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Roofing services in Arlington, VA: find the right one by your situation
Roofers of Arlington installs, repairs and replaces roofs, including flat and metal systems, in Arlington and nearby. Most owners do not start with a service name. They start with a leak, a storm, a board vote or a sale. The table below matches the situation to the service, and the definitions after it use the trade associations' own wording so a proposal can be read line by line.
- Install, repair and replace: three services, one phone number
- Flat and metal systems covered, not just shingles
- Definitions credited to ARMA, NRCA and MCA
Start with your situation
Find the row that sounds like yours. The middle column says what the work is called when you read a proposal, and the last column says where to read more on this site.
| Your situation | The service to ask about | What it should start with | Read more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water is coming in | Leak repair | Finding the source: flashing, one damaged section, or wider failure | Roof repair |
| A storm has passed | Damage assessment, then repair or replacement | Photographs and a written list of what is damaged | Roof repair, roofing insurance |
| The roof is aging or worn | Condition assessment, then a repair-or-replace choice | A written scope for each option | Roof replacement |
| You are selling or buying | Condition assessment | Findings in writing, with photographs | Roof replacement |
| You sit on a condo or co-op board | Replacement scope for the whole building | Who approves the work under your documents | Condo and co-op guide |
| The roof is flat or low-slope | Flat and low-slope system repair or replacement | Drainage, seams and edge metal | Flat roof, commercial roofing |
| You want metal | Metal roof installation or replacement | Panel profile, slope and fastening | Metal roof |
| Your address is historic | Replacement planned around county review | A check of the county's local historic district list | Slate and historic roofs |
Not sure which row fits? Book a phone consultation to talk it through.
What each service means
The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) and the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) publish plain definitions. Where a term below is defined by one of them, it says so. The rest is how we use the word.
- Condition assessment (inspection). Looking at the roof, and from inside at the underside of the deck, to record what is wrong. ARMA suggests owners look from the ground with binoculars for cracked, curled or missing shingles and loss of granules, and warns against climbing on the roof. NRCA lists cracked, warped or missing shingles, loose seams and deteriorated flashings as what inspections can uncover.
- Leak repair. Fixing the specific cause of water entry. NRCA says a leak does not necessarily mean a complete replacement, because leaks can result from loose flashings or one damaged section.
- Re-cover. ARMA: covering an existing roofing system with a new roofing system.
- Re-roofing (tear-off). ARMA: removing an existing roofing system and replacing it with a new one.
- Replacement. A full new roof system, including deck repair where needed, flashings and edges. Our roof replacement page covers the order of work.
- Flat and low-slope systems. ARMA describes a built-up roof as a flat or low-sloped roof of multiple layers of asphalt and ply sheets. Membrane systems are described on our flat roof page.
- Metal roofing. The Metal Construction Association (MCA) says steep-slope metal roofs are often defined as pitches of 3:12 or greater, and that low-slope structural roofing is generally used on pitches from 1/4:12 to 3:12, described as interlocking standing seam panels.
Re-cover or tear-off
NRCA says an owner has two basic options: complete replacement, which means tearing off the existing roof, or a re-cover over it. It adds that in many instances building code allows no more than one re-cover.
The code reproduction we read says a roof recover is not allowed where the existing roof is water soaked or deteriorated, where the existing covering is slate, clay, cement or asbestos-cement tile, or where two or more applications of roof covering are already in place. We read it on a third-party copy because the official site refused automated access, so confirm with the county.
Ask for both scopes in writing, even if you expect to choose one. A tear-off scope should say what happens when the deck is found rotted. A re-cover scope should say how the existing layers were checked. See roof replacement for the full checklist.
Flashing, edge metal and gutters on a roof job
These are parts of a roof job, not separate services here. They belong in the scope whenever they touch the roof.
Flashing
ARMA defines flashing as pieces of metal or roll roofing used to prevent seepage of water around any intersection or projection, such as vent pipes, chimneys, adjoining walls, dormers and valleys. A scope should say which of these are replaced.
Edge metal
NRCA says the ANSI/SPRI ES-1 test standard applies to perimeter edge-metal flashing such as metal fascia and copings, and does not apply to gutters.
Gutters, as a roof component
NRCA lists gutters filled with leaves and debris as an owner maintenance item, and says ice damming can occur without gutters. A scope should say whether existing gutters are left in place, protected or removed for the roof work.
Where Arlington rules change the service
The service you pick does not change the paperwork nearly as much as the building does. Our Arlington roofing guide gives the county's table in full. The short version:
- The county treats a detached one- or two-family home or townhouse of no more than three stories as residential, and anything else as commercial. It describes apartment buildings of three or more units as commercial.
- For a residential re-roof, the county's page says no permit is needed when only the covering is replaced, and none when decking replaced is under 256 square feet. Above that, a permit is required. A permit is required no matter how much decking is replaced where fire-retardant-treated decking was required at original construction, such as a townhouse.
- In a local historic district, the county says a Certificate of Appropriateness is required for exterior alterations, new construction and demolition, with the exception of routine maintenance, repairs and replacements using the same materials.
Condo, co-op and apartment owners should read the condo and co-op guide first. For nearby addresses see Alexandria, Falls Church, McLean and Vienna. For the permit counter, the county prints 703-228-3800.
What a phone consultation covers
A phone consultation is a conversation, not a quote. These are the things we will ask you:
- The address and the building type: house, townhouse, condo, apartment or commercial.
- What is visible from the ground and from inside: stains, drips, missing pieces.
- Whether the roof is flat, low-slope or steep, and what covers it now.
- Whether there has been a storm event, an insurance claim or a pending sale.
- Who must approve the work: you, a board or a historic review.
Book a phone consultation or call (571) 397-6072. NRCA's guide to choosing a contractor says to insist on a written proposal with complete descriptions of the work, and that price is only one criterion.
Where the definitions and rules come from
Arlington County pages are blocked to automated downloads, so county text comes from archived copies. Other sources were opened on October 18, 2026.
- ARMA: Frequently Asked Questions and glossary
- NRCA: Roofing guidelines, resources and FAQ
- NRCA: Selecting a contractor
- NRCA: Testing of shop-fabricated edge metal
- Metal Construction Association: steep slope metal roofing and low slope metal roofing
- Virginia Residential Code 2021, chapter 9, as reproduced by UpCodes
- 13VAC5-63-80, Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code
- Arlington County: Residential Building Permit (archived December 30, 2025)
- Arlington County: Certificate of Appropriateness (archived December 6, 2025)
Questions people ask
What roofing services does Roofers of Arlington offer?
Roofers of Arlington installs, repairs and replaces roofs in Arlington and nearby, including flat and metal systems.
Does a roof leak mean I need a new roof?
Not necessarily. The National Roofing Contractors Association says leaks can come from flashings that have come loose or from one damaged section, and that complete system failure is a different matter. A written assessment should say which one you have.
What is the difference between a re-cover and a tear-off?
The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association defines re-covering as covering an existing roofing system with a new one, and re-roofing as removing the existing system and replacing it. Both are on the definitions above, along with the limits that apply.
Which service fits a flat roof?
A flat or low-slope roof is its own system, with a membrane, seams, drains and edge metal rather than overlapping shingles. Ask for a repair or replacement scope written for that system, and see our flat roof page for the system types.
I am selling my house. Should I repair or replace the roof?
That depends on what a condition assessment finds, so start there. Ask for the findings in writing, with photographs, and a scope for repair and a scope for replacement so the two can be compared before anything is decided.
Who decides on the roof in a condo or co-op?
The association, under its own documents and Virginia statutes. Our condo and co-op guide walks through what those statutes say. Ask your board or management company who approves the work and who signs the contract.
Do I need a permit for roof work in Arlington?
It depends on the building type and the amount of decking replaced. The county's own table is summarized on our Arlington guide, and the Permit Arlington Center at 703-228-3800 is the place to confirm your case.
How do I start?
Book a phone consultation. Have the address, the building type and a description of what you can see from the ground ready. The page also lists what we will ask you.
Talk through your roof with Roofers of Arlington
Share the address, what you are seeing on the roof and the decision you need to make. We will tell you what to expect before anything is scheduled.