When a repair stops making sense
A home inspectors' life-expectancy chart puts a 3-tab asphalt roof at about 20 years and an architectural shingle roof at about 30. In our own ZIP code, 46227, half the houses were built before 1971, so most of the roofs we look at on the south side are on their second or third set of shingles already.
We start with a repair when a repair will hold. Replacement is the call when the shingles are curling or bald across whole slopes, when leaks keep coming back in new places, when the decking flexes underfoot, or when hail has bruised more of the roof than a patch can match. We will show you the photos from the roof so you can see what we are seeing.
What a replacement involves
Every layer comes off, down to the roof deck. That is the only way to find the rot that shingle-over jobs hide. Wherever the decking is soft or delaminated, we cut it out and replace it before anything new goes down.
Then the roof goes back together from the bottom up. New drip edge runs along every eave and rake, which the 2020 Indiana Residential Code requires on shingle roofs. Underlayment covers the deck. Ice barrier goes along the eaves and up the rakes, where the shingle maker's installation instructions call for it, and we follow the manufacturer. Chimney and wall flashing and pipe boots are replaced, not reused. Shingles go on last, then ridge cap.
Before we leave, the old material is hauled away and the yard and driveway are cleaned up.
Shingle choices
| Option | What to know |
|---|---|
| Architectural shingles | Thicker, dimensional shingles with a rated life of about 30 years on the inspectors' chart. What most homeowners pick now. |
| 3-tab shingles | Flat, single-layer shingles, rated around 20 years. Lower cost up front. |
| Brands | We install Owens Corning and CertainTeed. We will bring color samples to the estimate. |
| Color | If you live in a subdivision with an architectural committee, check its rules first. In Greenwood the city asks for written confirmation that the committee was notified before it issues a permit. |
Permits in our area
The rules change at the city line. The Indianapolis permit guide exempts a like-for-like reroof done by a contractor listed with the city, but not a job that changes the roof's shape, adds a heavier covering, or replaces more than 128 feet of decking. Greenwood requires a permit when 25% or more of the decking comes off. Beech Grove and Johnson County run their own offices. We work out which rule applies to your house before the tear-off starts.
Was it hail or wind? If a storm caused the damage, your homeowner's policy may cover the replacement. Read how we handle storm damage and insurance claims before you call your adjuster.
Roof replacement questions
We tear off. A layover hides whatever is wrong with the decking and flashing underneath, adds weight, and in Indianapolis a heavier roof covering takes the job out of the permit exemption. Starting from the deck is how we know the new roof is sitting on something solid.
Most houses take a day or two, weather allowing. Two-story homes, steep pitches, and roofs with a lot of rotted decking take longer. We give you the schedule with the estimate.
It depends on the size and pitch of the roof, how many layers are coming off, how much decking needs replacing, and the shingle you choose. We measure on site and give you a written price. The estimate is free, and seniors, veterans and people with disabilities get 10% off.
Not usually. If they are already sagging or the fascia behind them is rotten, it is the cheapest moment to replace them, since we are already at the roof edge. See gutters, soffit and fascia.