Shingle Roof Replacement, Step by Step
Shingle roofing starts with a tear-off, because overlaying new shingles over old felt traps moisture and hides soft sheathing. We set the dumpster, stage ladders and scaffold, and clip in on a safety harness before a bundle leaves the truck.
- A roofing shovel and pry bar lift the old asphalt shingle courses so we can inspect the roof deck underneath.
- Decking is checked plank by plank, and rotted plywood or OSB sheathing gets cut out and replaced with sound substrate.
- Synthetic underlayment rolls across the full roof, with ice-and-water shield run along the eave and through every valley.
- Drip edge is fastened at the eave and rake so water sheds into the gutter instead of behind the fascia.
- A starter course sets the perimeter, then field courses go down in staggered courses so no fastener line repeats.
- Ring-shank nails are driven with a nail gun and air compressor, and we swap out any overdriven fastener before it tears the mat.
- Ridge cap covers the hip and ridge, and a ridge vent, soffit vent, or attic fan keeps attic ventilation moving.
- Flashing gets the most attention: step flashing at sidewalls, counter-flashing at masonry, chimney flashing, apron flashing, and a new pipe boot at every penetration.
- Skylights and dormers get fresh boot flashing and sealant, and gutter and downspout runs are cleared of debris before we pull away.
Shingle Materials We Install and Why We Choose Them
Material choice decides how the roof ages, so we match the shingle to your pitch, your budget, and how long you plan to stay in the house.
- Architectural shingle, also sold as dimensional or laminated, carries a heavier mat, deeper shadow lines, and stronger wind ratings.
- Three-tab shingle costs less and lays flatter, which suits rentals, sheds, and simple gable roofs.
- Designer shingles copy the look of wood shake, cedar shake, and slate without the upkeep those roofs demand.
- Fiberglass mat shingles resist moisture wicking better than old organic felt, and the granulated surface shields asphalt from UV.
- GAF Timberline HDZ, Owens Corning Duration, and CertainTeed Landmark Pro are the lines we quote most for algae resistance and warranty coverage.
- Low-slope porches and additions take a membrane instead: TPO, EPDM, PVC membrane, modified bitumen, or a built-up roof finished with tar and bitumen.
- Metal panel options, including standing-seam panel and corrugated panel, work well on canopy and awning roofs and outbuildings.
- On older houses we tie new work into existing clay tile, concrete tile, or slate without breaking the field of the roof.
Underlayment choice matters more than most people expect. Synthetic underlayment shrugs off the foot traffic of a two-day install, while traditional roofing felt, tar paper, and asphalt-saturated felt tear more easily.
Small parts fail first: a bead of sealant at a pipe boot, caulk along a counter-flashing seam, or roof cement packed into a valley. Adhesive under the starter course matters too.
A reflective coating helps on flat sections where the sun does the most damage. A torch, roofing square, snow guards, and roof anchors for fall protection all live on the truck.
What a Shingle Roof Inspection Looks For
An inspection tracks water, not just shingles. We walk the roofline from ridge down, check the roof deck where we can, and look inside the attic for staining that points to a leak above.
- Rot and decay in fascia, soffit, and sheathing show up as soft wood a screwdriver sinks into.
- Sag and settle along rafters, trusses, joists, or a ridge beam usually mean the structure has been wet for years.
- Granule loss collects in gutters and at downspout outlets, a reliable sign of end-of-life wear on asphalt shingles.
- Ice dam staining at the eave points to missing ice-and-water shield or blocked soffit vents.
- Ponding water on flat sections and parapet roofs stresses membrane seams until they peel.
- Blisters, cracking, and alligatoring on modified bitumen mean a coating has oxidized past recoating.
- Loose flashing around a chimney, skylight, dormer, or pipe flashing lets water wick into the deck for months before it shows inside.
- Interior clues count too: peeling paint, mold at the ceiling line, and rust trails near a vent boot.
Roof geometry changes the plan. A gable end sheds water fast, while a hip roof carries more ridge cap work and longer flashing runs.
A mansard or gambrel leaves long, low sections where purlin runs, batten, and counterbatten framing need airflow behind them to stay dry.
Parapet walls, scupper drains, and coping metal show up on commercial rooftops, and every overhang and verge gets checked for rot before we quote.
Shingle Roof Timelines, Costs, and Local Conditions
A standard shingle replacement runs two to four days. Steep pitch, three layers of tear-off, or a cut-up roofline with dormers adds a day or two, and we say so up front.
- Roof size in roofing squares drives most of the price.
- Tear-off layers add labor and dumpster cost, since three layers of tar and bitumen is heavy work.
- Pitch and access matter: a steep roof needs anchors and scaffold, and a tight side yard slows every load.
- Decking repairs add material cost per sheet of plywood, OSB, or other sheathing.
- Ventilation upgrades, including ridge vent, soffit vent, or attic fan, change the total.
- Flashing details around a chimney, skylight, dormer, or valley take skilled hours.
- Local weather shapes the spec: hot dry summers push Class A assemblies, fog keeps the roof wet longer, and winter rain finds every gap.
Local building code sets the minimum, and we handle the permit and the final roof inspection. Cool-rated shingles plus attic insulation trim summer cooling load, so energy efficiency comes up in nearly every roof estimate.
We recycle tear-off shingles where the facility accepts them, a small part of green roofing that still counts. On storm or hail damage, our insurance claim assistance follows the adjuster inspection, the line-item estimate, and the supplemental claim if hidden rot appears.
Roof maintenance is mostly observation: clear debris from valleys and gutters, check sealant at pipe boots each fall, and reseal rather than replace while the shingle field still has life.
A vapor barrier and the right insulation keep attic moisture off cold decking. Waterproofing at the eave and weatherproofing at every penetration are separate jobs, and both matter.
A roofer who reads decking and flashing condition protects the warranty on those shingles. The brand name alone will not.
