Roof Replacement and New Roofs, From the Decking Up

Most of our work keeps roofs going with sensible repairs. Still, every roof reaches a point where each patch buys less time than the last. Here is how to recognize that point, how we help you decide, and what a replacement involves from tear-off to cleanup.

When does a roof need replacing instead of repair?

Replacement usually makes sense when the shingles are worn out across the whole roof, when hail or wind has damaged most slopes, when the decking feels soft underfoot, when leaks keep returning in new places, or when two layers of shingles are on the house. One of these alone may not decide it; several together usually do.

• Age. Curling, cupping or bald shingles on every slope mean the whole roof is wearing out at once.
• Widespread hail or wind damage. Bruises or creased tabs on nearly every slope rarely respond to piecemeal fixes. Our hail damage repair and storm damage repair pages explain what we check.
• Soft decking. Wood that flexes underfoot has usually been wet for a long time, and new shingles cannot be nailed securely into it.
• Repeated leaks. When a fourth leak shows up after three patches, a roof leak inspection can tell whether one source or many is to blame.
• Layered roofs. Plenty of older houses were re-roofed by nailing new shingles over old ones. We strip down to the wood rather than add another layer.

How do you decide honestly between repair and replacement?

We start with a free inspection of the roof and, where it can be reached safely, the attic. You get pictures of every problem we found and a written estimate. If a repair will hold, we say so and price the repair. If it won't, we show you the photos that explain why, then let you decide.

Our 25+ years of experience cuts both ways. It tells us when a tired-looking roof still has life left, and when another patch would only waste your money. Sometimes the sensible plan is a repair now and a replacement later, when you are ready.

What happens during a roof replacement?

A full replacement removes the old roof down to the wood, repairs whatever the wood needs, and builds the new roof back up layer by layer. Each layer has a job, from the ice barrier at the edges to the ridge cap at the peak, and skipping one tends to show up later as a leak.

• Tear-off: every old layer comes off, with landscaping, siding and windows protected below.
• Decking: we walk the bare wood and replace rotted, cracked or delaminated boards, with photos of each.
• Ice and water protection: a self-adhering membrane along the eaves and in the valleys, where ice dams and heavy runoff hit hardest.
• Underlayment: covers the rest of the deck as a second layer beneath the shingles.
• Flashing and drip edge: new metal at the edges, chimneys, walls, skylights and pipes; bent or rusted pieces are not reused.
• Ventilation: we check intake at the soffits and exhaust near the ridge, and correct an attic that cannot breathe.
• Shingles and ridge: installed course by course with the nailing pattern the product calls for, then capped at the peaks and hips.
• Cleanup: old material hauled away, yard and driveway swept for nails, and a final walk-around with you.

Do you build roofs on new construction and additions?

Yes. Along with replacing old roofs, we put roofs on newly built homes and on additions. An addition takes special care where the new roof meets the existing one, because that seam is where water most often finds its way in if the flashing and underlayment are not tied together properly.

In Almont, plenty of older village houses carry an original roof beside an addition roofed years later, and that joint is a common trouble spot. Converted cottages at Otter Lake often show the same weakness. When we roof an addition, we also look over the existing roof so you know how the two will age side by side.

Commercial roofing

We work on commercial buildings as well as homes, and the process does not change: a free inspection, photos, a written estimate and a straight answer on repair versus replacement. Commercial roofs vary widely, so we look at what is actually on your building before recommending anything. Owners often ask first whether we are licensed and insured. We are.

Can insurance pay for a new roof after a storm?

Sometimes, when hail or wind damaged the roof and the policy covers that loss. Only your insurer decides. We document the damage with photos and a written estimate, and if you want us present for the adjuster's inspection, we will be. The claim is yours: you file it, you talk with the insurance company, and you make the decisions.

Nobody can honestly promise an approval or a payout, and public adjusting or negotiating claims is not something we do. Coverage, deductibles and reporting deadlines depend on your policy. Read how we help homeowners with storm claims for the details.

Built for Lapeer County weather

A roof here faces summer hail, straight-line wind and downpours. On open farmland around North Branch and Imlay City, gusts have nothing to slow them before the ridge, and wooded acreage near Hadley drops limbs. Winter brings snow load and ice dams, which is why the ice barrier and ventilation steps matter. Tearing off layered roofs on older homes in Lapeer often uncovers boards worn by years of freezing and thawing; replacing them now beats chasing leaks later.

See where your roof stands

Book a free inspection, and we will tell you, with photos, whether your roof needs a repair, a replacement or nothing at all yet.

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