When signing a contract with a roofer for a new roof, many a homeowner must wonder exactly what is included in roof replacement. It is an enormous job, one that first puts your home at some risk before protecting it for decades into the future.
You Get All This!
We have all seen those late-night commercials that offer kits of 73 items; kitchen gadgets, tools, toys. A roof is, in some ways, like a giant kit. First comes the “assembly instructions” — the preliminary work needed to determine how much of everything your roof requires.
The roofing materials themselves are a lot of parts, many of which you will barely notice once they are expertly installed by a local roofing contractor.
Without all those preliminary steps and underlying parts, though, your finished roof will not function correctly. A complete roof replacement should include:
- A thorough inspection of the existing roof, measurements, and estimation of materials
- Detailed bid document, including warranty information, hauling, finance schedule, and estimated time to completion
- New sheathing as needed
- New underlayment
- New water and ice shield
- New drip edge
- New flashing, rubber boots, and sealants
- New shingles
- New ridge ventilation
- Gable ventilation as required
But Wait, There’s More!
All those parts work in harmony to shed water from your Huntsville home’s roof. You may want to consider new gutters, correcting any landscaping drainage problems, and having your foundation inspected in connection with the new roof. Those would call for other contracting services, but they all work together as a complete drainage system to preserve your home’s foundation.
Your roofing contractor can also provide guidance during planning and bidding on some simple, money-saving ideas.
- Do you want your home’s current roof removed and hauled away, or could you consider having the new shingles applied over the old ones, saving money?
- Do you want architectural shingles, with their dramatic, deep profiles, or a more budget-friendly, simple three-tab shingle?
- What products will earn a discount on homeowners insurance?
- Should you consider high-wind resistant shingles, in light of Huntsville’s history of hurricanes?
Whole Greater Than Its Parts
The great thing about an Owens Corning shingle roof is how the many parts work together to make a roof with great integrity, strength, and water resistance.
Consider underlayment, and how it works well with water and ice shield. Underlayment covers your entire roof and protects the sheathing against any moisture which travels past the shingles. In valleys and the bottom three feet of your roof, water and ice shield staves off water damage from ice dams and wind-driven water.
Think of your roof’s ventilation — soffit vents allow outside air to enter the attic, rise along the underside of your roof (keeping it dry), and out the ridge vents. Gable ventilation increases airflow, helping to prevent mold and mildew.
Flashing, rubber boots around rooftop projections, and sealants all do their part to prevent water from finding its way between chimney and roof, between sanitary stack and shingles.
Keeping just one old part and replacing everything else is penny-wise and pound-foolish; for a new roof to work well, every part of it needs to be new.
Choosing a Contractor
Selecting a great roofing system, such as what Owens Corning manufactures, is only half your battle. You need to ally yourself with a great local roofing contractor who is proven to be dependable. Only the cream of the crop of roofers can earn the highest ratings from manufacturers, and only those best roofers can offer the strongest warranties.
Investing in top-quality Owens Corning roofing materials, but then skimping on installation by using a questionable contractor will lead to disappointment. Shoddy installation could void any warranty the manufacturer may have offered. Callbacks to correct problems could become major headaches.
Word of mouth is one way to find a good roofer, but for true confidence, consider the trust Owens Corning places in the contractor. Yellowhammer Roofing, for example, not only is a Platinum Preferred Contractor (the highest level of achievement), but our own President and Vice President are on the Owens Corning Platinum Advisory Board.
A contractor is only as good as the trained crews dispatched to jobs. This training comes from the contractor/owners and the shingle manufacturer. Demand the best talent and the best materials to get the best roof.
The contractor you choose affects the value and experience of your roof replacement. The workmanship of the install and the warranty you receive is just as important as the shingles and other materials you use.
Half the success of your Huntsville home’s new roof is your roofing contractor. Ensure the best result — contact us at Yellowhammer Roofing today! We can show you all the parts that make up a complete roofing system, explain the steps of roof replacement, and help you select the best roofing material for your home.
