A house in Campbell traded a worn wood shake roof for a new CertainTeed Presidential shingle roof in spring 2025. One layer of wood shake came off, new plywood went down, and the City of Campbell passed both the tear-off inspection and the final.
Once wood shakes are splitting, lifting and rotting, replacing the roof is usually the better value than restoring it. Cleaning and treating shakes can help while they are still sound, but it cannot fix a valley that has opened up or boards that have rotted underneath. That is what this Campbell house faced in spring 2025. The photos show an old wood shake roof with a failed valley, where the metal flashing was exposed and the shakes around it were broken down. The owners replaced it with a CertainTeed Presidential TL shingle roof. The crew took off one layer of wood shake, installed plywood, new underlayment, metal flashings, a metal valley and low-profile vents, and the City of Campbell passed the tear-off inspection on May 6 and the final on May 9, 2025. If your shakes are still mostly sound, a cleaning and repair is worth pricing first. If you are already seeing lifted shakes or open valleys, get a replacement quote.
This question was asked on Reddit’s r/Roofing in March 2026 (“Is the Cedar Shake Restorable?”): read the original thread.
Shakes that had run their course
The house sits in Campbell, and its roof was covered in one layer of wood shake. The photo below shows what the crew found at a valley: the shakes beside it were weathered and broken down, and the metal valley flashing was exposed where the roof had opened up.
A failed valley matters because a valley carries the water from two roof planes down to the gutter. When it leaks, the water gets into the boards underneath. That is why the contract included replacing any rotten deck found once the shakes were off, and a new metal valley where needed.
What the replacement involved
A shake roof cannot simply be shingled over. The scope in the signed contract, in order, was:
1. Tear-off. Prepare and cover the working areas, demolish the one layer of wood shake, remove all metal flashings from the vents and pipes, and remove all attic vents.
2. Deck. Replace any rotten deck found and install plywood, with a call for inspection once the sheathing was done.
3. Waterproofing. New drip edge, new metal flashings around vents and pipes, a metal valley where needed, peel-and-stick underlayment in the sensitive areas and synthetic underlayment fastened with cap nails.
4. Roof covering. A starter strip, new 3D shingles (CertainTeed Presidential TL), new ridge caps and low-profile vents, then weatherproof mastic around every vent and Rust-Oleum on the metal to match the roof color.
5. Finish. A call for the final inspection, new 5-inch seamless gutters and an attic fan, with all taxes, labor and materials included.
The job ran under a City of Campbell building permit. Our shingle roofing page explains the options, and Owens Corning vs GAF vs CertainTeed compares the brands. For a wood shake replacement in another town, see our cedar shake roof replacement in Saratoga.
What the City of Campbell inspected
| Date | Inspection | Result |
|---|---|---|
| May 6, 2025 | Roof tear-off (reroof) | Passed. The underlayment and sheeting were self-certified. |
| May 8, 2025 | Smoke/CO detection and first final roofing inspection | Not passed: the smoke detector self-certification form was not on site |
| May 9, 2025 | Smoke/CO detection and final roofing inspection | Passed after the form was received |
From the City of Campbell permit inspection history for this address. Inspection dates and results are as recorded by the city.
The one hold-up was paperwork, not workmanship: the final could not pass until the smoke detector self-certification form was on site. It came in the next day and the final passed. If you are hiring a roofer, ask what your city needs at the final so it does not delay you. For more on permits, see our guide to roofing permits and codes in San Jose.
Wood shake vs. Presidential shingle on this house
| Feature | Before: wood shake | After: Presidential shingle |
|---|---|---|
| Roof covering | One layer of weathered wood shake | CertainTeed Presidential TL 3D shingles |
| Valleys and flashings | A valley with exposed flashing and broken-down shakes | New metal valley, drip edge and flashings around every vent and pipe |
| Deck | Original deck under the shakes | New plywood, any rotten deck replaced, inspected by the city |
| Vents | Original attic vents | New low-profile vents and an attic fan |
| Gutters | Existing gutters | New 5-inch seamless gutters |
| Price range on this job | — | Roughly $40,000 to $48,000, depending on the shingle chosen |
Scope is from the signed contract and proposal for this house; the price range is rounded. Other houses will price differently.
Restoring shakes vs. replacing them
Restoring a shake roof costs less up front, but only while the wood is sound. Cleaning and treating can slow decay on shakes that are mostly intact. It does nothing for a valley that has opened up, for lifted shakes that keep falling, or for boards that have rotted underneath. Once those are present, the money spent on restoration is spent on a roof that will still need replacing.
The shingle choice matters too. On this house the quote put the same roof at about $40,000 with an Owens Corning shingle and about $48,000 with CertainTeed Presidential, a difference of roughly $8,000. A heavier, thicker shingle like the Presidential costs more and is meant to give the look and depth of a premium roof. It is worth pricing both so you can decide what the difference is worth to you.
Whichever way you go, get the deck looked at when the old roof comes off. We work across Campbell and the South Bay, and you can see more finished jobs in our project gallery. For the full picture, see roof replacement.
“The final price was the exact price quoted. Even though there were 3 areas that needed repair.”— Christopher C., via Google
Questions about replacing a wood shake roof
Can an old wood shake roof be restored instead of replaced?
Sometimes. If the shakes are mostly sound, cleaning off moss and growth, replacing individual split shakes and treating the wood can extend the life of a shake roof. It stops making sense once shakes are lifting and falling, valleys have opened up or the boards underneath have rotted, because restoration only treats the surface. A roofer should check the condition from the attic as well as the roof before you decide.
What does replacing a wood shake roof with shingles cost in Campbell?
On this Campbell job the quote offered two shingle options: about $40,000 with an Owens Corning shingle or about $48,000 with CertainTeed Presidential, with new seamless gutters as an add-on. The finished Presidential roof, including new 5-inch seamless gutters and an attic fan, came in under $50,000 with taxes, labor and materials included. The permit fee was not part of the price unless the contract says so. Your price will depend on the size, pitch, deck condition and the shingle you choose.
Does replacing a roof in Campbell need a permit?
Yes. This job ran on a City of Campbell building permit. The city inspected the roof tear-off and then the finished roof. Your contractor should pull the permit and schedule the inspections, and the price in the contract should say whether the permit fee is included.
Why can a roof final inspection fail?
Roof work is not always held up by the roof itself. On this job the first final inspection on May 8, 2025 did not pass because the smoke detector self-certification form was not on site. The form was provided the next day and the final passed on May 9. Ask your contractor what paperwork your city requires so the final is not delayed.
Is your shake roof near the end?
We will look at the shakes, the valleys and the deck, tell you honestly whether it can be restored, and price a replacement if it cannot. Lifetime Roofing & Renovation, Inc., CSLB #1090028 (C-39).
Gina K. writes about Bay Area roofing for Lifetime Roofing & Renovation, drawing on the team's 16+ years of experience roofing homes across Silicon Valley.
