Handnail Roofing replaces asphalt shingle roofs in Conroe, Magnolia, The Woodlands and the rest of Montgomery County. Andy Hughes, the owner, inspects and prices your roof himself, and his crew tears off and shingles most homes in one day, every shingle hand-nailed. Houston-area replacements run $400 to $600 per roofing square installed in 2026 and our 2026 jobs have averaged just under $400 per square, so a typical 25-square home lands between $10,000 and $15,000. The inspection is free.
Nobody wants a new roof, so we start by checking whether you need one. If a repair buys you five more years, we quote the repair. If the shingles are done, we show you the photos that prove it and one written price for the whole job.
Signs it’s time to replace your roof
A shingle roof in this climate usually gives 15 to 20 years. Attic heat, hail and Gulf wind take a few years off the number on the wrapper. This is what “done” looks like.
Granules in the gutters
Granules are the shingle’s sunscreen. When they pile up at the downspouts and the roof looks bald in patches, the asphalt underneath is cooking, and cracking is next.
Shingles that snap when lifted
A healthy shingle bends. A brittle one breaks, so it can’t be repaired without wrecking the ones around it. That test usually settles repair versus replace.
Leaks in more than one place
One leak is a pipe boot or a flashing joint. Three leaks on three slopes mean the roof is at the end, and patching it is paying twice.
A repair every spring
If you’ve had a roofer out two years running, add the invoices up. Once they pass a quarter of a new roof, replacement is cheaper.
Storm damage across whole slopes
Hail bruising or wind creasing spread over the roof is a replacement, and often an insurance claim. We document it the way the adjuster needs to see it.
Curling, cupping and lifted tabs
Edges curling up or centers cupping mean the shingle has lost its flexibility and its seal. The next strong gust takes them.
What a full roof replacement includes
A replacement is not new shingles on the old roof. Every layer comes off and every layer goes back on new, in this order.
- Tear-off. Shingles, old underlayment, old flashing and every nail come off, down to bare wood.
- Decking check. We walk every sheet and press every soft spot. Rotted decking is cut out and replaced, with a photo and a price for each sheet before we do it.
- Drip edge. Metal along the eaves and rakes so water drips into the gutter instead of wicking back under the shingles and rotting the fascia.
- Ice-and-water shield. A self-sealing membrane in the valleys and around every pipe, vent, wall and chimney, the spots where water slows down and pools.
- Underlayment. Synthetic underlayment over the whole deck, lapped so water always runs onto the next sheet, never under it.
- Starter strip. A starter course along the eaves and rakes with the sealant at the edge. Without it the first course has no seal and the wind gets a fingerhold.
- Field shingles, hand-nailed. Four nails per shingle, six where the manufacturer’s high-wind pattern calls for it, each set by hand, flush, inside the marked nailing zone.
- Flashing. New pipe boots, new step flashing at every wall, new counter-flashing at the chimney, kick-out flashing where a roof edge ends against a wall. Reused flashing is how a new roof leaks in year two.
- Ridge vent and cap. We cut the ridge open for a continuous vent so attic heat has a way out, then cap it with ridge shingles hand-nailed through the vent into the deck.
- Cleanup and photos. Magnet sweep for nails, haul-off, a walk-around with you, and after photos of every slope sent to your phone.
Ventilation gets its own look while the roof is open. If the soffit vents are painted shut or the attic has no exhaust, we show you the fix; it’s the difference between a roof that lasts 20 years and one that bakes out in 12. More on attic ventilation. It’s also the cheapest day to replace old gutters.
Which shingle to choose
We install every line ABC Supply carries: GAF, CertainTeed, Owens Corning, TAMKO and Atlas. We hold CertainTeed’s ShingleMaster credential, and we’ll put on whichever brand fits your roof and budget. Three decisions matter more than the brand.
Architectural or three-tab. Architectural (laminated) shingles are thicker, carry higher wind ratings and hide a roof’s waves. Three-tab is cheaper up front and gives up years on the back end. We put architectural on almost everything.
Impact rating. Shingles are tested by dropping steel balls on them. Class 3 survives a 1.75-inch ball and Class 4 survives a 2-inch ball without cracking. In the hail belt north of Houston, a Class 4 shingle such as GAF Timberline AS II, CertainTeed Landmark ClimateFlex or Owens Corning Duration FLEX is usually worth the difference, and many Texas insurers discount the premium for it. Ask your agent first; some carriers pair the discount with a cosmetic-damage exclusion.
Color. Lighter colors run a little cooler in August, and your HOA may have a short list. We bring sample boards.
What roof replacement costs in Montgomery County
Full replacements in the Houston area run $400 to $600 per roofing square installed in 2026, and our 2026 jobs have averaged just under $400 per square. A square is 100 square feet of roof. A typical 25-square home lands between $10,000 and $15,000. What moves your number inside that range:
- Size and pitch. More squares is more material. Steeper is slower and needs more safety setup.
- Layers. Two layers of old shingle means twice the tear-off and haul-off.
- Decking. Priced per sheet, only for sheets that need it, with a photo of each.
- Shingle choice. Class 4 and designer lines cost more per square than a standard architectural shingle.
- Flashing. Chimneys, skylights and a lot of wall intersections add time.
The estimate is itemized and goes to an online portal where you read it, ask questions and sign from your phone. Financing is available, including 0% APR for up to 18 months for qualified buyers, subject to credit approval, and we show every option as a monthly payment so you can compare a standard shingle, a Class 4 upgrade and a repair side by side. For a ballpark first, try the roof cost calculator.
How long it takes and what install day looks like
Most homes are torn off and shingled in one day. The crew arrives early, and the loud part, the tear-off, is done by mid-morning. The deck is checked and dried in with underlayment before lunch, so an afternoon storm stays out. Shingles go on through the afternoon, the ridge is capped, and the yard is swept before dark. Large, steep or cut-up roofs can run into a second day, and we say so when we quote.
Before we arrive: cars out of the driveway, pictures off the walls (hammering shakes the whole house), pets inside, and a sheet over anything in the attic you care about, because dust comes through the decking gaps. You don’t have to be home, but we’d like you there for the walk-around at the end.
HOA approvals and permits
Most master-planned communities around here, from The Woodlands to Woodforest and Grand Central Park in Conroe and the newer sections of Magnolia and Spring, have an architectural review process for roofs. Usually it’s a form, a spec sheet and a color name. We do the application with you, because a review delay is the most common reason an install date slips. Where the city or county requires a permit, we pull it and it’s in the price.
Why every shingle is hand-nailed
A laminated shingle has a narrow strip where a nail catches both layers. Hit that strip and the shingle is locked to the deck; miss high and only the top layer is held, so the first strong wind peels it. A nail gun on a hot afternoon drives through the mat; on a cold morning it leaves the head proud to cut the shingle above. A hand-set nail is straight, flush and in the strip every time, because the roofer is looking at it. It costs us hours. It’s why our roofs stay on. Longer comparison here. Building new rather than replacing? See roof installation.
Roof replacement questions we get every week
How much does a roof replacement cost in Montgomery County?
Houston-area replacements run $400 to $600 per roofing square installed in 2026, and our 2026 replacements have averaged just under $400 per square. A typical 25-square home lands between $10,000 and $15,000 depending on pitch, layers, decking condition and the shingle you pick. You get an exact itemized price after a free inspection, and we can show it as a monthly payment.
How long does a roof replacement take?
Most homes are torn off and shingled in one day. Very large, steep or cut-up roofs, or roofs that need a lot of decking, can run into a second day. We tell you which to expect when we quote the job.
Should I pay extra for Class 4 impact-rated shingles?
Usually, yes, if you plan to stay in the house. A Class 4 shingle is built to take a 2-inch steel ball without cracking, which is a fair stand-in for the hail we get north of Houston, and many Texas insurers discount the premium for one. We quote a standard shingle and a Class 4 side by side so you can see the difference in dollars.
Does my HOA need to approve a new roof?
In most master-planned communities, yes. The board wants the shingle brand, line and color before work starts, and some limit the colors. We help you fill out the application and we don't book the install date until it's approved.
What happens if you find rotted decking under the shingles?
We cut it out and replace it, priced per sheet. Before we replace any sheet you get a photo of it and the price, sent to your phone. It's never a surprise on the final invoice.
Can you install new shingles over my old ones?
We don't do layovers. A second layer hides rotted decking, holds heat in the shingles so they age faster, and doubles the cost of the next tear-off. A full tear-off costs more today and less over the life of the roof.
Where we replace roofs
We’re based in Spring and replace roofs across Montgomery County and the north Houston suburbs: Conroe, The Woodlands, Magnolia, Montgomery, Spring, Tomball, Cypress, Willis, Pinehurst, Huntsville and Sugar Land. Recent roofs are in the gallery.
