Before the job starts
HOA approval. Most Maryland townhouse communities require an Architectural Review Committee submission. We provide product specs, color samples, and warranty paperwork formatted for ARC submittal at no charge.
Neighbor notification. We help draft a short note for the units on either side: dates, hours, where our truck and dumpster will sit. Neighbors who know the plan are never the ones who complain.
Material delivery. Shingles arrive on a roof-rack delivery truck and are loaded directly to the roof — never staged in the shared driveway for days.
The day of the job
A typical 3-bedroom Maryland townhouse roof is a one-day job for our crew. The sequence:
- Tarp setup. Ground tarps cover both neighboring properties (with permission) and protect landscaping.
- Tear-off. Old shingles, underlayment, and damaged decking come off in controlled sections.
- Decking inspection. We replace any compromised plywood at a transparent per-sheet rate disclosed in the estimate.
- Ice-and-water shield. Eaves, valleys, and — critically — both party walls.
- Synthetic underlayment. Across the whole deck.
- Step flashing. Hand-bent at the party walls, tied into the new shingle courses.
- Architectural shingles. Installed to manufacturer nailing pattern.
- Ridge vent and ridge cap.
- Magnetic sweep. Three times — before lunch, end of day, and a final pass the next morning.
Party walls: where townhouse roofs really succeed or fail
The party wall (the wall shared with the neighbor) is the highest-risk water entry point on any townhouse roof. If the previous installer used a continuous J-channel instead of proper step flashing, every rain pushes a little water into your attic. We always verify the existing detail and rebuild it correctly with hand-bent step flashing and a counter-flashing course.
Cleanup standards
You will not find a single nail in your shared driveway. We've replaced enough townhouse roofs across Maryland that the magnetic sweep is non-negotiable. Neighbors have flat tires when crews skip it.
Cost expectations
A standard Maryland townhouse roof typically falls between $6,500 and $11,500 depending on stories, pitch, decking condition, and material grade. Anyone quoting dramatically below that range is almost always skipping underlayment, ice-and-water shield, or proper flashing.
Why one-day matters
A one-day replacement means your roof is never tarped overnight, your home is never exposed to a surprise rainstorm, and your neighbors only deal with the disruption for a single business day. If a contractor needs 3 days for a standard townhouse, ask why.
