Every now and then, a homeowner asks: “Can I save some money by tearing off my old roof myself?”
It’s a fair question. When I was remodeling my home a few years ago, I did something similar—I tore out my old kitchen myself, down to the bare bones, with the help of my dad. The idea was simple: I’d save a little on demo so the contractor could come in and focus on the good stuff—drywall, flooring, cabinets, backsplash, and all that.
Now, did I save money? Maybe.
But in hindsight, I probably didn’t give the contractor much of a choice. I’d already started before he even got there. And while I did a good job (removed nails, cleaned it up, tried to leave it just right), it still might not have been the way he wanted it done. If he had to go back, fix something I did differently, or prep something again, it could’ve delayed the project—or cost me more money in the end.
That brings us to roofing.
And here’s the honest truth: just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
Physically, One Might Be Able to Do It…

You could go to Lowe’s, grab a roofing shovel, and start ripping off shingles. Physically, one might be able to do it—it’s exhausting, but not impossible.
But roofing isn’t kitchen demo. It’s off the ground. It’s slippery. It’s angled.
And when you start doing it yourself, the risks quickly outweigh the savings.
Here’s What Can Go Wrong
Let’s walk through a few things homeowners don’t always consider:
Weather doesn’t wait.
You tear off your roof on Tuesday. The crew is scheduled for Wednesday. But surprise—it rains Tuesday night. Now you’re scrambling for a tarp, and that little money-saving move just turned into an interior repair job.
The roof isn’t ready.
The crew shows up to install, but there’s still debris everywhere or nails sticking out of the decking. Now they’re cleaning up or fixing things just to start—costing you time, and maybe labor fees you were trying to avoid.
You miss something critical.
What looks like a “stain” to you might be soft decking. A popped nail might need to be pulled, not hammered in. Do you re-nail? Leave it? Is that second layer supposed to be there? These are things roofers know to look for—because it’s all they do.
You damage something that should’ve stayed.
Maybe you scuff your siding. Maybe you accidentally crack the plumbing stack inside the attic. Maybe you loosen brick on the chimney flashing because it’s your first time removing it.
Not saying it will happen—but it absolutely could.
And if it does, now you’re either fixing it yourself or paying someone else to do it—which wipes out the savings you were hoping for.
You still need to deal with cleanup.
You’re going to need a dumpster, or you’re tossing old shingles into your pickup truck and making several filthy, nail-filled dump runs. That’s a good way to lose your Saturday—or blow a tire.
And Let’s Talk About the Risk
Roof removal is hot, dirty, heavy work. You’re high up, exposed to the elements, and walking on a sloped surface.
Professionals train for this. They know how to walk a roof safely, how to work in teams, how to move quickly and cleanly without damaging what’s underneath.
You? You’re probably out there alone. And one wrong step could end in a fall—or a roofing job that has to be stopped and restarted.
It Might Not Save You What You Think
You might save $1,000–$2,000 in labor on a mid-size home. That sounds nice.
But the second something delays the crew, or they have to re-do prep work, or you damage something along the way, that savings disappears.
Not to mention the time, energy, and risk you’re taking on. Your weekend isn’t worth it?
Real Talk from Roofs Made Easy:

Over our careers, we’ve had homeowners ask to help.
But 99% of the time, it’s just a bad idea. It doesn’t save the contractor time. It increases the chance for errors, weather delays, or even injuries. And it puts everyone in a tougher spot if something doesn’t go exactly right.
We’re not saying you can’t be part of the process.
If you want to be involved, grab a lawn chair, pour yourself a glass of iced tea, and watch the crew do their thing from the front yard. The crew might not love being watched, sure—but hey, it’s your house.
And honestly? It’s a whole lot better than being up there tearing it off yourself—I can promise you that. I know from experience.
Bottom Line
Yes, you can remove your own roof.
But should you? Almost never.
The potential savings are small, and the risk is high.
And in the end, you’re trusting one of the most important systems in your home to DIY prep work.
Let the pros handle it. At Roofs Made Easy, we’re not here to talk down to you—we just want the job done right, safely, and efficiently. From tear-off to clean-up, we’ve got you covered.
Simple. Safe. No shortcuts.
That’s roofing made easy.