A well-built roof should last upwards of 25 to 30 years! Proper maintenance will extend that lifespan and help maintain the value of your home. That being said, it’s easy to take your roof for granted and miss the signs that it’s life has come to an end. Rivers running down your walls or waking up to puddles in your living room are dilemmas you want to avoid. When you realize your roof needs replacing, it could be too late to prevent further damage. 

Even without a disaster or time crunch the idea of getting a new roof can be stressful. Bordner takes the burden off your shoulders by showing you exactly what to expect through each stage of the process of replacing your roof.

Roof Replacement Process

Step 1: Design Consultation.

When you need your roof replaced, the process will always start with a free consultation, We recommend you always get multiple proposals since it’s wise to get several bids and a feel for the market. This allows you to compare pricing, product, and warranties. If you are wary about who to get your proposals from go check out these 8 Critical Things to Know When You Hire a Contractor.

At your Bordner consultation, we thoroughly inspect your roof first to fully understand the problem, define the project and ensure you receive your best solution.  Before we come to your home we gather measurements from satellites via Eagleview. At your appointment we’ll do a physical inspection, take pictures and document the state of your roof. 

We check for storm damage; aging, cracking, and buckling shingles; dropping or sagging areas; proper ventilation, and many more items that would indicate a faulty roof system and place your home at risk. Documenting these details is essential, especially when submitting damage claim to your insurance.

For storm-related projects, we will contact your insurance agent to send them proof of damage, scope of work, and pricing. Generally, they’ll send an adjuster to assess the damage before they approve the work. We will meet with the adjuster and advocate for you if need be. Once your insurance approves the claim, we will coordinate with them to directly to organize a seamless replacement process for you. 

You made it! Now it's time to sit back and watch the magic happen transform your old roof into something new! We will arrive on time with a big boom truck full of materials. Sometimes this will show up ahead of the installation day and sometimes on the day of. As we unload the truck, most of the shingles will go straight to the roof, other bundles will be stacked neatly on your driveway. We only stack your shingles in the specific pre-determined area you you are most comfortable with. This area is discussed in your PPM and confirmed right before the materials are delivered.

Your Project Manager will be onsite to walk you through every step. We review every project at the beginning of each week so our crews can be fully prepared. The crew will have a color-coded diagram drawing of your project, based on what you and your Design Consultant agreed on. It breaks down the entire project into smaller steps, so that you are confident that no detail is missed.

IMPORTANT: Property Protection is something we do automatically. We’ll place plywood and tarps around to protect trees, windows, bushes etc. However, if there is something you are specifically concerned about, like that Japanese bonsai that was imported for your wife from Japan, please let us know before work begins so we can be extra vigilant around it. 

Your Project Manager will come out nearly every day. You may or may not see them due to timing, but they’ll be there to make sure everything is going well. You will have a direct line to communicate with them, so don’t be shy if you have questions or concerns. 

We will place a sign in your yard to let the neighbors know who is installing your new roof. This will help prevent you from getting unnecessary calls from neighbors about strangers on your roof. It also allows them to contact us instead of harassing you if they have concerns about noise or debris that might affect their property.

Note: It’s a Mess!

Yes, it’s will look like a bomb went off at first. You might have seen houses around the neighborhood getting a new roof and thought, “Yikes! There’s stuff everywhere!” Those old shingles and the old decking underneath need to be removed first. And it will look like a mess as they get it all tucked into an onsite dumpster. 

The good thing is, it's on us to clean up!

A mess will come with your new roof, but so does our guarantee that you will be satisfied with our thorough cleanup. Our team is committed to keep your property pristine and will make a special trip back if it you deem it necessary. We  use a wheel magnet around the property every single day, especially around the driveway, sidewalks, and high traffic areas.

We guarantee that we're going to take 99% of what comes off your roof with us when we’re done. That doesn't leave us much margin of error. So, if you go around afterwards digging into your planters, flower beds or such and find a few nails? Yep, we took 50,000 off of the roof. We might miss a couple here and there, but if you’re not satisfied, we’ll come back and remove anything we missed. 

Tear Apart To Rebuild.

We strip your old roof down to the plywood sheathing or decking (aka the OSB - Oriented Strand Board.) If the decking is damaged it will compromise the integrity of your new roof. We replace any damaged OSB to create a sturdy foundation for your shingles and help protect your home from the environment. Some roofers will overlay new material on old, compromised layers that could potentially place your home at risk as well as void the product warranty you paid for. 

Ice and Water Shield.

The way we use Ice and Water Shield differentiates us. Most contractors have a standard of only meeting code. We go beyond code. Why? Because your roof is out legacy. Consider this, 99% of leaks happen at flashing areas. Flashing is anywhere there is a cut or seam, such as around a skylight, chimney or in the valleys of the roof. Ice and Water Shield is a waterproof membrane that seals directly to the plywood beneath the felt and shingles. It helps prevent leaks from ice or snow build up and rain.

In most places, code requires a minimum coverage of 24 inches from the edge of your roof (the eaves). Our standard is 66 inches, which means water would literally have to go against gravity 66 inches to get into your roof. We ALSO place it around all cuts and seams. I.e., sky lights, chimneys, heat stacks, vents etc. This is a tedious process, but its an extra level of protection for the top-quality roof you paid for. Another perk, your warranty stretches further due to the superior product and higher level of craftsmanship.

Some people ask, “if Ice and Water Shield is so great, why not cover the entire roof?” Not only would it be incredibly costly to cover the whole roof, it would be impossible to ventilate the roof properly as we mention later on. 

Felt.

Not all felts are equal. The standard and therefore the most commonly used product for organic felt has a 15- or 30- pound rating . The problem: standard felt is paper-based and acts like paper when it gets wet. We moved from a paper-based felt to a synthetic because it holds nails better and repels water instead of absorbing it. In fact, even a 40 mile per hour wind can actually pull shingles loose, or even push water in between them, which is one of many reasons we suggest yearly inspections. The synthetic felt repels the water long enough to let it drain out and helps prevent damage. The felt goes on over the Ice and Water Shield, but covers the whole roof. 

Shingles.

The edge of your roof will experience the most abuse from wind, water drainage, snow buildup, and if you are not careful, gutter overflows. That is why the first shingle installed at the eave is special, it’s called a starter strip. 

Many roofers have another shortcut up their sleeve that is cheep, but could cost you a great deal in the end. They turn a shingle upside down to create a starter strip. This hides the perforated slit from the eye, but water and the wind can still find them.

Owens Corning makes “Starter Strip Plus'' shingles with a double-sided seal, which attaches to both the roof edge and to the first row of shingles. This starter shingle is crucial because it creates a secure seal of protection on the first row of shingles and provides a better defense against the elements. We can use any type of shingle, but greatly prefer to use Owens Corning for their quality. We're a platinum preferred contractor - meaning we are in the top-tier of their exclusive network. We have met the strict standards for professionalism, reliability and craftsmanship that Owens Corning requires to be able to offer their best roofing system warranty.

Ventilation.

The great thing about a wood roof is they breathe well. If they weren’t crazy expensive, high maintenance, fire hazards, they would be great! The only negative to an asphalt roof is they act like a mason jar. You tighten it so it’s sturdy and waterproof. However, did you ever catch a grasshopper or a frog in a mason jar when you were a kid and forget to add air vents to the lid to let it breathe? Same deal. You want your roof to breathe.

Many people fail to realize that heat within your home rises and when it does your roof can trap it. That hot air carries moisture that is the perfect ingredient along with a dark attic for a recipe of unwanted growth. Growth of what? You guessed it, mold and rot. One indicator of poor roof ventilation is uneven heat zones in your house. That's right, if the main floor has a cozy fall vibe, but you need to put on a swimsuit to survive the heat upstairs then its time to look into a roof. Poor roof ventilation can literally bake the life expectancy of your shingles away causing a 50-year shingle to need replacing after a mere 10-15 years.

We use a ventilation calculator that helps us balance the intake and exhaust to build and protect the integrity of the roof. It also helps keep your house in "one season" temperature wise.

Lastly: Water Flow and Drainage.

Proper water flow will extend the life of your roof longer than any other single thing. Water causes the most damage if left to its own devices. There are many aspects to the entire water flow system, here are the basics: 

Flashing: As mentioned above Flashing is installed anywhere there is a cut or seam. Flashing and TinRuns are metal channels that are interlaced with your shingles when butted-up against an edge like a chimney, wall, or a seam such as a valley. They prevent water from running behind the wall or beneath the shingles. We replace all old flashing when necessary. There are cases when flashing is attached to the home in such a way as to make it structurally unsound to remove.

We reflash chimneys by interlacing painted metal shingles along the crease, then cover them with roll metal and seal the lip with a urethane bead to protect it. If needed we repair/replace the stucco on a chimney before reflashing. Note: The stucco will need to cure before it can be painted. 

Kickouts: There should be a diverter or Kickout at the bottom of any Tinrun area or any area where the roof edges connect to a wall. Especially with more porous materials such as stucco or stone. The kickout is a small, metal slip that is angled to direct water away from certain areas.

Skylights: Though we do recommend replacing skylights every ten years, we will place Ice and Water Shield as well as new flashing even if you are keeping the old windows.  A small amount of dust and debris is likely to fall into the hole during this process, so we recommend placing tarps or sheets down to protect the flooring and furniture. Keep in mind, the age and durability of the skylight will affect our ability to seal it properly.

W Style Metal Valleys: To get water away from your roof as fast as possible and prevent it from puddling long enough to get under your shingles, we place these long metal strips in the “valleys” of the roof. These will have Ice and Water Shield under them for 3 feet on each side, so water would literally have to flow uphill 3 feet to get under the shingles.

Plumbing Vents: We reflash the plumbing vents as well. The rubber seal around the base of the vents is called a boot. Plumbing are one of the most common fail points. We install a primary and secondary boot to double the life on the seal.

Heat Stack: We reseal the heat stack base and collar. We also may replace the heat stack cap if needed. Any other repairs will need a HVAC professional to prevent hazardous issues. 

Satellite Dishes and cables: Satellite dishes will be removed and carefully set to the side. Plan ahead with your dish company to have them come out to reinstall. This will avoid cancelled contracts or warranties.

Snow Pans: Snow pans are placed in areas that are likely to hold debris such as leaves or snow. These are especially useful on flat roofs.

Gutter Aprons: We use a 2 inch by 3 inch gutter apron system. This is installed under the shingles and hangs down into the gutter, as opposed to the more common drip edge which is just a lip overhang. The apron protects the fascia and plywood better by directing water into the gutter more efficiently. We can replace damaged gutters as well. Talk to your consultant if you’re not satisfied with your current gutter situation. 

Bordner Bliss!

We will do a final walk through with you to address any questions or concerns you may have. We will also explain basic maintenance that will extend your new roof's life. Don't stress about this, if you think of questions or have issues later on, please call and give us the pleasure of helping ensure your needs are met. Still concerned? We understand and are happy to report that we are Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor. What does that mean? You are not only covered by the warranties Bordner offers, but you also have the added bonus of another warranty backed by Owens Corning as well. Now that's a lot of peace of mind.

Last, but certainly not least, it’s time to sit back and enjoy knowing your home now protected with a Bordner built, top-quality roof. Your warranty is top-notch and you can focus on what matters most to you. 

The idea of getting a new roof can be stressful. At this point, hopefully Bordner took the burden off your shoulders by showing you exactly what to expect through each stage of the process of replacing your roof. If so and your satisfied with our work, then we invite you to add your 5 star Google Review to the more than 600 reviews. If not, we ask that you contact us at 816-680-5083 and give us a chance to correct any issues you may have.