What Is Included In A Complete Roof Replacement?
No homeowner wants to hear they need a complete roof replacement. Unfortunately, sooner or later, every roof reaches a point where it can no longer perform. When the day comes, it’s important to know what to expect.
Our team at Stevens Roofing Corp is dedicated to giving you options and providing all the information you need to understand your roof replacement down to the smallest detail. Here’s what’s included in a complete roof replacement, and how you can expect the replacement process to unfold.
What Goes Under Roof Shingles
A complete roof replacement is just what it sounds like: complete. Unlike re-roofing, which involves laying down a new layer of shingles on top of your old roofing material, a complete roof replacement involves tearing off every layer of your roof and replacing it. This is why some companies call it a “tear-off” roof. These are the layers of your roof which get replaced:
- Shingles: These are the outermost visible layer of your roof. They act like a suit of armor, shedding water and debris, and keeping all the underlying layers of your roof dry and free from damage. Asphalt shingles are the most common type of roofing shingle used on residential homes, but you have many roofing options to choose from.
- Decking: The decking is a significant layer of protection for your home, typically consisting of a series of flat boards attached to the joists or trusses. Decking provides a surface shingles, underlayment, and other weatherproofing materials can be attached to.
- Underlayment: This crucial layer goes in-between the decking and the shingles. Underlayment is a waterproof or water-resistant layer attached directly to the roof deck, and offers an additional level of protection from severe weather.
- Flashing: A thin but essential roof component, flashing is used to direct water away from vulnerable areas of the roof, particularly where a section of roof meets a vertical surface like a wall or chimney. Flashing is typically made of a thin strip of galvanized steel, and keeps water from getting into these potential problem spots.
- Drip Edge: Similar to flashing, a drip edge is a thin metal component installed around the entire perimeter of your roof. It acts as a final barrier to direct runoff away from your roof and keep water from penetrating the underlying layers.
- Soffit and Fascia: These two architectural elements are also important to your roof. The soffit is the material which covers the underside of the eaves where the rafters extend out past the walls; fascia is essentially the roof line, or the long, straight board which runs along the roof’s lower edge.
What Is Included in Roof Replacement
Having your roof replaced starts with contacting a qualified roofing company for a roof inspection. If your roofers recommend a complete roof replacement based on the inspection, you will be offered an estimate for the project, and a contract you’ll need to sign before the job moves forward.
Be sure to ask any and all questions you may have before signing, and feel free to request a detailed breakdown of the project in written form. Once you have signed the contract, here’s how your roof replacement will get underway:
- A Time Will Be Determined: Materials must be ordered and shipped to your home before work can begin. You will receive a call from your roofers to schedule a date and time which works for you.
- The Crew Gets to Work: On the agreed-upon date, the crew will arrive on time and get to work. Their first job will be tearing off your old roof so a new one can be installed.
- Your New Roof Can Be Installed: In many cases the actual installation of your new roof can be completed in a single day. In other cases, it may take longer due to weather. Homes with larger and more complicated roofs may also take longer than a day.
- Cleanup is Complete: The crew will finish the job by completely cleaning up and disposing of all the debris from your old roof. Make sure cleanup being included is specified in your contract.
Above all, one of the most important parts of having a roof replacement is working with the right roofers. Choose a roofing contractor with years of local experience in your area. Look for professionals who are willing to give you a written estimate and answer all questions you may have about your project.
Great roofers will be upfront about all the costs, warranties, and what goes into replacing your roof.
Contact us today to learn more about working with Stevens Roofing Corp for all your roof repair and replacement needs. We’re a 3rd generation family owned roofing company, and we’ve been proudly serving Norfolk, VA and the surrounding areas since 1946!
