Uneven shingles and bulges after new roof replacement
New roof replacements sometimes show bulges or shingles that fail to lay flat, signaling potential issues with installation or underlying deck structure. When contractors leave these irregularities unaddressed, homeowners are left questioning the quality of the work and whether it compromises the roof's integrity.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Accepting the roofer's explanation that the issue is due to pre-existing structural sagging rather than a flaw in the new roof work.Did this help you?
- 2Negotiating a price decrease to cover replacing the entire roofDid this help you?
- 3Contacting the contractor who performed the work to have them fix it under their company warrantyDid this help you?
- 4waiting for more heat to see if they sealDid this help you?
- 5inspecting individual shingles to see if heat will helpDid this help you?
- 6Accepting the installer's assurance that it is not a problem.Did this help you?
- 7leaving it alone if it is purely aestheticDid this help you?
- 8cutting and sliding a spare shingle above itDid this help you?
- 9Cutting the shingle back with a box cutter and applying roofing silicone to fill the splitDid this help you?
- 10evaluating contractor repair proposalsDid this help you?
- 11questioning gutter installation heightDid this help you?
- 12slip some ice and watershield over the damage and replace before winterDid this help you?
- 13put them back and reattach for the time beingDid this help you?
- 14Waiting for more hot days to allow the shingles to flatten outDid this help you?
- 15Waiting for the sun and heat to warm up the shingles so they can seal and flatten out on their own.Did this help you?
- 16Inspecting the roof with a droneDid this help you?
- 17Calling the original contractor or installer firstDid this help you?
- 18Pulling on other shingles to test for delaminationDid this help you?
- 19repairing the spot until the roof is replacedDid this help you?
- 20avoiding filing an insurance claim due to risk of increased rates or policy cancellationDid this help you?
- 21Asking online forums if the uneven appearance is normalDid this help you?
- 22Pointing out flaws to the contractors during installationDid this help you?
- 23Repairing the chimney flashing and replacing the rotted sheathingDid this help you?
- 24Extending the electrical mast through the roof instead of keeping it on the eavesDid this help you?
- 25Adding structural support up inside the wood soffitDid this help you?
- 26Waiting a few weeks or months for warm weather and sun to soften the shinglesDid this help you?
- 27Asking the roofing contractor for an explanation of the uneven appearanceDid this help you?
- 28Waiting several weeks or months for the sun to heat the shingles so they can relaxDid this help you?
- 29Calling the roofing contractors back to complain or ask for reassuranceDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“But when I got home and saw the shingles, I gasped. I'm not an expert in roofing but I feel like the roof should atleast look better than the before pictures. And not have so many irregularities and waves.”source ↗
“I’m installing leaf guards in my gutters and came across this edge shingle that extends into my gutter. It’s already split at the top from sagging I guess.”source ↗
“Can I just trim the shingle back to the roofline? Or will I screw myself if I do that?”source ↗
“It needs the warm sun on it. Give it a week it should flatten out. Went thru the same thing.”source ↗
“Today, I saw a shingle on the ground so I inspected the whole roof with drone. Luckily those two spots are the only places with problem for now. I am a bit surprised and worried because the roof is only two and half years old.”source ↗
“I am not sure I should call the contractor or claim GAF under silver pledge warranty. I would not want contractor came and patch it up and have more problem later.”source ↗
“New roof was put on over a month ago.”source ↗
“What should I discuss with the contractor?”source ↗
“Why would this section be broke loose and sliding down? Is it time for a roof or is it more like wind damage?”source ↗
“It's a brand new roof and from a certain angle some shingles are not settled properly / lay flat.”source ↗
“Wow. Very happy I had my roof installed in late December. OP as I mentioned, December install, same shit, took weeks until I was satisfied, but this summer fixed any qualms and the shingles are flat as assssss now”source ↗
“No way in hell the manufacturer honors that warranty... dont buy”source ↗
“Noticed this bulge on the eastern side of the house - where the shingles don’t appear to be laying flat.”source ↗
“Thoughts - doesn’t look right to me and wasn’t there before the replaced roof.”source ↗
“I've only seen this on duplexes. I wouldn't touch without a price decrease for replacing the whole roof.”source ↗
“Had 2 new roof vents put in & noticed the tiles aren't sitting flush anymore to the right. Is this going to be a problem, guy who did it says not.”source ↗
“These shingles have shifted and slid down over the past month or two.”source ↗
“He's planning to get a new roof down the road and isn't concerned, but with winter coming I suggested to at least put them back and reattach the for the time being.”source ↗
“The left edge appears to have a bulge.”source ↗
“I pointed this to them, but they said it is normal.”source ↗
“Weird that they didn't tell you the shingles will settle. Mine looked like this for a few weeks after install and flattened out after a while.”source ↗
“Had new shingles installed last Thursday on the house. All of them have settled since except the ones on these two pictures.”source ↗
“Should I call my roofer back?”source ↗
“Hello all, would someone be able to tell me if this is a pretty simple DIY fix or something bigger? It looks like the rock on the shingle has been shredded off, but I don’t think the full shingle is penetrated.”source ↗
“If it is easy would you please recommend some fixes that I could do?”source ↗
“Would this not lead to a water intrusion issue? I know I can’t see the wood underneath and there is probably the lower layer of shingles underneath, but it looks bad from a non-roofer.”source ↗
“What if the installer just offer to replace the missing shingle and to patch it up? Should I accept it or insist to check with the manufacturer. I would like the manufacturer to have a record of this in case this happens again at other part of the roof.”source ↗
“Any ideas how to fix this? Might be partially from the utility attachment and partially the settling of the chimney pulling the edge of the roof outward. Water getting underneath but not into the home.”source ↗
“a buddy asked me to do a walk through. I’m not a roofer though and I’ve never seen this before either so figured I’d check with ya’ll.”source ↗
“We have water dripping behind the gutter.”source ↗
“Unsure if this is due to temperature or installation or if it is normal or a problem.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 4Why are my roof shingles lifting near the gutters?
- 4How to shingle around roof bends and height differences?
- 2Can you install metal roofing over an uneven or messed up roof?
- 5Is a gap in roof sheathing at the ridge okay before shingling?
- 6Roofers left mono roof top exposed without a cap
- 9How to clean dark roof stains without ruining the shingles