Roofing Shingle Removal in Boise: Your Construction Debris Plan

A lot of re-roofs end the same way. The old shingles get stacked along the side fence on a couple of cheap tarps.

It looks like a tidy pile. But cheap tarps tend to split under that kind of weight, and roofing nails work their way down into decorative rock.

That's pretty much how shingle tear-offs go. The work on the roof is loud and fast, and what it leaves behind is heavier and sharper than most people plan for. Here's what we've picked up from hauling it every week.

Why shingle debris is its own animal

Shingles don't look like much while they're on the roof. Pull them off and pile them up, and it's a different story.

Asphalt shingles are heavy for their size. A pile that looks like one modest pickup load can weigh a lot more than the same amount of drywall or lumber. Weight matters as much as volume, because it decides how the pile gets loaded and where it can go.

Then there's everything that comes off with them. Underlayment, drip edge, old flashing, pipe boots.

Sometimes there's a second or third layer of older shingles nobody knew about. We run into that a lot on older houses in the North End, and we've seen it plenty out in Nampa and Caldwell too.

And then the nails. Every tear-off drops them into the grass, the flower beds and the driveway, and you won't notice them until somebody steps on one.

Roofing shingle removal in Boise: who handles the pile?

This is the question we hear most. Does the roofer haul it away, or do you?

Honestly, it depends on the bid. Some roofers include disposal. Others price only the roof and leave the tear-off for you, which is fine as long as you know that going in.

Read the estimate before work starts, not after the crew packs up.

If you're doing the roof yourself, maybe with a couple of buddies over a weekend in Kuna or Star, then you're the disposal plan. Don't let it be an afterthought.

Can you take shingles to the dump yourself? Sure. The Ada County landfill takes construction waste, and so does the Canyon County side, but rules and fees change, so call ahead.

Just be honest with yourself about what it involves. Lots of trips in a small truck, lots of shoveling, and a lot of weight on a trailer that may not be rated for it.

If you've got a trailer, a strong back and a free Saturday, a small roof is something you can handle. The bigger tear-offs, the roofs with several layers, and the jobs where you just want your yard back by dinner are where hiring a hauler makes more sense.

How to stage tear-off debris so cleanup goes faster

A little planning before the first shingle comes off saves you time. It usually saves money too, since we price by how much space the debris takes up and how much work it takes to load.

Pick one drop zone. Choose a spot close to where it'll be loaded, ideally the driveway and not the lawn. Heavy piles kill grass, especially in August when everything's already stressed.

Protect what's underneath. Put plywood or heavy tarps over landscaping, AC units and window wells. Cheap tarps tear. We've seen it more times than we can count.

Keep the metal separate if you can. Drip edge and flashing can usually be recycled, and it's a lot easier to set them aside during the tear-off than to dig them out of the pile later.

Tip: Run a rolling magnet over the yard, driveway and beds twice: once right after the tear-off, and again a day or two later. Nails keep surfacing after rain or after the sprinklers run, and the second pass catches what the first one missed.

Watch the weather. Spring storms roll through the Treasure Valley fast, and wet shingle debris is heavier and messier to load.

Winter has its own problem. A pile can freeze to the driveway, and a quick haul turns into a chiseling job. Summer heat softens shingles so they glue together. Late spring and early fall are the easy months.

Permits, timing and construction debris removal in Boise

A full re-roof usually needs a permit from the city or county building department. That's on the roofer or the homeowner, not the hauler, but check before you start. Boise, Meridian and Eagle each run their own process.

Our side is simpler. We come out, look at the pile and how we'll get to it, and give you a firm price before anything gets touched.

No hidden fees. If the pile turns out to be three layers instead of one, we'll talk about it right there in your driveway, not on the invoice.

How long a shingle haul takes depends on the size of the pile, how many layers came off and how easy it is to reach. If the schedule's open, we can sometimes come the same day. If not, timing depends on the schedule and the size of the job.

We take cash, card and Venmo.

Anything that can be recycled or reused gets pulled out. Metal goes to recycling. Leftover new bundles and unopened rolls of underlayment often end up with someone who can use them instead of in the landfill.

The bottom line

Old shingles are heavy and sharp, and they spread farther than you'd think. Figure out who's hauling them before the tear-off starts, keep the pile in one protected spot, and sweep for nails twice.

If you'd rather not spend your weekend shoveling shingles into a trailer, give us a call at (208) 545-3461. We'll come take a look and tell you straight what it'll cost.