What does a roof replacement involve?
A full replacement is more than laying new shingles. For a typical house the steps look like this:
- Protect the property. Plants, air conditioner units and windows are covered or moved, and tarps go down where debris will fall.
- Tear off the old roofing down to the deck.
- Check the deck. Soft or rotted boards are replaced, because new roofing is only as solid as what it sits on.
- Install underlayment, plus a leak barrier at valleys and eaves.
- Fit new flashing around chimneys, vents, skylights and walls.
- Lay the shingles or other roofing material following the maker's instructions.
- Add ridge cap and ventilation, then clean up and sweep the yard for stray nails.
Ask for each of these steps to be named in the written quote, including what happens if rotted decking turns up once the old roof is off. Older ranch homes in the metro sometimes have thin or boarded decking that needs a careful look at tear-off.

