The roof replacement process, step by step

We finalize measurements and confirm your material choices — shingles, metal panels, color, accessories. Material delivery is coordinated before the install team arrives, along with dumpster placement, landscaping protection, and driveway access.

Once approved, we lock in your installation date based on install availability and weather forecasts. If permits are required, we handle applications and inspections. You'll meet your project manager and get direct contact information.

The loudest, messiest day. Tear-off starts at the ridge and works down: flat shovels and pry bars pull up shingles and felt paper in sections, old nails come out or get pounded flush, and everything goes into a dumpster positioned near the house. We tarp landscaping if plants are close, and if rain is forecast, exposed deck sections are tarped overnight. Plan for noise — scraping, pounding, sliding debris — if you work from home.

The team strips one area and immediately checks the deck before moving on — soft spots, water stains, sagging, rafter soundness, existing vent placement — so your home is never left exposed if weather changes. Most common repairs: soft decking around chimneys and vent pipes where water got past old flashing, valley damage, and edge rot along eaves where ice dams form. We only replace decking that's structurally compromised — wood that won't hold nails or feels spongy. Slight discoloration doesn't mean replacement.

With the deck clean and repaired, we install the layers that keep water out. Underlayment is the roof's secondary defense — modern synthetic material, overlapped and secured, that stops wind-driven rain from reaching the deck. Ice barrier is a self-adhesive membrane that seals around nail holes; it goes along the first 3–6 feet of eaves, in valleys, and around chimneys and skylights — the spots where ice dams and pooling cause leaks.

Flashing seals every place something meets the roof: step flashing along chimneys and walls, each piece overlapping the one below and tucked under the shingles above — no reliance on caulk, because caulk fails; pipe boots around plumbing vents; drip edge along eaves and rakes to guide water into the gutters; valley flashing where roof planes meet. Flashing failures cause most leaks, so we don't rush this part. If your old roof lacked drip edge, we add it; if old flashing was only caulked, we replace it.

Ventilation check: hot air escapes through ridge vents, cool air enters through soffit vents. Without balanced intake and exhaust, summer heat cooks shingles from below and winter warmth causes ice dams. We check for ridge vents, blocked soffit vents, and the intake-to-exhaust ratio, and point out problems.

Material goes on per manufacturer specs. Asphalt shingles start at the eave and work up, each row overlapping the one below, following Atlas specifications for alignment, exposure, and fastener placement. Metal panels are aligned precisely, each overlapping the previous, with fasteners through the raised ribs to avoid leaks. Flat sections get TPO, EPDM, or modified bitumen with welded or sealed seams. Ridge caps cover the peak — the last pieces installed.

Daily magnet sweeps happen every afternoon — a large magnetic roller picks up nails from the driveway, walkways, and surrounding areas, in multiple passes. Debris is hauled away daily or at completion; gutters are cleared of shingle granules and paper scraps. The final walkthrough covers: no visible nails or debris in the yard, gutters clear, landscaping tarps removed, a clean site — and a close look at the finished work with you. If something doesn't look right, we fix it before leaving.

Warranty documentation includes the manufacturer's material warranty (25 years to lifetime depending on product — it covers manufacturing defects, not installation or storm damage) and our Lifetime Workmanship Warranty: if flashing comes loose, shingles lift, or fasteners back out because of installation, we fix it at no cost as long as you own the home. You're also enrolled in the Gold Standard Protection Plan — annual inspections, priority scheduling, and transferability if you sell.