Types of Roof Shingles for an NJ Roof: Grades, Colors and Price

Choosing between the types of roof shingles for a New Jersey roof comes down to four decisions: the type (flat 3-tab or layered architectural asphalt), the product line, the color, and the warranty tier your installer can register. The price follows those choices plus the roof itself: how many layers come off, which accessories the warranty requires, and the condition of the deck underneath.

Green Apple Roofing has been in business since 2008, and our office is in Ocean Township; we serve Monmouth and Ocean counties, including Long Branch, and all of New Jersey. We are an NJ-registered Home Improvement Contractor #13VH11318100, insured, and a GAF Master Elite® contractor. We are not locked to one brand: we also install other major shingle lines, and VELUX skylights.

The types of roof shingles, in plain terms

Asphalt shingles come in two everyday grades and a premium tier. Manufacturers use different names, but GAF's descriptions of the construction are a fair guide:

• 3-tab. A single, flat layer cut into three equal tabs, for a uniform look. GAF calls it the most economical choice.
• Architectural (also called dimensional). Multiple layers of asphalt-coated fiberglass laminated together, for a more three-dimensional look. GAF says architectural shingles have become the most widely installed style.
• Designer or luxury. Extra-thick, multi-layered shingles made to look like slate or cedar shakes.

Asphalt is not the only choice for a house. We also install metal, tile and flat residential roofing, and those are worth pricing alongside shingles when the pitch or the style of the house points that way.

3-tab vs architectural: compare the documents, not the brochure

The look is the difference you can see. The differences that decide whether a roof is covered are in the manufacturer's documents for the exact line on your quote. Ask for these four, whichever brand you are offered:

For an Owens Corning or CertainTeed quote, ask for that manufacturer's documents for the exact product name on the quote, and read the conditions, not the headline number: the accessory list, the package qualifier and who registers the warranty.

GAF Timberline HDZ, Owens Corning Duration or CertainTeed Landmark?

These are three product lines homeowners often compare by name. GAF says Timberline HDZ® is GAF's #1-selling shingle. What the Master Elite® certification and the HDZ shingle mean for a New Jersey house is covered in our Timberline HDZ guide, so we won't repeat it here.

The fair way to compare the three is line by line, on the four questions above, using each manufacturer's current documents. Two quotes can differ as much on the system around the shingle as on the shingle itself: which accessories are included, and which warranty tier the installer can register.

One thing to be clear about: our manufacturer certification is with GAF. If you prefer another brand's shingle, ask us which of that manufacturer's warranties applies to your roof.

Warranty tiers change what you are buying

GAF's residential warranties come in tiers, and the installer's certification decides which ones are on the table:

As a GAF Master Elite® contractor, we can offer GAF's Golden Pledge® Limited Warranty on qualifying roof systems. GAF says only 2% of roofers in North America are invited to become GAF Master Elite® contractors. Whether the step up is worth it for your house is the question in are roofing warranties worth it.

Choosing a shingle color

Color is the decision you live with longest, and a small sample is a poor way to make it. A few habits help:

• Look at whole roofs, not a sample. A color reads differently across a full slope than on a single shingle in your hand. Ask for photos of finished roofs in that color, or drive past one.
• Judge it in daylight against what won't change. Brick, stone, siding and trim stay put; pick the roof to suit them.
• Compare colors line by line. Manufacturers name their colors differently, so a gray on one line is not the same gray on another.
• Check the rules first if your home is in a homeowners association or a historic district.
• Ask about algae protection for that color. The black streaks on many roofs are algae; the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association names Gloeocapsa magma as probably the most prevalent species. GAF's shingle warranty does not cover discoloration or contamination caused by fungus, mold, lichen or algae, except blue-green algae on StainGuard-labeled shingles, so check the package.

Repairing part of a roof: matching, and the 25% question

Replacing a section rather than the whole roof raises two questions. The first is matching: new shingles in the same named color can still look different next to a roof that has weathered for years, so ask to see the match before the work starts.

The second is the so-called 25% rule. Before March 5, 2018, New Jersey limited how much roofing could be replaced without a permit (the '25 percent limit'). The 2018 rule removed that limit for detached one- and two-family homes. Municipal building officials petitioned to restore it in 2019, and the state refused.

As of October 2026, the rule reads this way. Since March 5, 2018, New Jersey treats the repair or replacement of the roof covering on a detached one- or two-family home as ordinary maintenance: no construction permit or inspection is required, but the work must still meet code (NJ Department of Community Affairs notice). Townhouses, multi-family and commercial roofs, and any work that affects the structure, still go through the permit process. This is general information, not legal advice; your local construction office has the final word.

What changes the price of a shingle roof

The shingle is one line on the estimate. These are the others that move the total, and each one should be written on the quote:

• Grade and line. 3-tab, architectural and designer shingles are priced differently, and so are lines within a grade. Our roof replacement cost guide has installed ranges by grade.
• Layers coming off. As of October 2026, under N.J.A.C. 5:23-6.4: In New Jersey, the existing roof covering must be removed before a new one goes on when it is water-soaked or has deteriorated to the point that it is not adequate as a base for additional roofing, when it is wood shake, slate, clay, cement or asbestos-cement tile, or when it already has two or more layers. Every layer removed is labor and disposal.
• The deck underneath. Soft or damaged sheathing only shows once the old roof is off. Ask for a per-sheet price in writing; why a decking extra shows up explains that line.
• Edges and accessories. As of October 2026, the residential code requires drip edge at the eaves and rakes of shingle roofs. Wind and system warranties add their own accessory lists (see the table above), and those belong on the quote by name.
• The warranty tier. The same shingle under System Plus and under Golden Pledge® is a different purchase, because the workmanship coverage is different.
• The roof itself. Size, pitch, and the number of valleys, dormers, skylights and chimneys set the labor.

We accept credit cards.

How to compare two shingle quotes

1. 1Same manufacturer and the exact line name on both, not just "architectural shingles".
2. 2Same warranty tier, and who registers it with the manufacturer.
3. 3Same tear-off scope: how many layers come off, and what happens if the deck needs work.
4. 4Same accessories, listed by name: starter strip, underlayment, ridge cap, drip edge and ventilation.
5. 5The contractor's state registration number. As of October 2026, home improvement contractors must still register with the state every year and carry insurance. Ask for their state registration number.