Roof Replacement Roofing Companies

A Roof Is a System, Not a Layer of Shingles

The visible shingles are the weather surface, not the waterproofing. Underneath sit the decking that carries the load, the underlayment and ice-and-water shield that stop wind-driven water, the flashing that seals every transition, and the ventilation that keeps the attic from cooking the shingles from below. A replacement that renews only the visible layer buys you a short roof - every component below has to be inspected and, where needed, renewed.

Tear-Off vs Overlay: Why the Second Layer Is Almost Always Wrong

Code limits and what layering hides

Most codes allow a maximum of two shingle layers, so an overlay is often legal - and still usually a mistake. Laying new shingles over old traps heat, telegraphs every hump and dip through the new surface, and hides the decking condition entirely. The rot you did not find during an overlay is the rot you pay for at the next replacement, plus the double tear-off fee.

Warranty and resale consequences

Many manufacturers reduce or void system warranties over an overlay, and home inspectors flag second layers on every resale report. The 1,000 to 1,500 dollars an overlay saves today routinely costs more than that at sale time.

Install Week, Day by Day

Day zero: material drop and protection

Shingles arrive by boom truck, tarps go over landscaping and AC units, and plywood shields windows near the drop zones. No protection setup is a preview of the cleanup you will get.

Tear-off morning

The old roof comes off fast, loud, and ugly - a good crew strips to bare decking in hours and inspects every sheet as it is exposed.

Dry-in: the waterproofing day

Ice-and-water shield goes on eaves and valleys, synthetic underlayment covers the field, and drip edge wraps the perimeter. A dried-in roof can take rain overnight; shingles are the armor that follows.

Shingles, flashing, and ridge work

Starter strips first, then coursed shingles with the manufacturer's nailing pattern, new step and chimney flashing at every wall, boots on every pipe, and vented ridge cap to finish.

The final walk and magnet sweep

Cleanup ends with a rolling magnet across the lawn and driveway for nails. Ask to see what it picked up - it is the fastest read on crew discipline.

The Decking Question: Surprises Under the Shingles

No one can see decking condition until tear-off, which is why the per-sheet replacement price belongs in the contract before work starts. Rot around old leaks, delaminated plywood, and spaced planks under older homes are all routine finds. Insist on photos of any decking replaced - reputable crews document it before covering it forever.

The Parts That Should Outlive the Shingles

The flashing package

Step flashing at walls, counter flashing at chimneys, and new pipe boots cost little during a replacement and everything after it. Reusing tired flashing under new shingles is the classic corner-cut - most leaks on newer roofs trace to it.

Ventilation math

Ridge exhaust needs matching intake at the soffits - the common code baseline is one square foot of net free vent area per 150 square feet of attic, or 1 per 300 with a balanced ridge-and-soffit system. An unbalanced system cooks shingles in summer, feeds ice dams in winter, and can shorten warranty coverage. A good bid states the ventilation plan explicitly, including whether soffit intake is currently blocked by insulation - a common find that new ridge vent alone cannot fix.

Starter strips and nailing pattern

Two invisible details decide wind performance: factory starter strips at eaves and rakes - not cut-up field shingles - and the manufacturer's nailing pattern, four to six nails per shingle placed on the nail line. High-nailed or under-nailed shingles pass every visual inspection and then leave in the first real windstorm. Ask your installer which pattern they nail and who checks it.

Weather Rules: What Happens if It Rains Mid-Job

Crews watch radar and never open more roof than they can dry-in the same day. A properly dried-in roof sheds overnight rain without drama. What you never want is exposed decking under a surprise storm - if that happens, emergency tarping is the stopgap while the schedule recovers.

Living Through a Replacement

Expect thunder-level noise from first light, vibration that rattles shelves, and a driveway you cannot use. Relocate pets, take fragile items off walls, and plan calls from elsewhere. Most single-family homes finish in one to three days; complex or steep roofs run longer.

Quality Checks Before the Crew Drives Away

Photograph the finished flashing details, confirm ridge venting runs the full ridge, check shingle alignment from the street, and keep the decking photos with your warranty paperwork. Then file the workmanship warranty and manufacturer registration together. If you are still choosing who does all this, start with top-rated roofing companies and get the full system scoped in writing by three crews.