Roofing FAQ
How do I know for sure I need a new roof?
Older roofing shingles and wood shakes typically have a 15- to 30-year lifespan depending on the shingles’ quality, the location and tree cover of your home, and how well the roof was installed originally. Direct sunlight, weather/wind, and poor roof deck ventilation are rough on Bay Area roofs.
Though the CertainTeed and GAF shingles we use today have lifetime warranties, they didn’t a decade ago. We tell our customers that 12 years is a good rule of thumb to go by. At that point, check for these warning signs:
- Curling shingles
- Loss of the asphalt granulation (looks like bald spots)
- Evidence of leaking on your ceilings
- Cracked or discolored interior drywall (painted or wallpapered)
- Decaying shingles
- Missing shingles
- Visible cracks
- Wind damage
- Broken or damaged shingles
- Rusted or missing flashing
If a residential roof is over 15 years old, we recommend you call us out for a look. Sometimes the damage isn’t visible to the untrained eye on the ground, and catching it early can avoid expensive interior repairs in the future.
If I see any of these roofing warning signs, are we talking repair or total roof replacement?
This depends on whether the roofing shingles are past their prime or the original roofing contractor installed part of or the whole roof system improperly. Perfectly good roofing shingles can be repaired if the damage hasn’t affected their integrity. If your roof shingles are old and decaying, it’s economically smarter to replace the entire roof.
How much does a new roof cost?
Several factors go into determining the cost of your new roof. They include the quality and professionalism of your roofing contractor; the brand, type, and grade of roofing shingle you select; the size of your roof, and the shape and slope of your roofline.
Don’t choose a roofing contractor on cost alone. Price is a factor, but not the only factor you should consider. Quality roofing material and contractor workmanship have value. Hiring the cheapest roofing contractor could cost more in the long run when you consider the cost to repair sub-par roofing and the damage it causes.
Will I have to replace gutters and downspouts at the same time?
How long will it take a roofing company to install my new roof?
Of course, there are variables that affect all roofing projects, like weather, whether or not there is a second layer to remove, and more. But typically, The Modern Roofers’ contractors are completely finished with your new roof—from removing the old roof to cleaning up—in three or four days.
Three crews are involved—roof removal, roof installation, and gutters. Roofing vendors deliver sheeting and shingles. Our trained roofing contractors stay on schedule to coincide with two or three required city inspections. It takes a lot of coordination and Modern Roofers company are pros.
How long will it take a roofing company to install my new roof?
Of course, there are variables that affect all roofing projects, like weather, whether or not there is a second layer to remove, and more. But typically, Modern Roofers’ contractors are completely finished with your new roof—from removing the old roof to cleaning up—in three or four days.
Three crews are involved—roof removal, roof installation, and gutters. Roofing vendors deliver sheeting and shingles. Our trained roofing contractors stay on schedule to coincide with two or three required city inspections. It takes a lot of coordination and Modern Roofers company are pros.
Is there anything I need to do before the roofer company starts?
Roof replacement and roofing repair is a messy and noisy process. Consider going somewhere else for about two to three hours once roofing contractors start removing the old roofing shingles to avoid all the noise. Keep pets in mind too. There’s no way around it. But we do all we can to minimize hassle and inconvenience during the roofing process.
If your garage doesn’t have a ceiling, our roofers will place tarps to keep debris from falling into your garage. After the solid decking is installed, we’ll remove the tarps and use a blower to clean out the dust.
Park your cars in the street. The roof removal trucks need to back up to the house. You’ll save your tires from nails and your car from dust and falling debris.
Use common sense and protect any item that you would be upset about if it broke. Many contractors tell you to remove pictures from walls, chandeliers from the ceiling, knick-knacks from shelves, etc. With over 5,000 roofs under our belt, we have never heard a customer say that anything fell off their walls or shelves. Seems like a lot of work for a problem that we have never experienced.
If you have a paver or some other form of the decorative driveway, we will cover it with plywood to protect the surface from roofing vehicles and falling shingle debris.
If you have a swimming pool, close the pool cover. If you don’t have a cover, we’ll tarp it too. Roofing debris can stain plaster finishes.
And what if my new roof leaks? Then what?
Manufacturer shingle warranties are now lifetime. Most manufacturers’ warranties are transferable to the new homeowners for a small fee. That covers the roofing shingles.
Regarding roofing shingle installation and roofing contractor workmanship: Modern Roofers’ workmanship warranty is very clear with as little legal jargon as possible. The integrity of our roofing work is reflected in the warranty, which of course, is transferable to the new owner should you sell your home.
If our Roofing FAQ did not answer your roofing questions, you’ve got three options:
Contact Modern Roofers through our convenient contact form.
Give us a call at 833-696-0060 or email us at info@themodernroofers.com