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ServicesFrom the ridge to the ground.
Six kinds of work, in the order water travels down a house. Each one says what the crew looks at and what is useful to tell them.
Roof replacement
A new roof from the deck up: the old layers off, the deck checked, new underlayment, shingles or metal, flashing, vents and ridge.
What the crew looks at
- Age and condition of the shingles or panels
- The deck: soft spots, rot, sagging
- Ventilation in the attic
- Every flashing joint and pipe boot
Useful to tell them
- Roughly how old the roof is
- Any leaks or stains, past or present
- Asphalt, metal or something else, if you know
Choices to talk throughArchitectural asphalt shingles · Standing-seam metal · Colours and trim to suit the house
Pricing: ask the crew about your roof.
Roof repair
One problem fixed properly: a leak traced to where it starts, shingles replaced, a boot or vent resealed, a soft spot opened up and made sound.
What the crew looks at
- Where the water really gets in
- Shingles, nails and seals around the spot
- The deck under the damage
- Whether a repair will hold or the roof is near its end
Useful to tell them
- Where you see the problem, inside or out
- When it shows up: every rain, or only with wind
- Photos from the ground
Choices to talk throughShingle and cap replacement · Pipe boots and vents resealed · Small deck repairs
Pricing: ask the crew about your roof.
Flashing & chimneys
The metal at every joint, where most leaks begin: chimneys, sidewalls, skylights and valleys, in steel, aluminum or copper.
What the crew looks at
- Step and counter-flashing at the chimney
- Sidewall and headwall joints
- Valley metal and the shingles beside it
- The chimney crown and mortar
Useful to tell them
- Where the stain is inside
- Whether it leaks only with wind-driven rain
- Any earlier tar patches
Choices to talk throughStep and counter-flashing · Valley metal · Copper, painted steel or aluminum
Pricing: ask the crew about your roof.
Storm damage inspection
After high wind or hail: every slope, the ridge, vents, gutters and the attic looked at, with photos of what was found.
What the crew looks at
- Lifted, creased or missing shingles
- Hail marks and granule loss
- Dents on vents, gutters and downspouts
- New stains or drips in the attic
Useful to tell them
- The date of the storm
- What you saw in the yard afterwards
- Photos from the ground, with the date
Choices to talk throughA look at the whole roof · Photos of what was found · Plain words about what it needs
Pricing: ask the crew about your roof.
Gutters
Gutters and downspouts sized for the roof above them, sloped to their outlets and carrying the water away from the foundation.
What the crew looks at
- Size against the roof area
- Slope, hangers and seams
- Downspout count and where the water goes
- The fascia board behind the gutter
Useful to tell them
- Where it overflows
- Any wet spots in the basement
- Trees close to the house
Choices to talk throughSeamless gutters · Downspouts and extensions · Guards suited to the trees nearby
Pricing: ask the crew about your roof.
Siding
The walls under the roof: siding repaired or replaced, with the trim, soffit and the joints between wall and roof finished to keep water out.
What the crew looks at
- Loose, cracked or warped pieces
- Soft wood at the bottom of walls
- Where the roof meets the wall
- Soffit and trim
Useful to tell them
- Which walls
- What it is now: vinyl, fiber cement, wood
- Whether you are changing the look
Choices to talk throughVinyl · Fiber cement · Trim, soffit and fascia
Pricing: ask the crew about your roof.