, so that each layer sheds water over the one below it. Where the code calls for ice barrier underlayment, that membrane goes at the eaves and runs up the roof. Pullman's published design criteria list ice barrier underlayment as required, which tells you eave ice is the expected condition on this side of the line too.
New flashing goes in at valleys, sidewalls, vent pipes and the chimney, and the roof covering is laid to the manufacturer's installation method. Ventilation is set at the same time, because it decides how much heat reaches the eave and how much snow melts from underneath. The site is cleaned up before the crew leaves, and the finished roof is shown to the homeowner.
This is the standard replacement and the one most often needed on a house that has had several repairs in the same spot. The covering, the old underlayment and the flashing all come off, so the deck can be seen and repaired properly. It is the only option that lets a crew see what water has been doing for years. It applies when the decking is soft in places, when the roof has more than one layer, or when the same valley keeps leaking.
Putting a new covering over an old one is sometimes proposed because it avoids a tear-off. It only makes sense where the deck is sound, the existing covering is flat and in good shape, and the local building official agrees for the address. On the Palouse it is a poor choice in most cases, because a second layer hides any rot underneath, adds weight to a structure that already carries snow, and traps moisture against the old surface.
A metal covering is a common replacement choice here because metal sheds snow. The shedding is also the trade-off, since snow can slide off in a slab and land on a doorway, a walkway or a parked car. A metal replacement is planned with snow retention where people walk, and the eaves, edges and gutters are detailed for the way the snow will move.
Call any hour and explain what is going on. You get a clear price before any work starts.
In Moscow the replacement work sits inside a city where most roofs do not belong to the people living under them. Owner-occupancy in the city is 40.0 percent, against 58.7 percent across Latah County, so many replacements are decided by owners who do not live in the house. A landlord planning a new roof has to think about tenant access, the academic calendar and the winter weather when scheduling the work.
Pullman is a separate city in a separate state. It is 14.0 kilometers from Moscow, it had 32,901 residents in the 2020 census, and it is larger than Moscow. A roof job in Pullman falls under Washington's contractor registration rules, and a job on the Idaho side falls under Idaho's.
Elevation changes how snow sits on a roof. Moscow's city center is about 2,579 feet above sea level, and the eastern towns on higher ground, including Potlatch, hold snow on the roof longer than the lower river towns along the Snake River valley. A roof in a hollow and a roof on a ridge do not face the same snow, so the eave and valley detailing should reflect where the snow lingers longest.
Asphalt shingle repair and replacement for Palouse houses, where dry summer sun and winter freeze-thaw set how the covering ages.
Stopping eave ice dams on Palouse roofs through attic insulation, air sealing and ventilation, and safe removal when water is already getting in.
Resetting or replacing the metal at valleys, chimneys, sidewalls and vent pipes that keeps water out of a Moscow roof.
Air sealing and ventilation that keep attic heat from melting snow on a Moscow roof and feeding ice dams at the eave.
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
A new roof in Moscow is priced from the roof itself.
Neither Idaho nor Washington licenses roofing as a trade, but both require contractors to register with the state.
A reroof in Moscow, Idaho and a reroof in Pullman, Washington go through two building departments under two different state systems.
A metal roof suits a Palouse winter because its smooth surface lets snow slide off rather than build up.
A repair fixes one failure, while a replacement addresses a roof system that has reached the end of its useful condition. Signs that point to replacement include soft decking, leaks that keep returning from different spots, and a covering that is failing across most of the roof rather than in one area. The crew makes that call after a close inspection or the tear-off, and explains its reasoning before any work starts.
Work in deep winter is limited by snow, ice and short daylight, and by the risk of leaving a roof open overnight. A crew will open only as much roof as it can close in one working period, and it covers any open area with a tarp until the weather allows the rest of the job. Many replacements on the Palouse are planned for the drier months, when the work can be finished without leaving the roof exposed.
Ask which state's registration applies and whether the house is on the Idaho or the Washington side of the line. Ask who pulls the permit, how the decking is checked, and what ice and snow detailing is included in the price. Ask how the old material is removed and where it goes.
A new roof helps with ice dams only as part of the whole system. Ice dams form when heat escapes from the attic, melts snow from below, and the meltwater refreezes at the eave, so insulation, air sealing and ventilation are what stop them. A replacement is the right moment to add eave protection and correct the ventilation, but the attic work is what keeps the eave cold.
The crew should explain, before work starts, how the old material is removed from the roof and where it goes. Removal and disposal are part of the job, and the homeowner should not have to arrange them. If the method or the disposal plan is unclear, settle that on site before the first piece comes off the roof.
Usually yes, but the house will be noisy and the crew will be working directly above the rooms below. Move pictures, glass and fragile items away from the walls under the roof, and keep vehicles and outdoor furniture clear of the eaves. If the attic has an access hatch, the crew may ask you to keep it clear.