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Free Inspection
Stripping the Old Roof Down to the Deck
Every full replacement starts with a tear-off rather than an overlay. We pull the old shingle courses, the roofing felt, and any tar paper down to the sheathing so the roof deck is visible instead of guessed at.
Then we probe the plywood or OSB for rot, soft spots, and delamination. A water-logged rafter or truss gets sistered or replaced before a single new fastener goes in, because new shingles over a soft substrate fail early.
On older Ocean County homes we have opened roofs and found purlins and a ridge beam that rotted out after years of a slow leak. That is framing work, and it happens before anything goes back on.
Rebuilding the Layers in Order
The order of the layers is what keeps water out, and skipping one is how a new roof starts leaking in year two. Here is what goes back on, bottom to top.
- Self-adhered ice-and-water shield along the eave, through the valleys, and around the chimney, since driven rain pushes sideways under shingle edges there.
- Synthetic underlayment across the rest of the field, which outlasts old roofing felt and catches water that slips past a shingle.
- New drip edge at the eave and rake, plus apron flashing, step flashing, counter-flashing, and boot flashing at every pipe boot and skylight.
- A starter course along the eave, then field course shingles set in staggered courses and held with ring-shank nails driven to the right depth.
- Ridge cap and ridge vent tied to the soffit vent so attic ventilation moves air instead of trapping summer heat and winter moisture.
Hips, Gables, and the Details People Forget
Hip and gable roofs each have their own trouble spots. On a hip, water arrives from two directions at the ridge, so the cap and the underlayment beneath it get hand-sealed rather than just nailed.
Our crew keeps a pry bar, roofing shovel, roofing square, nail gun, and air compressor on the roof start to finish, which keeps cut lines clean and course spacing even.
We set a dumpster in the driveway and haul debris down ladders and scaffold where the pitch allows. Crews stay tied off to an anchor at the ridge, and where local building code calls for added protection, we add it before the final walkthrough.
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Written Quote
Where Water Actually Gets In
A ceiling stain is the last symptom, not the first. Water usually enters somewhere else and travels along a rafter or joist before it drips, so we trace the leak instead of painting over the stain.
Most leaks we open up start at flashing. Step flashing pulls loose at a sidewall, chimney flashing cracks at the mortar line, or a pipe boot dries out and splits at the top collar.
- Chimney flashing and counter-flashing fail when the sealant at the mortar joint peels and lets water wick into the framing behind it.
- Valleys collect granule loss and debris, so water ponds and eventually seeps under the shingle laps.
- Pipe flashing and vent boots crack after years of UV exposure, a quick fix if we catch it while the shingle around it is still sound.
- Drip edge and eave boards rot where gutters back up, and fascia and soffit decay quietly behind a gutter hanger.
- Seams and penetrations on a low-slope roof let water seep in, and mastic or roof cement smeared over a wet seam only hides the problem.
Ice Dams, Steam Ice, and Winter Water Backup
When warm attic air melts snow on the upper roof and it refreezes at the cold eave, you get an ice dam. Water backs up under the shingles there and finds the wall.
Ice dam removal is not a job for a hatchet. We use roof-safe methods, then address the cause with insulation, air sealing, and better roof ventilation so the underside of the deck stays cold.
What End-of-Life Wear Looks Like
Older roofs do not fail all at once. They oxidize, delaminate, crack, blister, and settle into a condition where every repair buys less time than the one before it.
- Granule loss piling up in the gutter is the clearest early sign that asphalt shingles are past their service life.
- Curling, cupping, and missing tabs let wind uplift lift a whole course during the next storm.
- Soft spots in the decking mean rot has moved past the sheathing and into a rafter.
- A three-tab shingle repair only holds when the replacement profile and color match the rest of the roof.
We fix what is fixable and say so plainly when it is not. If the roof is at end-of-life wear, you get the repair cost and the replacement cost side by side, and the decision stays yours.
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Certified Install
What a Nor'easter Leaves Behind
After a storm rolls off Barnegat Bay, the calls come in for the same three things: lifted shingle tabs, water coming through a ceiling, and a gutter hanging off the fascia.
- Wind uplift peels starter course and ridge cap shingles first, since the edges take the load.
- Branch punctures and hail damage leave bruises that look fine from the ground and start leaking a month later.
- Driven rain forces water through a dormer, skylight, or parapet that had never leaked before.
- Ponding water on a flat roof or low-slope porch section seeps through a seam instead of draining to the scupper.
Emergency Roof Repair and Same-Day Tarping
When water is coming in, the first move is to stop it. We tarp or patch the opening the same day where we can, then return for a full roof inspection once the weather clears.
Call 732-466-1587 and we will get you on the schedule. Our crews are licensed and insured, and we carry the ladders, anchors, and safety gear to work safely on a wet rooftop.
Documenting Damage for an Insurance Claim
Insurance claim assistance is where most homeowners need the most help. We photograph damage, measure the affected slopes, and write a line-item scope an adjuster can actually work from.
- Photos and measurements taken before anything is removed, since once the tear-off starts the evidence is gone.
- A line-item estimate that separates materials, labor, flashing, and any decking that has to be replaced.
- An on-site adjuster inspection walkthrough, where we point out what the roof is doing and answer questions.
- Supplemental claim documentation when the first scope misses rot, sheathing, or an entire slope.
- Straight help with the proof of loss form and the claim deadline, so paperwork does not stall the work.
We do not negotiate your policy for you, and we will not tell you to inflate a claim. We document what is on your roof, plainly, and the roof estimate stays free.
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Your Approval
EPDM, TPO, and Modified Bitumen Flat Roof Systems
Flat and low-slope roofs need a different assembly than shingles. Pitch decides everything, and anything below a 2/12 slope should not be covered in asphalt shingle.
- EPDM roofing uses large rubber sheets with spliced seams bonded with adhesive, which suits a garage or commercial building that sees foot traffic.
- TPO and PVC membrane are heat-welded white membranes that reflect sun and hold up on a rooftop with ponding water.
- Modified bitumen is a rolled asphalt product, torch-applied or self-adhered, and a common match for an older built-up roof.
- Roof coating can stretch the life of an existing membrane when the seams are still sound and the insulation underneath is dry.
- Commercial roofing work on a parapet, coping, or roof drain gets flashed and sealed before anything is called finished.
Gutters, Downspouts, and Fascia Repair
Gutter installation and fascia soffit repair belong with roofing, because that is where the two systems meet. Water that cannot leave the roofline ends up inside the wall.
- Seamless gutter runs sized to the roof area, with hangers driven into sound fascia rather than rotted wood.
- Downspout placement that carries water away from the foundation instead of dumping it at the corner.
- Fascia and soffit boards replaced where decay has gone past the paint, with caulk and sealant at every joint.
- Drip edge and gutter apron tied together so water cannot wick back behind the gutter.
Ventilation, Energy Efficiency, and Roof Maintenance
A hot attic cooks shingles from underneath. Ridge vent, soffit vent, and an attic fan work together to push heat and moisture out, and a vapor barrier plus proper insulation keep the deck dry.
Roof maintenance is the cheapest work you can buy. A yearly roof inspection catches a cracked pipe boot, a loose snow guard, or a lifted shingle before water reaches the deck.
We also handle skylight installation, chimney work, dormers, and odd shapes like a mansard or gambrel, plus small overhangs such as a canopy or awning over a side door.
Which Roofing Materials We Install
- Architectural shingle and three-tab shingle systems remain the standard on most homes in this service area.
- Metal roofing, including standing-seam panel and corrugated panel, where snow shedding and long service life matter.
- Slate, clay tile, and concrete tile on homes built for that weight, laid over batten and counterbatten.
- Wood shake and cedar shake, which need a breathable underlayment and regular maintenance to stay sound.
- Trim and fastener sets that differ on a metal panel verge, hip, or rake line compared to a shingle roof.
Every material choice comes down to pitch, weight, budget, and how long you plan to stay. We put the options in writing on a free roof estimate, and we are licensed and insured on every job.
