Shingle Roofing

What a Shingle Roof Inspection Actually Looks At

An inspection walks the whole roof system, from the eave to the ridge, then goes inside the attic where the damage usually shows up first. A roofer who skips the attic is guessing.

• We check granule loss across every field course, because bare asphalt exposes the fiberglass mat underneath.
• We probe the underlayment and any synthetic underlayment in the valleys, where water wicks sideways long before it drips.
• We look at flashing: step flashing at sidewalls, counter-flashing at masonry, chimney flashing, apron flashing, and the pipe flashing around every pipe boot and vent boot.
• We open the attic to check the roof deck, the plywood or OSB sheathing, and the truss, rafter, joist, and ridge beam framing for rot and decay.
• We inspect drip edge, fascia, and soffit, because a blocked soffit vent cooks shingles from below.
• We check gutters and downspouts, since a clogged run backs water up under the eave and into the fascia.
• We record the pitch of each slope so the exposure and head lap in our roof estimate match what the roof actually needs.
• On a low-slope section we may find a flat membrane — TPO, EPDM, PVC membrane, modified bitumen, or a built-up roof — that belongs in a different scope.

Shingle Options We Install and Why

Most Valley homes carry an asphalt shingle roof. The three common choices differ in weight, wind rating, and how they handle our UV load.

• Three-tab shingle is the lightest and least expensive option; fine on a simple gable, but it lifts sooner in monsoon gusts.
• Architectural shingle is a laminated, dimensional product with a heavier granulated surface, and it is our default for most re-roofs.
• Designer or luxury shingle is thicker and cut to imitate wood shake, cedar shake, slate, clay tile, or concrete tile.
• GAF Timberline HDZ, Owens Corning Duration, and CertainTeed Landmark Pro are the lines we quote most, each with a manufacturer warranty tied to correct installation.
• Algae resistance and wind ratings change by line, so we read the spec sheet instead of guessing.
• Where framing or budget says no, we also install metal panel — standing-seam panel or corrugated panel — and tile on homes built for the load.

How a Re-Roof Works, Step by Step

Shingle roofing is mostly removal and prep. The new shingles are the visible part, but the layers under them do the waterproofing.

1. We pull permits so the scope meets building code, then set a dumpster and stage material.
2. We measure with a roofing square, set the ladder and scaffold, and clip a safety harness on before anyone steps onto the rooftop.
3. We tear off the old shingle, roofing felt or tar paper, and any failed ice-and-water shield or vapor barrier, then shovel debris down with a roofing shovel and pry bar.
4. We recheck the deck. Soft spots get sistered or replaced, and the new substrate is fastened with screws or ring-shank nails.
5. We run ice-and-water shield at the eave and through the valley, then synthetic underlayment across the field. Ice dams are not a Phoenix problem, but eave protection still matters when monsoon rain drives sideways.
6. We set drip edge along the eave and rake, snap lines, lay a starter course, and stagger the field courses up, driving fasteners with a nail gun and air compressor so no nail is overdriven.
7. We cap the ridge with ridge cap and ridge vent, then reseal the chimney, skylight, dormer, and parapet with mastic, roof cement, caulk, or adhesive as the detail calls for.

Shapes and Details That Cost Extra Time

Odd geometry takes longer. A mansard or gambrel profile, a small canopy or awning, a deep overhang, or a steep verge and hip all mean hand work at every transition.

On metal systems, purlins with battens and counterbatten strips carry the panels, and we add snow guard anchors only where a slope sheds onto a walkway. Scuppers and coping caps on a flat section get the same care. A torch is sometimes right on modified bitumen; other times a self-adhered sheet is safer. Weatherproofing is detail work, not a coating sprayed over a problem.

Timelines, Costs, and What We Won't Do

A typical single-family re-roof takes two to four days once material lands, weather permitting. Cost moves with square footage, pitch, how many penetrations we have to flash, and whether we find decayed decking under the old felt.

• We quote line by line, so you can see what a recover would save and why we still avoid one over end-of-life wear.
• We won't overlay a second layer over a roof that already shows granule loss, because that hides rot and can void most manufacturer warranties.
• We won't give a firm number without walking the roof, and we won't sell a coating as a fix for a failed membrane.
• We won't skip small things: a bead of sealant at a chimney, a dab of bitumen tar at a nail head, or an attic fan curb flashed right the first time.

Attic insulation and ventilation are separate line items, and we will tell you plainly when they matter more than the shingles do. Call 602-533-0488 for a free estimate and a written scope.