How in the world do I get a new roof in 2021?
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Last Updated: December 25, 2025 Published: March 29, 2021
Filed under: Buying a New Roof
If you’ve been thinking about buying a new roof recently, you might not be aware of some of the problems affecting the construction and home remodeling industry right now.
Due to issues outside the control of contractors, suppliers, and manufacturers, products, materials, and even labor can be hard to find. Over the past year, factories have faced temporary shutdowns, installers have moved to other professions, and demand has increased overall.
During this time, many homeowners have taken advantage of being home more often to remodel. This creates the perfect storm of too much demand for labor, materials, and not enough time to fit everyone into a desirable schedule.
Though some home improvement projects can wait as this situation blows over, replacing your roof is too important to put off. Even with shortages and delays, the integrity of your roof is critical to protecting your home and belongings.
So what can you do to get a new roof?
In short, be prepared for it and manage your expectations accordingly. These price changes, shortages, and delays affect every step of the process, from you to raw material suppliers.
If you take the following tips to heart, you’ll be much better off when looking to re-roof (and don’t sweat it, with the right contractor and planning, you can get the perfect roof for you and your budget).
Here’s how:
- Buy sooner rather than later– prices are continuing to increase, so the longer you wait, the higher they’ll be. If you can’t wait or don’t want to, buying now will at least get you current prices. It may be a long time before prices fall back to pre-pandemic levels.
- Budget for price change– you might have a budget in mind before you start your roofing project but be prepared to allow some wiggle room. Major construction projects always benefit from some flexibility in unforeseen circumstances, especially with rapid price changes.
- Expect longer wait/lead times– these arise due to many factors, but mostly from lack of supply, labor shortages, and increased demand not met by supply. All across the construction industry, products are taking longer to get out to homeowners. Specifically for metal roofing, many metal mills were affected by pandemic-related shutdowns. Their supply dwindled, and then demand skyrocketed, so they could no longer keep up.
- Communicate with your contractor– on price, project milestones, expected completion date, material arriving, or anything in between. Contractors are doing their best to stay in touch with manufacturers and suppliers as material shortages and lead times continue to change. Understand that delays may be out of your contractor’s control or their supplier’s control.
- Understand the shortage of qualified installers– just like materials are hard to get ahold of, so are many installers. You may need to plan projects well in advance, and their calendars may be full for longer than usual. A high-quality installer is worth it if you can wait, especially for something as important as your roof.
If you keep these tips in mind when looking for a new roof, you won’t be blindsided by high prices, material shortages, or long wait times. Even with this knowledge, it may be best to wait for things to pass before starting your roofing project.
Talk to a contractor you trust and keep in mind that things might be out of their control as they present your options. Hopefully, as things look up for the pandemic, prices, shortages, and wait times start to improve too.
Your patience will pay off with the beautiful roof you deserve.
Our nationwide network of trusted Dealers and Roofing Contractors can guide you on your quest for a new roof in 2021. Contact us to find your local connection.
Tags: availability, cost
