Services · Berks County, PA
Roof tear-offs are a sizing problem: shingles are heavy and the squares add up fast.
Roof tear-offs are a sizing problem: shingles are heavy and the squares add up fast. A standard guide: 10 squares of architectural shingles (one layer) runs roughly 2–2.5 tons. Most single-layer residential roofs land in a 10 or 20-yard; two-layer tear-offs and bigger roofs step up. Place the box tight to the eave line so debris goes roof-to-box, not roof-to-ground-to-box.
Typical pricing context is on the pricing page; sizing help is on the size guide.
Roofing debris is the one load where the estimate can be done on paper before anyone climbs a ladder. A square is 100 square feet of roof. Ten squares of architectural shingles in a single layer run roughly 2 to 2.5 tons — so weight scales in a straight line with squares and layers:
| Tear-off | Shingle weight (approx.) | Usual box |
|---|---|---|
| 10 squares, 1 layer | ~2–2.5 tons | 10 yard |
| 15 squares, 1 layer | ~3–4 tons | 10 or 20 yard |
| 20 squares, 1 layer | ~4–5 tons | 20 yard |
| 25 squares, 1 layer | ~5–6 tons | 20 yard, near its practical top |
| Any size, 2 layers | ≈ double the single-layer weight | 20 yard + a planned swap |
Two things push real roofs past the paper math. A second layer roughly doubles the shingle weight — it's the single most common sizing miss in Berks tear-offs. And decking, rotten boards and wet felt add real weight on top of the shingles. Tell us squares, layers and shingle type when you call and we size the box and the tonnage together, including whether a mid-job swap belongs in the plan from the start.
The two boxes that cover nearly every Berks roof: a 10-yard runs about $457–$586 in typical published Berks figures, and a 20-yard about $480–$679 — ranges compiled from local sources, with your exact flat quote (included tons, included days, overage rate) confirmed on the call. Sizing help is free and it's where the money is saved: the wrong guess on a two-layer roof costs a second haul nobody planned.
A planned swap is the honest version of that second haul. If the math says layer two won't fit, we say so before delivery day and the swap is in the plan — priced and scheduled — instead of discovered at noon with a crew standing on a half-stripped roof. The full price context by size is on our pricing page.
Not by eye, not by "the usual." You give us squares, layers and shingle type; we match the box and the tonnage to the actual roof.
The box goes tight to the eave line so debris travels roof-to-box, and it sits on boards that protect the driveway underneath — with the truck's approach confirmed clear of the eave overhang.
When a two-layer job fills the first box, a swap keeps the crew working instead of waiting. It's the normal plan for big tear-offs, not an emergency measure.
Squares, layers, shingle type, and the day the tear-off starts. We size the box and flag whether a swap belongs in the plan.
The container is placed on boards as close to the eave line as the property allows, before the first shingle comes off.
Debris goes straight from roof to container — no ground pile, no double handling. Load evenly and keep it below the top rail.
Mid-job swap if layer two fills the box; otherwise one call when the roof is clean and the box leaves, swept up behind it.
For a single layer, most tear-offs up to about 20–25 squares ride in a 20-yard. The limit is weight as much as space: 10 squares of architectural shingles run roughly 2–2.5 tons, so a 20-square roof is a 4–5 ton load before felt or decking. Give us your squares and layers and we'll confirm the size on the call.
Plan for the weight to roughly double. Some two-layer roofs still ride in one 20-yard; bigger ones are a 20-yard plus a planned mid-job swap. Either way it's decided on the call, before delivery — not discovered mid-tear-off.
Yes — they ride in the same load, and they count toward the weight. Wet felt and rotten decking are heavier than they look, which is why we ask about the roof's condition, not just its size.
As tight to the eave line as the property allows, so debris goes roof-to-box instead of roof-to-ground-to-box. Driveway placement goes on boards; if the box has to sit on a Reading street, the city permit (Public Works, at least 48 hours ahead) needs sorting first.
When the job is scheduled, not the morning of. Same-day or next-day delivery happens when the schedule allows — call and we'll tell you the earliest honest slot. Roofers working a weather window: the earlier the call, the better the slot.
Not sure which size? Call and describe the job — we'll size it honestly.