Roofing Contractor in Charleston, SC

Roofing services in Charleston, SC

Roof replacement

Full tear-off and rebuild to the coastal spec: high-wind fastening, a sealed deck where the code and the manufacturer call for it, new underlayment, drip edge, and flashing. A Lowcountry roof ages under heat, humidity, and salt at once, so the spec matters more here than it does inland. See roof replacement.

Roof repair

Leaks at pipe boots, chimneys, valleys, and skylights; creased shingles after a wind event; failed sealant and rusted flashing. If the roof has life left a repair is the right answer, and we’ll tell you when it isn’t. See roof repair.

Storm and insurance restoration

After wind or hail we inspect and document to support your claim — photos, measurements, a written scope — and we’re on the roof with your adjuster. We don’t file, negotiate, or interpret your policy. See storm damage.

Metal roofing

Standing-seam metal, specified for the coast, where metallurgy matters as much as profile. It also eliminates the exposed fastener washer, the part that fails first under Southeast UV. See metal roofing.

Commercial roofing

We service low-slope systems — TPO, EPDM, and modified bitumen — across the tri-county. TPO is the common choice on low-slope roofs here; both TPO and PVC can be reflective and use heat-welded seams. See commercial roofing.

Solar-ready roofing

If solar is in your plans, the roof under the panels has to outlast them. Our role is the roof: we inspect it, and if it is near the end of its life we replace it before the panels go on, so your provider mounts to a sound deck. See solar roofing.

Roof replacement in Charleston: what actually happens

The install is usually the short part — approvals, the permit, and a dry weather window move the calendar more than the crew does.

The coastal spec. In the high-wind coastal zone, shingles get a six-nail pattern instead of the standard four, on the nail line, where the code, the approved assembly, and the manufacturer’s instructions call for it. Under them goes a sealed or self-adhered secondary water barrier where required, so if wind strips a shingle the deck still sheds water. Tabs are hand-sealed where exposure calls for it, and drip edge goes on at eaves and rakes — underlayment over it at the eaves, under it at the rakes. Shingles need at least a 2:12 slope; 2:12 to 4:12 requires double-coverage underlayment, and below 2:12 it’s a membrane, not a shingle roof.

Tear-off and disposal. Charleston County’s landfill page is blunt: Bees Ferry “does not accept construction and demolition waste from private or commercial haulers.” Tear-off is C&D waste, so it goes to a private facility — fuel, time, and tipping fees that land in the price.

Shingles that survive humidity, heat, and hail

The dark streaks on Lowcountry roofs are algae, and the humidity feeds it. GAF’s answer is StainGuard Plus — “thousands of copper microsites that release algae-fighting copper efficiently, over time,” in GAF’s words — with a 25-year algae warranty on select shingles, 30 years as StainGuard Plus PRO on Timberline UHDZ. It applies only if the package carries the logo.

On hail protection: Timberline HDZ, GAF’s best-seller, is not a Class 4 impact-rated shingle. UHDZ and Timberline AS II are. A Class 4 roof under UL 2218 may earn a premium discount — amounts vary, and some carriers attach a cosmetic-damage exclusion when rating a Class 4 or metal roof, so ask your agent first. GAF’s WindProven warranty carries no maximum wind speed, but only on a LayerLock shingle with four qualifying GAF accessories; leave one out and it drops to the standard 15-year, 130 mph warranty.

Metal, flat roofs, and heavy historic materials

On the barrier islands and along the harbor, salt spray attacks ordinary metal. Which panel lasts there comes down to the base metal, the coating system, and the manufacturer’s coastal-exposure and warranty rules for your distance from salt water, so we spec the system your address qualifies for. Standing seam also hides the fasteners exposed-fastener panels rely on — washers that degrade under Southeast UV and need re-fastening (how long a metal roof lasts here). Flat sections downtown and on modern additions pond water and need a seamless membrane; TPO and PVC are favored for UV reflectivity and heat-welded seams (commercial roofing guide). Clay tile and slate last generations but are heavy, so the framing gets checked before anyone talks material (asphalt vs. metal vs. solar).

Ventilation, because it shortens roofs here

The code wants one square foot of net free ventilating area per 150 square feet of attic, cut to 1/300 only when intake and exhaust are balanced with 40 to 50 percent of it high near the ridge. In Lowcountry heat that decides whether a shingle reaches its rated life or bakes from underneath — and improper attic ventilation can void a GAF warranty (attic ventilation guide).

What a roof costs in Charleston in 2026

We price a roof after an inspection, not from the curb. Size, pitch, layers, deck condition, flashing, ventilation, and access all move the number.

For context, not as our price: Modernize’s South Carolina calculator (June 2026) reports an average near $14,800 for an 1,800 to 2,200 square-foot home, within a $9,000 to $22,500 range. Angi (March 2026) puts the Charleston metro average closer to $9,603 — the gap is home size and scope, not one of them being wrong. The Roof Cost Guide (May 2026) puts coastal Charleston roughly 10 to 20 percent above inland South Carolina, the high-wind spec and disposal logistics showing up in the bid.

Two line items surprise people: permits, priced by the jurisdiction on project value and filed by us, and disposal, elevated by the Bees Ferry restriction.

Big Bear offers flexible financing options — ask your estimator. Our Charleston roof cost guide and roof financing page go deeper.

Building code and wind design in the tri-county

South Carolina is on the 2021 International Residential Code and International Building Code, adopted by the SC Building Codes Council and effective statewide January 1, 2023. The Council adopted the 2024 editions in August 2025 and set the implementation date for local jurisdictions at January 1, 2027 — so a roof permitted today is built to the 2021 code.

The Council also publishes an approved wind-speed map per county:

These are design loads, not forecasts. Together with the approved assembly and the manufacturer’s instructions, they decide whether your roof gets the six-nail pattern and a sealed deck, and they set the flashing details and the shingle rating you should be using.

On shingle ratings: the residential code (R905.2.4.1) requires shingles labeled to ASTM D3161 or ASTM D7158, and accepts either. If a salesperson says the code demands one specific standard, they’re wrong. What matters is that the shingle’s rating and the installed fastening pattern both match the design wind speed where your house sits.

Permits and inspections, city by city

Big Bear pulls the permit. Here’s what each jurisdiction’s own page says about roofing, checked September 11, 2026 — quoted where it’s there, left alone where it isn’t.

If your address is outside a city limit, the county is your permitting office, not the nearest town.

Historic districts and HOAs

Charleston’s Board of Architectural Review. In the Old and Historic and Old City districts, roof work visible from the public right-of-way is reviewed before it’s permitted, and the policy is strict: “Wherever possible, historic roofs should be repaired rather than replaced. No historic roof shall be replaced in toto unless it can be documented that the roof is beyond reasonable repair.” On metal: “All standing-seam metal roofs shall be of traditional hand-crimped detailing. Modern snap-lock or commercial-grade metal roofs are inappropriate for historic structures and will not be approved.”

Solar has its own BAR policy: on properties rated Category 1 or 2 on the Architectural Inventory, collectors “shall not be visible from the public right of way,” and panels “should be low-profile, or no more than 8″ above the roof surface, and at a pitch consistent with the existing roof.”

Summerville. The Summerville Historic District is overseen by the town’s Historic Preservation Commission, which reviews exterior alterations for historically appropriate materials — architectural shingles echoing traditional profiles are commonly part of that conversation.

Planned communities. If you live in a master-planned community, read your recorded covenants before you sign: many of these neighborhoods review exterior changes through an architectural review board, and roof color, material, and anything visible from the street are often on the list. Check your ARB’s approved-materials list first; we build to what it allows.

Insurance and storms on the South Carolina coast

Your hurricane deductible is a percentage, not a flat dollar amount. Most coastal policies carry a separate hurricane or named-storm deductible expressed as a percentage of your dwelling coverage; your declarations page shows the number. DOI Regulation 69-56 makes insurers disclose it on the policy face: “THIS POLICY CONTAINS A SEPARATE DEDUCTIBLE FOR NAMED STORM OR WIND/HAIL LOSSES, WHICH MAY RESULT IN HIGH OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES TO YOU.”

Roof age changes the math. Many carriers settle older roofs at depreciated value rather than replacement cost — check your policy’s roof schedule. The SC Department of Insurance’s Post-Disaster Claims Guide puts it plainly: “an ACV policy may pay as little as 20% of the cost to replace the roof, since the useful life of a roof is usually about 25 years.”

Wind coverage of last resort. The South Carolina Wind and Hail Underwriting Association — the Wind Pool — caps residential wind coverage in the designated coastal zones; check current limits at scwind.com.

Mitigation pays, when the window is open. State law (§ 38-75-755(A)) makes insurers disclose the wind-mitigation discounts available to you at issuance and renewal, and a FORTIFIED roof commonly earns roughly 10 to 35 percent off the wind portion of a premium — your carrier sets the number, not the state. The SC Safe Home grant funds that work, topping out at $7,500 for Resilient Mitigation. Today it “is not currently accepting applications,” with openings framed as “during certain times of the year” — get your scope ready before it reopens.

The law protects you from one sales tactic in particular. Under § 40-59-25 a contractor “shall not advertise or promise to pay or rebate all or any portion of any insurance deductible as an inducement to the sale of goods or services” — a misdemeanor, and grounds to suspend or revoke a license. The same statute lets you cancel “at any time before midnight on the fifth business day after you have received written notification from your insurer that all or any part of this claim or contract is not a covered loss.”

What we do, precisely. We inspect, document, write a scope, and stand on the roof when your adjuster does — no filing, no negotiating, no advice on policy rights. Our roof insurance claim guide, storm and hail damage page, and hurricane prep and FORTIFIED guide go step by step.

The Charleston storm record, 2024–2026

We date our storms instead of hand-waving at “recent weather.” Here’s the National Weather Service office in Charleston’s own event record:

• June 10, 2024 — a supercell downburst across the Summerville and Ladson corridor, peak gusts of 80 to 85 mph, hail up to 2 inches.
• August 4–9, 2024 — Tropical Storm Debby.
• September 26–27, 2024 — Hurricane Helene.
• June 25–26, 2025 — a severe weather event: 55 damage reports and a 62 mph gust at Pinopolis.
• July 4–6, 2025 — Tropical Storm Chantal, which brought no significant rainfall to Charleston specifically.
• 2026 so far — three events: a winter storm January 31 to February 1, a tornado March 12, and a heavy rainfall event July 26.

After a named storm, out-of-town crews arrive fast and leave faster, and a warranty is only as good as the company still behind it. Before you sign with anyone — us included — look them up at verify.llronline.com, get license and insurance in writing, and remember nobody may legally offer to cover your deductible.

Why Charleston homeowners choose Big Bear

GAF Master Elite. GAF awards it to “fewer than 2% of roofing contractors nationwide,” and it’s what lets us offer the Golden Pledge — 50-year non-prorated material coverage and 25 years of workmanship, 30 years on Timberline UHDZ and Camelot II installs, on an eligible, registered Golden Pledge system built with the required GAF components; the current warranty document sets the terms. Only Master Elite contractors can sell it, and we also hold the GAF President’s Club 2023 award. We’ll say the quiet part too: “lifetime” on any shingle warranty means limited, original-owner, and prorated after the non-prorated period.

A real Charleston office. 4500 Leeds Ave, Suite 200 W, North Charleston — not a truck with a magnet on the door. We partner with Habitat for Humanity on Berkeley County builds roughly every month.

Verify us. Residential roofing here is done under a Residential Specialty Contractor registration through LLR, covering, in the state’s words, “the installation, alteration and repair of materials common to the residential building industry that form a watertight, weather resistant surface for roofs and decks.” Commercial roofing over $10,000 falls under a separate commercial contractor license (S.C. Code § 40-11-30). Look up any contractor, us included, at verify.llronline.com.

How the job runs. Free inspection, often drone-assisted → written estimate → we pull the permit → build → final inspection → on Golden Pledge installs we handle the GAF warranty registration. Phones are answered 24/7.

Charleston roofing questions we hear most

Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Charleston?

Plan on it, and let us file it. Goose Creek states in writing that a permit is required for new shingles or other roofing materials, and the City of Charleston lists “Roofing: Commercial and Residential” as its own permit type. Other tri-county jurisdictions permit building repair and alteration generally.

What wind speed does a Charleston roof have to be built for?

The SC Building Codes Council’s county maps show 140 and 150 mph contours in Charleston County, 140 mph in Berkeley, and 130 and 140 mph in Dorchester — ultimate design wind speed, Risk Category II. Those figures, with the approved assembly and the manufacturer’s instructions, decide whether your roof gets six-nail fastening and a sealed deck, and they set your shingle’s rating.

What building code applies to my roof, and is it changing?

South Carolina is on the 2021 IRC and IBC, effective statewide January 1, 2023. The SC Building Codes Council has adopted the 2024 editions with an implementation date of January 1, 2027. A roof permitted today is built to the 2021 code.

How much does a new roof cost in Charleston in 2026?

We price it after an inspection. For context, Modernize’s SC calculator (June 2026) reports an average near $14,800 within a $9,000 to $22,500 range, and Angi (March 2026) puts the Charleston metro average near $9,603. Coastal work runs roughly 10 to 20 percent above inland SC (The Roof Cost Guide, May 2026).

Will insurance pay for my new roof after a storm?

That’s your carrier’s decision, not ours. Two things decide most claims: whether the damage is storm-related, and whether your policy pays replacement cost or actual cash value on a roof of its age. We inspect, document, and write a scope to support your claim.

Can a roofer cover my hurricane deductible?

No. S.C. Code § 40-59-25 says a contractor “shall not advertise or promise to pay or rebate all or any portion of any insurance deductible as an inducement to the sale of goods or services.” It’s a misdemeanor and grounds to suspend a license.

How long does a roof replacement take?

The install is usually the quick part. What moves the schedule is what surrounds it: HOA or BAR approval where required, the permit, a dry weather window in storm season, and the final inspection. We walk you through that sequence before work starts, rather than promising a date we can’t hold.

What roofing material holds up best in Charleston?

For most homes, an algae-resistant architectural shingle installed to the coastal high-wind spec. Near salt water, the metal and coating system matter more than the profile, and the manufacturer’s coastal-exposure rules decide what we spec. Flat sections need a membrane. Historic downtown properties follow the BAR’s in-kind material rules.