Asphalt shingle roofs made for Greer's pines, humidity and 60-mph gusts
For most houses in the Upstate, architectural shingles are the correct roof. What turns one into a 30-year roof instead of a 15-year roof is the product line, the warranty tier and the ventilation underneath it.
About nine in every ten roofs we install around Greer are architectural, also called dimensional, asphalt shingles. That makes sense. They cope with the roughly 50 inches of rain the Upstate gets each year, the humidity that turns north slopes green and black, and the straight-line winds that arrive with summer storms, and they cost about a third of what metal does. Where they differ is in the details. You want a shingle line with an honest wind rating and resistance to algae. You want underlayment across the whole deck with ice-and-water at the eaves and valleys. You want ridge and intake vents that truly move air. And you want an installer certified by the manufacturer, or the system warranty does not hold.
Our standard lines are Owens Corning Duration with SureNail and a 130-mph rating, GAF Timberline HDZ and CertainTeed Landmark. Each comes in a Class 4 impact-resistant version for owners who want an insurance discount and more protection from hail and falling limbs. Three-tab is still on offer for rentals and budget re-roofs, and we will be honest when it is the sensible pick. On each estimate you will find the exact shingle, the underlayment, the ventilation and the warranty tier, so any two bids can be compared one line at a time.
The work, piece by piece
Product lines
Owens Corning Duration, GAF Timberline HDZ and CertainTeed Landmark, each rated for 130 mph and made with algae-resistant granules.
Impact-resistant Class 4
Duration FLEX, Timberline AS II and Landmark ClimateFlex. South Carolina insurers discount them, and they stand up better to hail and pine limbs.
The complete system
Synthetic underlayment, ice-and-water at the eaves and in the valleys, starter strip, ridge cap, drip edge and pipe boots, which are the parts the warranty calls for.
Ventilation
Ridge vent paired with balanced soffit intake, or a correction for the blocked soffits found on most 1990s Greer houses.
Warranty from the maker
System warranties for certified installers, up to 50 years on materials with no proration, and workmanship coverage included.
Deck and flashing
Rotten decking is swapped out by the sheet at a price we tell you up front. Step, apron and chimney flashing are new, never reused.
What shingle roofs cost in Greer, SC
| Item | Usual price, installed | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Three-tab, 1,800 sq ft ranch | $7,500 – $10,000 | 25-year shingle rated for 60 mph |
| Architectural, 1,800 sq ft ranch | $9,500 – $13,500 | Limited lifetime warranty, rated for 130 mph |
| Architectural, 2,600 sq ft two-story | $13,500 – $19,000 | Steeper pitch and extra valleys |
| Moving up to Class 4 | +$900 – $2,500 | Insurers discount 5 to 25 percent |
| Designer and premium lines | $16,000 – $28,000 | Such as Woodmoor, Grand Manor or Berkshire |
| Ridge vent with soffit intake | $600 – $1,800 | Most 1990s houses need it |
These ranges reflect 2026 Upstate prices for a complete tear-off and new roof. Your written estimate spells out the shingle line, the warranty tier, the underlayment, the ventilation and the price per sheet of decking.
From the job photos
Shingle roofing: what people ask us
What shingle suits a house in Greer best?
For most houses, an architectural shingle rated for 130 mph with algae-resistant granules. Duration, Timberline HDZ and Landmark all meet that bar. Choose by color and by warranty tier, because once the install is done properly, the gap in performance between them is small.
Do Class 4 shingles make sense in South Carolina?
In most cases they do. We do not get hail as often as Texas, but limbs and pine cones fall here constantly, and South Carolina carriers knock 5 to 25 percent off the wind and hail part of the premium. The upgrade tends to pay for itself within five to eight years.
What is a 'lifetime' warranty, really?
Coverage on materials for as long as you own the house, with no proration for the first 10 to 15 years, under the manufacturer's system warranty when a certified installer uses every required part. Workmanship coverage differs from company to company. Ours is 10 years and in writing.
Is ridge vent necessary?
Nearly always. Most Greer houses built before 2005 have only a couple of turtle vents and soffits that were painted shut, which bakes the shingles from below and can void some warranties. The cure is ridge vent with real soffit intake, and it costs little when the roof is being replaced anyway.
What lifespan should I expect from shingles here?
An architectural roof with good ventilation lasts 20 to 25 years. Three-tab, or any roof under pines with poor ventilation, lasts 12 to 18. Our lifespan guide goes into more detail.
What are the black streaks on my north slopes?
That is Gloeocapsa magma, an algae that eats the limestone filler in shingles. It is cosmetic and very common with Upstate humidity. The algae-resistant shingles we put on have copper granules that keep it from forming.