A new roof, priced straight
A replacement is the biggest roofing job there is, and the one where a real quote matters most. Across the county, most residential replacements are composition asphalt; metal is growing fast on the east side and in the foothill towns, and cedar shake conversions are a steady niche in the wooded neighborhoods.
When is it time?
- The shingle field is failing, widespread curling, granule loss, or cracking, not just a few bad tabs
- Multiple leaks, one leak is a repair, three in a season is a roof telling you something
- It's simply old, a 20-year composition roof in this climate has earned its retirement; rain and moss are harder on roofs than sun is
- A buyer or insurer requires it, common on sales of older homes
Tear-off or overlay?
A tear-off strips everything to the decking, which is the only way to see and fix soft or rotten sheathing, and the only option if the roof already has two layers. An overlay puts new shingles over the old ones; cheaper, but it buries problems and adds weight. Most honest roofers here steer toward tear-off, and some cities' code requires it.
What should a quote include?
Tear-off scope and debris handling, decking inspection and the per-sheet price for replacing bad plywood, underlayment type, the shingle or panel system and its warranty, flashing and vent scope, permit handling where your city requires it, and the timeline from start to dry-in.
