Roof replacement
Roof replacement in Rancho Cordova, CA
Tear-off only, down to the sheathing, with every flashing and vent replaced rather than reused. Here is exactly what you get and what it costs you in disruption.
When it is actually time
A roof rarely fails all at once. It tells you first, and most of the signs are visible from the ground with a pair of binoculars.
- Bald patchesGranules are the sunscreen. Once they are in the gutter in quantity, the mat underneath is ageing fast and there is no putting them back.
- Curled or cupped edgesHeat from an unvented attic pulling the shingle out of shape. Usually worst on the south and west slopes.
- Brittle shinglesIf a corner snaps rather than bends when you lift it, repairs stop being economic — every fix breaks two neighbours.
- Repeat leaks in different placesOne leak is a detail. Three leaks in three winters in three spots is a roof telling you it is finished.
- Daylight through the sheathingGo into the attic on a bright day with the light off. What you can see, water can find.
None of that means you need us this month. Two of the five, and it is worth getting looked at before the first storm rather than during it.
What is in the price
Every quote we write lists these separately, so you can put it next to anyone else's and see what is missing from theirs.
Always included
The parts nobody sees
Full tear-off and disposal. New underlayment across the whole deck. Ice and water shield in every valley and around every penetration. New drip edge. New pipe boots, new vents, new step and counter flashing where the roof meets a wall. Starter course and ridge cap to match.
Quoted separately
The parts we cannot see yet
Sheathing replacement, at a per-sheet rate agreed before we start and charged only for boards you have seen marked. Skylight replacement if yours is older than the roof going over it. Ventilation upgrades, if the attic needs them — we will tell you on the inspection, not on day three.
What a tear-off week looks like
A typical single-story composition re-roof. Bigger or cut-up roofs run longer, and we tell you that before we start, not on the Thursday.
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Day one — everything comes off
Dumpster on the driveway by seven. Loud, dusty, over by mid-afternoon. Take anything breakable off the walls.
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Day one, late — deck inspection
We walk the bare sheathing with you, mark the soft boards and price the replacements before we go any further.
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Day two — dry-in
Underlayment, ice and water shield in the valleys, all flashing and vents replaced. The house is weather-tight at the end of this day.
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Days three to four — shingles and cleanup
Field, ridge cap, then two passes with the magnet over the whole yard. We photograph the finished roof and send you the set.
Which roof are we talking about?
Four honest comparisons. Service life assumes it was installed properly and the attic breathes — both of which matter more than the brand on the bundle.
| Material | Typical service life | Suits | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural composition | 25 to 30 years | Most tract housing in the county | Cheapest to install and to repair. Heat is what kills it, not rain, so ventilation matters more here than in most of the country. |
| Concrete tile | Tile 50 years, underlayment 25 to 30 | Homes that already have it | People replace the whole roof when they only needed the felt underneath. Ask for the underlayment option before you accept a tear-off quote. |
| Standing-seam metal | 40 to 50 years | Rural parcels, fire-conscious builds, modern remodels | Costs roughly double composition up front. Reflects heat well, and the fire rating is why most of our foothill customers pick it. |
| TPO single-ply | 20 to 25 years | Flat and low-slope sections | Not a whole-house roof around here — it is what goes on the flat patio cover or the addition behind the pitched roof. |
Questions we get on replacement
Can I just put a new layer over the old one?
Code in most of the county allows a second layer on a composition roof. We still will not do it. It hides the deck, it traps heat against the new shingles and shortens their life, and it doubles the tear-off cost next time. The saving is real and it is small, and you pay it back with interest.
How much decking usually needs replacing?
On a dry Sacramento roof with no history of leaks, often none at all. Where there has been a long-running leak around a chimney or a valley, expect a handful of sheets. We quote the rate up front so it is never a surprise number.
Do you take the solar off?
We coordinate it, we do not do it ourselves. Your solar installer detaches and resets the array — that keeps their warranty intact. We schedule around them and it typically adds a week to the calendar, not to the work.
What is the warranty?
Two warranties, and they are different things. The manufacturer covers the material for its rated life. We cover our workmanship in writing, which is the part that actually matters — most roof failures are installation, not product.
Free inspection, itemised quote
About forty minutes on site. You get the photos whether or not you hire us.