The first question every West Palm homeowner asks me: what's a new roof going to cost? Here's my honest answer: I won't give you a number until I've been on your roof with a tape measure. But I will tell you exactly what drives the price — and in West Palm Beach, the age of the housing stock makes two things matter more than anywhere else: what's under the old roof, and what your insurance company thinks of it.
I'm Joe. I run Onel Construction out of Boca Raton. Fifteen years in this business. I'm not going to give you "call for a free estimate" and nothing else — I'm going to tell you how roof replacement actually works.
What Actually Drives the Price
The decking underneath. You don't know the condition of the wood until the old roof is off — and in West Palm's older homes, there's more history up there. Past leaks, old repairs, original decking from decades ago. If there's rot — and in South Florida, there's often rot — it gets replaced. Any roofer who prices decking repairs sight-unseen is making it up. I tell you upfront how I handle it: I document it, I show you, we deal with it honestly.
Material. Architectural shingles are the workhorse — good life, good price. Tile is common on West Palm's older and higher-end homes — costs more, lasts longer, needs a structure built for the weight. If your home already has tile and you're considering a switch, my engineer Troy Bishop reviews the structural side — these aren't guesses. Metal costs the most upfront and outlives everything. There's no wrong answer, just trade-offs, and I'll lay them out for your house.
How many layers are coming off. One layer of old shingles is a normal tear-off. Two layers is double the dumpster, double the labor, and your price goes up before we've laid a single new shingle. Older homes are the most likely to be hiding a second layer.
The pitch and the complexity. A simple roofline is fast. Cut-up roofs with valleys, dormers, and steep pitches take longer and cost more. More flashing, more detail work, more time on the roof.
The Insurance Angle — This Is Big in Florida
Here's what most homeowners don't put together: a new roof can drop your homeowners insurance significantly. Carriers in Florida are brutal on old roofs — some won't even write a policy on a roof past a certain age, and West Palm's older housing stock means a lot of homeowners are feeling that pressure right now. A new roof with a wind mitigation inspection can unlock credits worth real money every year.
I say "can" because your carrier makes the final call. But I've watched customers get meaningful premium drops after a replacement — I had my own wind mitigation done back in 2022, so I've been through the process myself. If your carrier is threatening non-renewal over roof age, a replacement isn't just maintenance — it's keeping your insurance.
And don't forget: the My Safe Florida Home program has offered up to $10,000 in grant money for hurricane hardening, roofs included. Funding comes and goes with the state budget, so I check what's current when you call — and I help homeowners through the application either way.
Do I Need a Permit for a Roof Replacement in West Palm Beach?
Always. Roof replacement in Florida is permitted work, full stop — no exceptions. The inspection verifies the nailing pattern, the underlayment, the flashing — the things that determine whether your roof survives the next big storm. In older homes, the inspection is especially valuable: it's an independent set of eyes on the structure the new roof is going onto. I pull the permit on every roof, and I meet the inspector.
A roofer who doesn't want an inspector looking at his work is telling you everything you need to know.
How to Not Get Burned on a Roofing Job
Fifteen years in South Florida has taught me how roofing scams work. Here's what to watch for:
The storm chaser. Out-of-state crews that flood in after every hurricane, take deposits, and vanish. If the truck has no local plates and the "office" is a PO box, keep walking.
The too-cheap bid. Roofing has real material costs that every contractor pays. If one bid is 40% below the others, he's cutting somewhere — no permit, no insurance, day labor, or he's planning to "find" thousands in surprise repairs. The cheapest roof is usually the most expensive roof you'll ever buy.
No permit, no deal. Covered above. Non-negotiable.
Get it in writing. Scope, materials by brand and type, start date, payment schedule, warranty terms. If it's not written down, it wasn't promised.
Financing
A roof is a big ticket — I don't pretend otherwise. Through Acorn Finance: typical jobs land in the low $200s–$300s/month with approved credit, rates as low as 4.49% APR. The roof goes on now, before the next storm season. The payments stay manageable.
Straight talk on numbers: the financing figures above are examples from Acorn's programs, not quotes — your actual payment depends on approved credit and the scope of your job. Material prices have moved with recent tariff increases, so don't treat any ballpark as a bid. The free estimate I give you in person uses current numbers.
Why Me and Not the Other Guy
I get on the roof myself. My process: I come out, I climb up, I measure it, I look at the decking edges, the flashing, the valleys — and I price it in person. Free estimate. You get a real number for your actual roof, not a satellite guess or a phone quote that changes on installation day.
Onel Construction LLC is a licensed general contractor — CGC1511492. Not a storm-chaser crew, not a middleman. Licensed, insured, local.
Rated 5.0 stars from 24 Google reviews.
Old roofs don't scare me. Fifteen years in South Florida means I've torn off roofs of every age and condition. I plan for what's under them instead of being surprised by it.
I tell you repair vs. replace honestly. If your roof has good years left and needs a repair, I'll say so.
Related Services
- Kitchen Remodeling in West Palm Beach — interior work while you're investing in the house.
- Bathroom Remodeling in West Palm Beach — the inside to match the new roof.
- Roof Replacement in Boca Raton — my main roofing page, same straight process.
West Palm Beach Roof Replacement FAQ
My insurance company says my roof is too old. What are my options?
This is increasingly common — carriers are strict about roof age in Florida. Your options are a documented repair if the roof genuinely has life left, or a full replacement. I get on the roof, assess it honestly, and give you documentation either way. If it's a replacement, the new roof plus a wind mitigation inspection is exactly what the carriers want to see.
How do I know if I need a full replacement or just a repair?
I get on the roof and look — that's the only honest answer. Age, visible wear, leaks, flashing condition, what's under the shingles: it all factors in. I'll tell you which one you're looking at.
Will a new roof lower my homeowners insurance?
It can — carriers reward newer roofs with real credits, especially with a wind mitigation inspection. Your carrier makes the final call, but the savings are often meaningful. I've been through the wind mitigation process on my own place, so I know what the inspectors look for.
How long does a roof replacement take?
Most homes are a few days of actual work once we start — tear-off, decking repairs if needed, underlayment, new roof, cleanup. Older homes with decking work can run longer. I'll give you a real schedule when I've measured yours.
Get On the Roof — My Eyes, Your Roof
Call or text (561) 462-9293. Free in-home estimate. I'll inspect it, measure it, and give you a straight price — and an honest opinion on whether you even need a full replacement or just a repair.
Onel Construction LLC — 7100 W Camino Real, Ste 302, Boca Raton, FL 33433. Licensed & insured, CGC1511492. Serving West Palm Beach and all of Palm Beach County.
