Replace Roof and Windows Same Year — Which Goes First and Why
The roof is at the end and so are the windows. Doing both in one season saves a second round of scaffolding and gets the outside done.
Reply within one business day. Or call / text 763-204-2099.
If you replace roof and windows same year, the roof usually goes first: tear-off debris and ladders come down the walls, so new windows are safer going in after. JMB Builders quotes both on one line-item quote, schedules them back to back and pulls permits when the city requires them. Twin Cities metro and north to St. Cloud, priced per project. Photo quote with a reply within one business day, or a free in-home estimate.
- Roof and windows on one quote
- Usually roof first, then windows
- Permits pulled when required
This page is about paying for both yourself, not a storm claim. When the roof and the windows are both due, the order matters. A tear-off throws shingles and nails down the walls, and ladders lean where windows are. New glass and new capping are exactly what you do not want under that. So the roof normally goes first, then the windows.
The two jobs touch in a few places: second-story windows under the eaves, skylights and roof-to-wall flashing above a bay or a porch roof. Planning both together means those spots are flashed once, in the right order. One quote lists each trade line by line so you can compare either part with another bid.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough: a reply within one business day, or ask for a free in-home estimate. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
What you supply
- Your shingle color and window frame color, picked together
- A rough window for the work: this summer, or roof now and windows in fall
- Driveway space for a dumpster and the window delivery
- Your HOA approval if the association reviews exterior changes
What JMB supplies
- One visit to look at the roof and measure every window
- One quote with roof and windows as separate line items
- A schedule: roof, then windows, with dates on the quote
- Permits pulled when the city requires them
- Step and wall flashing at bays and porch roofs done in the right lap order
- Clean-up and magnet sweep after the roof, haul-away after the windows
- Photos of the finished roof and windows in your job folder
How it is priced: per project
Quoted in writing from your photos, with a reply within one business day. What moves the number:
- Roof size, pitch, layers to tear off and decking repair
- Number of windows and insert vs. full frame on each
- Bays, porch roofs and skylights where roof meets wall or window
- Second-story windows and access
- Window brand and series, and shingle line
- Exterior trim and capping on the windows
Send photos of each side of the house and the roof from the ground, plus each window. That covers a first pass on both.
How long it takes
A roof on a typical house is a day or a few days, depending on size and weather. Windows follow, about three to five a day as inserts. Window lead time depends on the brand and is written on the quote.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized reply within one business day. Prefer a look in person? A free in-home estimate is always an option.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Roof first, windows after
The usual order. The roof is done, debris cleaned up, then windows go in without anything coming down on them.
Windows first
If windows are leaking or failing now, they can go first. New glass and frames are covered and protected during the tear-off.
Roof now, windows in fall
Same quote, two phases. The window order is placed so it arrives after the roof, and fall is a fine time to replace windows.
Replace Roof and Windows Same Year — Which Goes First and Why: questions, answered
Should I replace the roof or the windows first?
Usually the roof first. Tear-off debris, nails and ladders come down the walls, which is hard on new windows and capping. If a window is leaking or failing badly, it can go first and be protected during the roof work.
Can one contractor do the roof and the windows?
Yes. JMB Builders quotes both on one line-item quote and schedules them back to back with one contact. Each trade is listed separately, so you can compare it with any other bid.
Is it cheaper to do the roof and windows at the same time?
It can be: one visit to quote, one permit trip where both need permits, one set of access and clean-up. The bigger benefit is that the places where roof meets wall are flashed once, in the right order.
Do I need a permit for a roof and windows in Minnesota?
Many Minnesota cities require a permit for a reroof and some for window replacement, and the rules vary by city. JMB pulls permits when they are required and schedules inspections. Ask your city if you want to check before the quote.
How long does it take to do a new roof and new windows?
A roof on a typical house takes a day to a few days. Windows follow at about three to five a day as inserts, fewer as full frame. Both are written on the quote as a schedule, and weather can move the roof days.
Should roof and window colors be picked together?
Yes. Shingle, window frame, capping and door colors all show from the street. We bring window and coil samples to the visit so you can look at them against the shingle color you are choosing.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and the builders we work with. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
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Read morePage reviewed October 9, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All whole-house projects pages
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