THE PROCESS

1. CHOOSE THE RIGHT CONTRACTOR

Finding the right contractor is the first step towards having a successful, long-lasting roof. Without a quality contractor, there is no guarantee you’ll get a quality replacement. You’ll need to do a little research to choose the right company. Look for a contractor who:

• Has Great Reviews - If you want to find a reputable roofer, you should check out reviews from past customers, Google, Facebook, etc.
• When doing your research, make sure you’re looking at reviews from the last 2-3 months. This will allow you to view the company’s most recent work and see whether they’re getting positive or negative recommendations.
• If you’re hiring a local contractor, you can ask for a list of local references to verify the quality of their repairs and replacements. Reputable roofers may also invite you to visit past homes they’ve worked on so you can personally inspect their work.
• Has Experience - When trying to find the best contractor for your replacement, experience matters. While your project might not be 100% stress-free, having a seasoned contractor on-site can help. For example, roofers often find hidden issues after they remove the first layer of roofing materials. With years of industry practice under their belt, you can trust an experienced contractor to understand the cause of the problem and the best materials, approaches, and practices to solve it.

2. CHOOSE YOUR ROOFING MATERIAL

Before you get your roof replaced, you’ll need to make some decisions. Alongside finding the right contractor for your replacement, you’ll also need to choose the right roofing materials.

There are several things you’ll need to consider. For example, some roofing materials work better in certain regions than others. Choosing a material that works well in your climate will help extend the life and quality of your roof.

Here are some of the most common options for roofing materials:

Asphalt Shingles

Asphalt shingles are some of the most popular roofing materials available. Not only are shingles the most affordable roofing material on the market, but their versatile style makes them enhance curb appeal for any style home. On average, a new shingle roof will last about 10-15 years in the DFW Market. To take your roof to the next level, we ALWAYS upgrade for FREE to Impact Resistant shingle, regardless if you have 3-tab or regular asphalt shingles.

Flat Roof

Homeowners of California style homes love installing flat roofs for their modern design. But that’s not the only reason to consider a flat roof. The low slope makes the roof easily accessible when you need to clean off debris, install a satellite dish, or perform work on your roof. Flat roofs are also the only type of roof offering space to accommodate storage for an AC unit and other equipment, saving space in your yard. Flat roofs typically last over 20 years in climates with little rainfall and thunderstorms, making East Texas an excellent place to install one.

Metal Roof

Although expensive, metal roofs are one of the longest lasting roofing materials available, often lasting twice as long as other roofing materials (40 to 70 years on average). Their durable design means they can withstand storms and severe weather. Metal roof styles range from standing seam, R panel, stone coated steel and thermal fused steel shingles. These applications are quite versatile, complementing farmhouses, colonial, victorian, and beach houses.

Composite Tile Shingles

Slate and cedar shake shingles are often simulated with composite material composed of polymer, asphalt, recycled plastic, and other sustainable elements. Composite roofing tile is made to be light, durable, and more affordable than real slate or cedar split shake. Composite tiles can be molded and tinted to resemble almost any desired texture, or to simulate a natural material. There are a number of manufacturer choices such as DaVinci, CeDar, F Wave, EcoStar, Brava, etc. Composite shingles should last around 40 to 50 years.

Slate Tile

Being the most expensive roofing system on the market, slate is one of the longest-lasting roof materials, sometimes lasting more than 100 years. It is a natural rock that is mined and cut to become a form of 'shingle' (a thin, tapered piece of material used as a roof and wall covering). Slate has been used for hundreds of years as a roof covering but only after the industrial revolution and the construction of the railway network did they become common outside of the slate mining areas.

Clay & Concrete Tiles

Tiles are mankind’s oldest manufactured roofing material, with the first use of clay tiles dating back to Ancient China. Throughout history, their durability made them the go-to choice for roofs in the Middle East, Europe and Asia. Count on a tile roof costing two times as much as a wood shake roof and four times more than asphalt shingles. Concrete tiles are less expensive than clay, so they would be on the lower end of the above pricing range. The color, style, and grade of the tile you choose, including its weight and thickness, is what will determine the actual cost of materials, while installation costs will vary.

3. PREPARING THE JOB SITE

The next step towards your roof replacement is preparing the job site. Your contractor will bring in a dumpster to catch old shingles and other roofing debris. Ladders, OSB sheathing, and other pieces of necessary equipment will also be brought on-site, along with the roofing material itself.

Here are some ways you can prepare your home to ensure a smooth replacement:

• Move Vehicles Out of the Way - Your driveway will act as the staging area for the tools, dumpster, and materials your roofers will use during your replacement. If it’s a one-day install, the dumpster will stay overnight and be pulled the next morning prior to inspection. Because of this, it’s best to move your vehicles away from your garage and driveway before your replacement begins.
  
  If you keep your car on the street or at a neighbor’s house, it’ll keep it far enough away from the work zone to avoid accidental scratches or damages. It’ll also create room for the roofers’ trucks to quickly load and offload materials.
  
  
• Property Protection - As workers clear and replace your roof, debris will fall onto your patio and garden. You’ll need to remove valuable items from these areas to make sure they don’t get damaged.
  
  If you can’t move your setup, you can protect at-risk items like patio furniture, potted plants, and grills by covering them with tarps and/or plywood before your replacement starts.
  
  To go one step further, ask your roofer what steps they’ll take to protect the items you couldn’t move. For example, our crew will help you move items and install tarps to avoid damage. This also allows your contractor to be aware of objects that fall within their workspace and gives them a better idea of how to work around these items to keep their work crews, and your valuables, safe.

4. TEARING OFF THE OLD ROOF

After the job site has been prepped, the contractors will start tearing off your old roof. After each section is torn off, some installers will stay behind to begin installing your new roof while others continue tearing off. Your contractors will work this way to save time and create less traffic on your roof.

5. INSPECTING THE ROOF DECK

At this point, the roof deck will be inspected. If your contractor finds that the decking is rotten, sprinkled with black mold, or shows heavy water damage, it will need to be replaced.

However, decking isn’t usually completely replaced; only sections showing signs of damage will need replacement. If the roof deck is missing nails or bounces instead of laying down flat, it will likely need some re-nailing work.

6. PREPARING THE ROOF DECK

After the deck has been inspected, it’ll then be prepared for shingles. That means laying down drip edge along the eaves and rakes, flashing around chimneys, and ice & water shields around all roof valleys and penetrations.

We also install synthetic underlayment over the whole roof deck before other materials are installed.

7. INSTALLING THE NEW ROOF

Before the actual shingles are installed, your contractor will lay down starter shingles. These are designed to cover shingle joints at the eaves to help waterproof your roof. They’re typically installed along the edges of the roof to greatly improve wind resistance by sealing finished shingles at eaves and rakes.

Working from the bottom edges of the roof upwards, your contractor will then install the new shingles in an overlapping pattern to make sure they properly shed water.

When they’re done with the shingles, they’ll install ridge cap shingles on the ridges of your roof. One of the very last things your contractor will install is all the vents that are needed for your roof’s ventilation system.

8. CLEANUP

After installation, your crew will take several steps to make sure everything gets cleaned up. After they leave, it should be like they weren’t there at all. Let’s go over what the cleanup process should look like:

• Clear the new roof - After your new roof is installed, your roofer will use a powerful backpack blower to clear your roof of any debris or leftover granules that might have come off the shingles during your replacement.
• Clean the gutters - To remove loose debris and nails, your gutters will either be cleaned by hand or with a leaf blower. However, it is possible that a nail could be missed, particularly if it goes unnoticed or down a downspout that hasn’t been cleared during ground cleanup. We always advise homeowners to keep an eye on downspout areas the first few times it rains to assure that any stray nails don’t end up in their driveway.
• Sweep the property with a magnet - After final cleanup, your contractor should sweep your property with two different magnets to remove loose nails: A small, handheld magnet should be used around shrubbery and flower bed areas, while a larger roller magnet should be run around the perimeter of your home to make sure the yard is free of loose nails.

9. FINAL INSPECTION

The project manager will perform a full inspection once your replacement is complete. They’ll get on your roof, take a look around, and make sure the quality matches the high standards you expect when investing in a roof replacement.

Here are some things you can expect to happen during your final inspection:

• Your driveway will be blown to remove any lingering debris.
• Your gutters will be checked for nails or leftover trash.
• The project manager will make sure the shingles on the gable line are straight.
• They’ll make sure any drip edge installed on the gable line is straight.
• They’ll clean any siding that’s been marked by shingle debris.
• They’ll answer any remaining questions you have about your replacement.
• Check attic to insure HVAC & hot water heater gas exhaust vents are properly connected

Keep in mind, your final inspection usually happens the day after your roof is installed. No matter the contractor you hire, they should always inspect their workmanship to ensure your roof was properly installed and that everything agreed upon in your contract has been finished and meets your approval.

OUR ARMOR UP WARRANTY

We offer a 5-year craftsmanship warranty. If you have any issues with our work, we’ll make sure you are 100% taken care of and that your roof will last as long as possible. We’ll also take care of registering your manufacturer’s warranty for your materials. We want to be your first point of contact for any roofing needs you have, including materials warranty issues.