Roofing in Kalamazoo, MI
Better Way Roofing replaces and repairs roofs on Kalamazoo homes, with asphalt shingle roofs from $13,000 and metal from $11,500, fixed in writing before we start. We are based in Shipshewana, Indiana, about 50 minutes south, and we would rather say so up front.
A Shipshewana roofer working north into Kalamazoo
Michigan is not new ground for us. Our shop is in Shipshewana, in LaGrange County, Indiana, and we already roof homes in Sturgis, Three Rivers and Coldwater. Kalamazoo is the part of Michigan where Lyle Lehman, our co-founder, wants Better Way Roofing to grow next.
Michigan licenses roofing contractors at the state level, something Indiana does not do, and Better Way holds a Michigan roofing license for that work.
On a Kalamazoo home we do full roof replacements in asphalt shingle or metal, and roof repairs. If you are still deciding whether the roof needs work at all, the roof assessment is free. Documentation for an insurance claim, a storm or a house sale is a separate, detailed paid inspection.
Homes we have roofed near Kalamazoo, with prices
The homes we have priced closest to Kalamazoo are south of the city, in Lawton, Three Rivers, Jones and Sturgis. Each row below is a real job from our pricing page, with what the homeowner paid. The only Kalamazoo job on that page is a church, so it sits in the last row, marked as commercial. A square is 100 square feet of roof.
| Town | Roof size | What went on | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawton, MI | 42 squares (4,200 sq ft) | Owens Corning Duration architectural shingles in Onyx Black | $23,365 |
| Three Rivers, MI | 15 squares (1,500 sq ft) | Owens Corning Duration shingles in Chateau Green, with new soffit and fascia after tornado damage | $22,064 |
| Jones, MI | Not listed | Owens Corning Duration FLEX shingles in Teak, an impact-resistant upgrade for better protection against hail and storm damage | $21,025 |
| Sturgis, MI | Not listed | Hidden-fastener copper metal roof on a lakefront home at Klinger Lake | $37,000 |
| Kalamazoo, MI Commercial | 120 squares (12,000 sq ft) | Exposed-fastener metal roof in Taupe with new buckskin gutters, on a church | $71,360 |
Storms reach this side of the state too
Storms show up in that table too. The Three Rivers roof went on after tornado damage, and the Jones roof got an impact-resistant shingle as an upgrade for better protection against hail. Kalamazoo County sees the same kind of storms: the National Weather Service in Grand Rapids recorded an EF-2 tornado in the Portage area on May 7, 2024, and hail about 2 inches across was reported two miles northwest of Portage that evening.
If a storm has already been through, start with our page on storm damage and insurance claims.
Roofing permits in Kalamazoo and Portage
In short: The City of Kalamazoo charges $52 per structure for a re-roof permit. Portage needs no permit to replace shingles only. The townships around them set their own rules.
Inside the City of Kalamazoo, a new roof needs a permit. The city's roofing and siding permit application sets the re-roof fee at $52 per structure and goes to Community Planning and Economic Development at 150 E. Crosstown Parkway. The form asks whether the old roof is being torn off or overlaid, how many layers are on it now, and whether the property is in a designated historic district. The city's permit page says review and approval can take up to two weeks.
Portage is different. Its permit FAQ says no permit is required to remove and replace shingles only. A building permit comes in when more than four 4x8 sheets of decking, or any structural part of the roof, are replaced.
Beyond Kalamazoo and Portage, Comstock Township, Kalamazoo Township, Parchment, Pine Grove Township, Richland Township and the Village of Richland all process permits through the Kalamazoo Area Building Authority.
What a new roof costs in Kalamazoo
On a typical home, an asphalt shingle replacement starts from $13,000 and a metal roof from $11,500.
Roof size, pitch, the number of layers coming off and the state of the decking are what move that number. The Kalamazoo permit form asks how many layers are on the roof, and every extra layer is more tear-off. The price you sign is the price you pay, with one written exception. If sheeting turns out to be bad once the old roof is off, replacing it typically runs $400 to $600, and it is documented before it is charged.
Metal roofs are built by our own metal crew in Shipshewana, in exposed-fastener or standing seam. Both carry a 40-year manufacturer paint warranty, and our workmanship warranty is 10 years on exposed fastener and 20 on standing seam. We install shingle roofs as an Owens Corning Preferred Contractor.
Every job and price we have published is on the pricing page, or you can get a ballpark for your actual home in about a minute.
Kalamazoo roofing questions
Does the City of Kalamazoo require a permit for a new roof?
Yes. A re-roof inside the city needs the city's roofing permit, which costs $52 per structure. In Portage, replacing shingles only needs no permit, unless more than four sheets of decking or any structural part of the roof is replaced. Township rules differ from both.
How far do you travel to reach Kalamazoo?
Our shop is in Shipshewana, Indiana, about 50 minutes south of Kalamazoo. We already roof homes across Southern Michigan, including Sturgis, Three Rivers and Coldwater, and we hold a Michigan roofing license.
Do you install metal roofs on Kalamazoo homes?
Yes. Metal roofs start from $11,500 on a typical home, in exposed-fastener or standing seam, built by our own metal crew. In Kalamazoo we have roofed a 12,000 square foot church in exposed-fastener metal, and a 25-square house in Shadow Form metal for $15,611.
What does a new roof cost in Kalamazoo?
Asphalt shingles start from $13,000 on a typical home and metal from $11,500. A 23-square Owens Corning Duration roof in Kalamazoo came to $13,542, and three nearby, in Jones, Three Rivers and Lawton, came to $21,025, $22,064 and $23,365. Your price is fixed in writing before work starts.
Nearby towns and related pages
Talk to us about your Kalamazoo roof
Send the form or call. We set a time to look at the roof, tell you honestly what it needs, and send you a written price.