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Slate installation is a long-term investment in your home’s performance. Reach out and we’ll schedule a free on-site assessment, walk through your material and color options, and give you a written quote with every line item covered.
Natural slate is the most durable roofing material available — installed correctly, a slate roof outlasts the structure beneath it by decades. At Top Quality Exteriors, we install genuine quarried slate on St. Louis homes where the architectural character and long-term investment justify the premium. Homeowners in Ladue, Clayton, and Kirkwood choose slate when they want a roof that never needs to be replaced again and when they want a material that holds up through Missouri’s ice storms, hailstorms, and humid summers alike.
Slate requires a structural assessment before installation — at 700 to 1,500 pounds per square, it’s two to four times heavier than asphalt. Our team checks your existing framing and recommends any reinforcement before we source material. We work with both soft and hard slate — soft Vermont or Virginia slate runs 75 to 125 years and hard Pennsylvania slate runs 125 years or more, both with correct flashing and underlayment. If your current roof is failing, a roof inspection clarifies whether your structure is ready for slate weight.
Not all slate is equal — the grade and origin of the stone determine how long it lasts and how it handles Missouri’s freeze-thaw cycles. Soft slate from Vermont and Virginia typically runs 75 to 125 years; hard slate from Pennsylvania runs 125 years or more. We source from established quarries and match color and texture when replacing sections on historic roofs in Webster Groves and Kirkwood. Every installation begins with a structural review: rafter sizing, ridge beam condition, and attic load capacity. Flashings are installed in copper or lead-coated copper, which outlasts standard aluminum and won’t corrode against the chemistry of quarried stone. Underlayment is non-perforated felt for slate, not the synthetic product used under asphalt. A correctly installed slate roof needs no maintenance beyond replacing an occasional cracked slate. For homes in Ladue and Clayton where architectural integrity matters, slate is often the only material worth considering. A roof replacement consultation puts the full cost comparison in writing.
Installing slate correctly takes more preparation than any other roofing material — from the structural review through the final copper flashing inspection. These five steps walk you through how we approach every slate project from start to finish.
We walk the roof to assess pitch, exposure, and structural load. Our estimator discusses slate grade, thickness, and color. You receive a written quote before work is scheduled.
We check attic framing for rafter depth and load capacity. Any reinforcement for slate weight is scoped and quoted separately. We proceed only when the structure is confirmed.
Old roofing is removed and deck boards are checked for rot. Non-perforated felt underlayment goes down per slate specs. Copper flashings are set at all valleys and penetrations.
Slates are sorted by thickness and laid in courses from the eave up. Each is face-nailed with copper nails per manufacturer pattern. Hip and ridge courses are cut and fit on-site.
Ridge and hip flashings are sealed and all copper is checked. The site is cleared of slate chips and copper scraps. You walk the finished roof with our crew before we pack up.
Slate installation is a specialty trade — most general roofing contractors don’t have the experience to sort slate by thickness, cut complex hip and valley profiles, or specify correct copper flashing gauges for a century-long installation. Top Quality Exteriors has been completing slate work on St. Louis-area homes for over 12 years, and our crews understand what proper slate roofing looks and performs like, not just how to lay courses in a straight line.
We carry full licensing and insurance in Missouri, and our slate projects come with a written workmanship warranty separate from any material guarantee. We also service existing slate roofs — replacing cracked or slipped slates, re-bedding ridge caps, and repointing copper flashings — so homeowners in Kirkwood and Webster Groves with historic slate roofs have a trusted local contractor they can call for maintenance as well as replacement work.
Slate roofing in the St. Louis area typically ranges from $20,000 to $50,000 or more for a full residential installation, depending on the size of the roof, the grade and origin of the slate, and whether structural reinforcement is required. The material cost reflects what you’re getting: natural quarried stone that outlasts any synthetic alternative. Structural reinforcement, when needed, is fully scoped and quoted before any commitment is made.
The long-term math is compelling: a slate roof installed today in Clayton or Ladue may never need replacement during your ownership — or your children’s. Compared to two or three asphalt replacements over the same timeframe, the per-year cost of slate is often significantly lower. We provide written, itemized quotes and will walk you through the cost comparison honestly, including what it costs to maintain an existing slate roof versus starting fresh.
Every credential we carry is a commitment to quality, safety, and your peace of mind — on every project, in every state we serve.
