How long should my asphalt shingle roof actually last?

A properly installed architectural shingle roof with balanced ventilation, full flashing replacement, and intact ice & water barrier will run 25-30 years in southern New England. Same shingle on a poorly ventilated attic will fail in 12-15 because heat from below blisters and curls the asphalt. The "30-year shingle" rating assumes the system is right; the most common reason roofs fail early is ventilation, not the shingle itself.

Tear-off or overlay — is the savings worth it?

Usually tear-off on a primary residence. The $1,500–3,000 you save on labor goes away the first time you have a flashing leak you can't address without tear-off anyway, and the enhanced manufacturer warranties (Golden Pledge, SureStart Plus) are off the table on an overlay. Overlay can make sense on a flip you will not own through year 10, on a roof where the deck and flashings are recent and documented, and only over a single existing layer. Two layers is the legal max in MA/RI; a third layer is not allowed. Ask your roofer which applies to your specific roof.

My insurance is paying for storm damage — can the contractor "cover my deductible"?

No — that is insurance fraud and the homeowner can be exposed to liability for it, not just the contractor. An offer to waive, eat, or rebate your deductible is one of the clearest signals of the storm-chaser pattern: the claim gets inflated to recover the "covered" deductible, or the crew leaves before the job is finished. Pay your deductible. Pick a local contractor who has been in business at least 5 years at the same address. Get the scope and price written down before you sign an AOB (Assignment of Benefits), and read carefully before signing one at all — many homeowners prefer to keep the insurance claim in their own name and pay the contractor directly.

How do I know if my attic is properly ventilated?

Three quick checks. (1) Go in the attic on a hot day — if it feels much hotter than outside, exhaust is failing. (2) Go in the attic on a cold humid day — if you see frost or moisture on the underside of the deck, exhaust is failing. (3) Walk outside and look at the soffits — you should see continuous perforated vent panels, not solid wood. If you have a ridge vent but no working soffit intake, the ridge vent pulls air from the gables (or worse, the house) and short-circuits. Code is 1 sqft of net free area per 150 sqft of attic, split 50/50 intake and exhaust.

What about ice dams — does a new roof solve them?

A new roof reduces ice dam damage; it rarely eliminates the dams themselves. Ice dams form when warm attic air melts snow at the ridge, which refreezes at the cold eaves. The fix is upstream: air-seal the attic floor, add insulation, and ventilate properly so the attic stays close to outdoor temperature. A new roof with full eaves ice & water shield (6 feet up, not just code-minimum 2 feet) will keep water from getting through the dam, but the dam will still form if the attic stays warm. Plan on insulation + air sealing + roofing as a system.

GAF or CertainTeed — does it matter?

Both make excellent shingles. The difference is the warranty pathway and the contractor pool. GAF Golden Pledge (with a Master Elite installer) and CertainTeed 5-Star SureStart Plus (with a Shingle Master installer) are functionally similar — 50-year material, 20-25 year workmanship, registered with the manufacturer not the contractor. Pick the contractor first; their credential dictates which manufacturer you end up with. Owens Corning Platinum is a comparable third option. The enhanced-warranty programs from the major manufacturers are what most homeowners are buying when they invest in a premium re-roof.

Do I need permits, and who pulls them?

Yes — both Massachusetts (under 780 CMR) and Rhode Island require a building permit for a re-roof. Your contractor pulls it as the responsible party, which is what you want; inspection happens after substantial completion. Permit cost ($150–400 typical) is usually included in the bid. If a contractor suggests YOU pull a homeowner permit to save the fee, ask why — homeowner permits shift code-compliance liability to you, and licensed contractors are generally set up to pull permits in their own name as a matter of course.

How long does a re-roof take and do I need to leave?

Typical 25-square (2,500 sqft footprint) re-roof: 1-2 days for tear-off and dry-in, 1-2 days for new shingles and detail work — 3 days total for a competent crew, weather permitting. You do not need to leave. The yard becomes a worksite; move cars out of the driveway, cover anything in the attic that you do not want dusted, and keep pets and kids inside during tear-off (nails will land on the lawn no matter how careful the crew is — magnet sweeps catch most but not all). Expect a few minor cosmetic touch-ups (a knocked downspout, a smudged window) that the crew should fix on the spot.

Quincy, MA

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How to hire a roofer in Quincy, MA

A roof is a system — shingles are only the part you can see. What actually keeps water out and the warranty intact is decking, underlayment, ice & water shield, flashings, and a balanced ventilation system. When you understand how those pieces fit together, you can have a much better conversation with your roofer about scope and price.

RI Contractor Registration + MA HIC — All pros carry RI CRLB registration and Massachusetts Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) license. Pre-1978 work requires EPA RRP lead-safe certification — we verify it.

Manufacturer-credentialed installers — GAF Master Elite or CertainTeed Shingle Master credentialing is what unlocks the Golden Pledge / SureStart Plus warranties. Fewer than 2% of US roofers hold Master Elite.

Full tear-off, not overlay — Our default scope is complete tear-off down to the deck so we can inspect sheathing, replace flashings, and qualify the system for the enhanced manufacturer warranty. Overlays have their place on a recent single-layer roof, but they disqualify Golden Pledge and Integrity coverage — we will flag the tradeoff up front.

Balanced ventilation as a line item — Every quote calculates intake (soffit) and exhaust (ridge) NFA against your attic square footage. Balanced ventilation is what the manufacturers require to honor the full warranty, and it is the single biggest factor in whether the new shingles last the rated lifespan.

Get a quote What it usually costs

What to know before you hire a roofer in Quincy

Quincy has a large pre-WWII housing stock, with Wollaston Hill featuring 300+ tree-lined early-20th-century homes in a designated historic district, and Squantum dominated by modest 3-4 BR single-families on a tight coastal peninsula. Triple-deckers and two-families are common across central and north Quincy.

Quincy fronts Boston Harbor and Quincy Bay, so homes get direct coastal exposure, salt air, and nor'easter wind. Squantum, Houghs Neck, and Germantown are especially flood-vulnerable; the city has thousands of housing units at risk of routine coastal flooding within 30 years.

How we price it

These are the factors that move a quote up or down. Knowing them helps you share the right context upfront so we can quote your specific situation accurately — and so you can compare bids on apples-to-apples scope.

Decking condition (rotted sheathing)

Primary driver

Decking damage isn't visible until tear-off — neither you nor your roofer can see it from the ground. A sound deck on a 20-year-old roof is the common outcome; chronic flashing leaks, ice-dam damage at the eaves, or a previous overlay trapping moisture can mean rotted plywood or planks. Replacement is fast and cheap during a re-roof because the crew is already on the roof; it is expensive after the fact because the new shingles have to come off again.

Benchmark:$70–110 per 4×8 sheet of plywood replaced (CDX, installed). OSB is $15–25/sheet cheaper.

Worth asking about: Look for a per-sheet decking allowance in your contract ($X per sheet) so the price for unexpected sheathing replacement is set in advance. Both you and your roofer benefit from that clarity — it removes the change-order conversation.

Pitch, height, and access

Primary driver

A walkable 6:12 ranch roof is one labor rate; a 12:12 Victorian with a third-story chimney is another entirely. Anything over 8:12 requires roof jacks and harnesses (slower work, real safety setup), and crews price in a steep-roof premium accordingly. Two-story houses with no driveway access for a dump trailer also add hand-load labor for tear-off debris. These are legitimate cost drivers — not upsells.

Benchmark:$50–100/sq premium for 8:12–10:12 · $100–200/sq premium for 12:12+

Flashing scope (chimneys, walls, valleys, kickouts)

Primary driver

95% of roof leaks happen at flashings, not through shingles. A full re-roof typically replaces step flashing at every wall intersection, counter flashing at chimneys, and installs kickout flashings where step flashing meets a gutter. Reusing sound, recent flashing is sometimes appropriate; reusing 20-year-old galvanized flashing under new shingles usually isn't. Ask which flashings are being replaced and which (if any) are being reused, and why.

Benchmark:Chimney reflash $400–1,600 · Kickout install $150–400 each · Step flashing replacement included in tear-off scope

Ventilation (intake + exhaust balance)

Secondary

IRC requires 1 sqft of net free area (NFA) per 150 sqft of attic floor, or 1:300 with a vapor barrier and balanced high/low venting. Half goes to intake (soffit), half to exhaust (ridge). Unbalanced systems short-circuit (the ridge pulls air from the nearest gable vent instead of from the soffits), which leaves the eaves un-cooled and bakes the shingles from below. GAF and CertainTeed both require the math to honor warranty claims on under-ventilated roofs.

Benchmark:Continuous ridge vent $8–12/lf · Soffit vent retrofit (drill + screened cover) $15–25 per opening · Whole-house add typically $400–900 on a re-roof

Worth asking about: A power attic fan installed alongside a ridge vent is a real performance and warranty issue — the fan can pull conditioned air up from the house and short-circuit the ridge. If a power fan is being proposed alongside ridge venting, ask the contractor to walk you through the load calc and how the two systems interact.

Ice & water shield coverage

Secondary

Massachusetts (780 CMR) and Rhode Island (RI IRC 2018) both require ice barrier from the eaves to at least 24" inside the exterior wall line. On steep roofs (8:12+) it must extend 36" up the slope. Many New England roofers go well beyond code as a matter of practice: full eaves, all valleys, around all penetrations, and around skylights and chimneys. It is worth asking where your roofer's standard scope sits — code minimum and full-coverage are both legitimate options at different price points.

Benchmark:Code minimum: ~$80–120/sq added cost · Full-coverage best practice: $150–250/sq added cost

Tear-off vs overlay (layer count)

Secondary

Most jurisdictions allow up to 2 layers of asphalt shingles; if your roof already has two layers, code requires tear-off and a third layer is not legal. An overlay over a single sound layer can save $1,500–3,000 but means you cannot inspect the deck or replace flashings underneath, and the enhanced manufacturer warranties (Golden Pledge / SureStart Plus) are off the table. Tear-off is the more common recommendation in this market, but ask which applies to your specific roof and why.

Benchmark:Tear-off: $100–175/sq added cost for 1 layer · $200–300/sq for 2 layers

Material tier (architectural vs designer vs metal)

Situational

Architectural asphalt (GAF Timberline HDZ, CertainTeed Landmark) is the residential default — 30-year warranty, $120–180/sq material. Designer/luxury shingles (Timberline UHDZ, Presidential Shake) run $200–350/sq material and add curb appeal but not durability. Standing-seam metal is 50+ year material, double the install cost, but pays back if you plan to own past 25 years.

Benchmark:3-tab $90–120/sq · Architectural $120–180/sq · Designer $200–350/sq · Standing-seam steel $400–700/sq (material only)

Project sizes we handle

Three scopes that cover almost everything in this trade. We'll help you place your project on the right tier based on the property, what you've already tried, and how long you plan to stay.

Builder-grade tear-off + architectural shingles

$400–500/sq installed

Full tear-off to the deck, 15# felt or basic synthetic underlayment, code-minimum ice & water at eaves and valleys, architectural shingles (30-yr), aluminum drip edge, continuous ridge vent if existing soffit intake supports it. Reuse existing chimney flashing if sound. Standard manufacturer material warranty only.

GAF Timberline HDZ or CertainTeed Landmark architectural shingles
15# asphalt-saturated felt or entry-level synthetic underlayment
Grace Ice & Water Shield (or equivalent) at eaves to 24" inside wall
Aluminum drip edge, galvanized step flashing

Best for: Selling within 3-5 years, a roof that already has good ventilation and sound flashings, or a rental property where lifetime cost matters less than upfront price.

Full system install — manufacturer-credentialed

$550–700/sq installed

Tear-off, full synthetic underlayment (Tiger Paw, RoofRunner, or DiamondDeck), ice & water at eaves + all valleys + around all penetrations and skylights, new step + counter + kickout flashings, new pipe boots, balanced ridge-and-soffit ventilation sized to code, starter strip + hip & ridge cap shingles from the same manufacturer line. Installer is GAF Master Elite or CertainTeed Shingle Master.

GAF Timberline HDZ + GAF accessories (StormGuard, Pro-Start, TimberTex hip/ridge, Cobra ridge vent)
Or CertainTeed Landmark + Integrity Roof System components (DiamondDeck, WinterGuard, Swiftstart, ShadowRidge, Ridge Vent)
Full synthetic underlayment field
New aluminum or steel flashings throughout, kickout flashings at every roof-wall-gutter intersection

Best for: Your primary residence, planning to own 10+ years, want manufacturer warranty coverage (GAF Golden Pledge / CertainTeed 4-Star SureStart Plus) and the workmanship guarantee that comes with credentialed installers.

Standing-seam metal or designer architectural

$900–1,800/sq installed (metal); $700–950/sq (luxury architectural)

Standing-seam metal (24-gauge Galvalume or aluminum, hidden fasteners, mechanically seamed) over high-temp synthetic underlayment and full ice & water field; OR luxury architectural (Timberline UHDZ, Presidential Shake TL, Grand Manor) with full Golden Pledge or 5-Star SureStart Plus. Includes structural snow-rail systems on metal, full copper or pre-finished flashings, premium ridge vent, and full system warranty (50 years material + workmanship).

Standing-seam: 24-ga Kynar-coated steel or aluminum panels, butyl tape sealant, high-temp Grace Ultra underlayment
OR luxury architectural: GAF Timberline UHDZ, CertainTeed Presidential Shake TL, or Grand Manor
Copper or pre-painted steel chimney flashings, snow guards/rails on metal systems, full perimeter ice & water

Best for: Forever home, architectural property where curb appeal matters, north-facing slopes with chronic ice dams, or coastal exposure where wind uplift and salt-air corrosion drive material choice.

What we reach for and why

The materials and techniques behind a job that lasts — so you know what's in the quote and why it's there.

Synthetic underlayment vs 15# felt

material

Synthetic (Tiger Paw, RoofRunner, DiamondDeck) is woven polypropylene — does not absorb water, will not tear underfoot, holds up if the deck sits exposed for a few days mid-tear-off. Felt absorbs water, wrinkles, and is brittle in cold. The cost delta on a full re-roof is $200–300 total — most quality-tier installs default to synthetic.

Pro tip: Synthetic underlayment is one of the cheapest meaningful upgrades available. If you see 15# felt in a quote, it is worth asking the roofer how they decide between felt and synthetic on your specific roof — there are legitimate reasons either way.

Ice & water shield placement (the New England part)

material

Self-adhering polymer-modified bitumen membrane (Grace Ice & Water Shield, CertainTeed WinterGuard, GAF StormGuard). Code minimum in MA/RI: from the eaves to 24" inside the exterior wall line, plus all valleys. Best practice for a Northeast home: full eaves coverage to 6 feet up, every valley, around every penetration (pipes, vents, skylights), and the full perimeter of chimneys and walls. The membrane is $80–120 per square — cheap insurance against $20K of ice-dam interior damage.

Pro tip: On a roof with chronic ice dams, full-coverage ice & water (every square foot, eave to ridge) is worth it. It is overkill for a sunny southern slope; it is the right call for north-facing eaves and any rooms with cathedral ceilings and minimal attic above.

Balanced ridge-and-soffit ventilation

technique

Cool intake at the soffits, warm exhaust at the ridge — physics does the rest. The math: attic floor area ÷ 150 = required total NFA (sqft), then ÷ 2 = required intake NFA and exhaust NFA. Split roughly 50/50 (some pros bias slightly intake-heavy at 55/45). A continuous ridge vent provides 12-18 sq in of NFA per linear foot; check whether your soffits actually have continuous intake (many older homes have soffit boards with no perforation, or insulation blocking them from inside).

Pro tip: A simple "1500 sqft attic ÷ 150 = 10 sqft = 1,440 sq in NFA = 720 sq in each side" calc takes 30 seconds. Asking your roofer to walk through their version of this math is a great way to get aligned on the ventilation portion of the scope — most good ones love this conversation.

Step flashing + kickout flashing at roof-wall intersections

technique

Step flashing is L-shaped metal woven into each shingle course where a roof meets a sidewall — the majority of leaks in that area trace back to missing or improperly woven step flashing. The kickout is the small angled piece at the bottom of the step run that diverts water away from the wall and into the gutter; without it, water sheets down behind the siding and rots the wall sheathing. Kickouts have been required by IRC since 2009 but are still missing on many pre-2015 roofs.

Pro tip: Walk your driveway and look up at every place a roof meets a wall above a gutter. If you do not see a small metal kickout piece angled away from the wall at the bottom of the step flashing, that is a useful thing to flag to your roofer when they come out to bid.

Starter strip + hip & ridge cap (matched system)

material

The first course at the eaves is typically purpose-made starter shingles (GAF Pro-Start, CertainTeed Swiftstart) with a factory-applied sealant strip — not field-cut from regular shingles. Same goes for hip and ridge caps: dedicated caps (TimberTex, CertainTeed Cedar Crest) with proper exposure rather than 3-tabs cut down. Field-cut starters and caps are still seen on budget jobs but they don't seal as well, are more prone to wind lift, and don't satisfy the wind-rating portion of the enhanced warranty.

Drip edge — over or under?

technique

Drip edge goes UNDER the underlayment at the eaves (so water that runs down the underlayment dumps into the gutter, not behind the fascia) and OVER the underlayment at the rakes (so wind-driven rain does not blow under the underlayment from the gable end). This is one of the most commonly mis-installed details in the field; getting it right is a useful signal of a careful crew.

Pro tip: Type-D drip edge (deeper profile, hemmed return) is the right call in New England — it stands off the fascia and gives ice room to form without prying the metal away from the wood.

GAF Golden Pledge vs CertainTeed SureStart Plus

approach

The two enhanced manufacturer warranties homeowners should know. GAF Golden Pledge: lifetime material (50 years non-prorated), 25-year workmanship coverage from GAF directly — requires Master Elite installer, full tear-off, and 5+ GAF accessories. CertainTeed 4-Star/5-Star SureStart Plus: up to 50 years non-prorated material + labor — requires Shingle Master installer and the full Integrity Roof System (matched underlayment, ice & water, ridge cap, ridge vent, starter). Both pay for themselves on a leak claim in year 12 that a basic warranty would prorate to nothing.

Pro tip: The contractor registers the warranty with GAF/CertainTeed within 60 days of completion. Ask for the warranty certificate in hand once it's issued — it is your record that the enhanced warranty is in force, and most good roofers will send it without prompting.

What to watch for

A short list of the things that actually matter for safety, code, and your peace of mind. Worth confirming with any pro before you sign — we expect these questions and we're happy you ask.

Post-storm door-knockers offering to "cover your deductible" or asking you to sign an AOB on the spot

This is a specific predatory pattern — storm-chaser crews (often from out of state) that chase hail and wind events, collect Assignment of Benefits signatures, and move on once the insurance check clears. It is a real consumer protection issue, separate from the legitimate local roofing industry. Covering a deductible is insurance fraud and the homeowner can be exposed to it. If your roof was damaged in a storm, take the time to get a quote from a local contractor with an office address, a phone number that will answer next year, and references in your zip code.

No per-sheet decking allowance in the contract

Decking damage is invisible until tear-off. Without a per-sheet unit price written into the contract ($X per 4x8 sheet of CDX, installed), the price for sheathing replacement is a conversation under time pressure on day one of the job. A specified allowance protects both parties — it is a sign of a well-organized estimate, not a sign of anything wrong, and any roofer will add it on request.

No underlayment, ice & water, or ventilation spec in the quote

The shingle is only 25–30% of the system. A quote that lists "architectural shingles" without specifying underlayment type, ice & water coverage area, and the ventilation approach is missing the parts of the system that determine whether the roof lasts the rated lifespan. Ask the roofer to itemize these — most do so as standard practice, and the ones who don't are usually happy to once asked.

Overlay proposed on a roof that already has two layers

Most jurisdictions cap roofs at two layers of asphalt shingles, so a third layer is a code violation. If your existing roof is already two layers (your roofer can confirm during the bid walkthrough), tear-off is the only legal path. Overlay over a single sound layer is a different conversation — it has tradeoffs (no deck inspection, no flashing replacement, no enhanced warranty) but can be appropriate in specific circumstances.

A power attic fan is being installed alongside an existing or planned ridge vent

This is a genuine ventilation/warranty issue, not a sales tactic. A power fan paired with a ridge vent can short-circuit the soffit-to-ridge airflow and pull conditioned air up from the house. If both are being proposed, ask the contractor to walk through the load calc and explain how the two systems interact — there are scenarios where it works, but they require deliberate design.

No active insurance, license, or EPA RRP certification on a pre-1978 home

Massachusetts HIC license and RI CRLB registration are both required to legally take a roofing contract in this region — and general liability + workers comp insurance protects you if anyone is hurt on your property. For homes built before 1978, EPA RRP (lead-safe) certification is also legally required because roofing disturbs painted soffit, fascia, and trim. These are baseline requirements to ask about up front; any legitimate roofer will provide proof without hesitation.

What else might come up

Most projects touch more than one trade. Here's where this one usually overlaps with others — so you can plan ahead instead of scrambling.

Gutters and downspouts

— Always evaluate as part of a re-roof.

Tear-off crews routinely damage old aluminum K-style gutters with debris and ladders. Drip edge has to integrate with the back of the gutter. If your gutters are 15+ years old, replacing them during the re-roof is 25-40% cheaper than scheduling separately (the crew is already there with ladders, dumpsters, and a debris plan).

Chimney masonry & cap

— Anytime chimney flashing is being replaced.

Reflashing a chimney is the moment to check the crown for cracks, repoint the top 2-3 courses if they are spalled, and replace the chimney cap. A mason can do the masonry while the roofer holds the staging — far cheaper than scaffolding the chimney twice. Skipped, the next leak is the masonry, not the flashing.

Attic insulation & air sealing

— Whenever ventilation work is in scope.

Soffit-intake vents only work if attic insulation is not blocking them — baffles at the eave are essential. Air sealing the attic floor (around plumbing stacks, recessed lights, top plates) stops warm humid air from rising into the attic, which is the upstream cause of ice dams. Insulation contractors and roofers should coordinate; doing both in the same week is the right move.

Skylight replacement

— If your skylights are 15+ years old or showing condensation between panes.

Skylights are flashing-intensive, and the gasket seals fail around year 20. Replacing them during a re-roof costs $400–600 in labor on top of the unit price; doing it after costs $1,200+ because the new shingles have to come up. If they are foggy or original to the house, replace now.

Siding repair at roof-wall intersections

— When kickout flashings were missing and the wall sheathing is rotted.

A missing kickout for 5+ years has almost certainly wet the wall sheathing behind the siding. The roofer can install the kickout, but the rotted sheathing and siding need a carpenter. Pull a course of siding above the gutter return and look for staining; if you find it, scope the carpentry into the re-roof.

$400–650 installed (architectural asphalt, 2026 New England)per square (100 sqft)

3-tab strip shingles run $300–450/sq but are largely a flip-house product now. Standing-seam metal is $1,000–1,800/sq installed. EPDM/TPO on a flat or low-slope section is $700–1,200/sq.

The shingle is 25–30% of the bid. Decking condition, pitch and access, flashing scope, ventilation work, and tear-off layer count are what actually move the number.

See what drives price

What we show up with

The equipment we bring is part of what separates a real job from a shortcut. Here's what to expect on a typical visit.

Pneumatic coil nailer (roofing-specific)

Sets six 1¼" galvanized nails per shingle at the correct depth and angle. Over-driven nails cut through the shingle; under-driven nails leave heads proud and snag the next course. Manufacturer warranties specify nail placement on the nailing strip — not above or below it. A pro coil nailer with pressure regulator gets this right every time.

Cap stapler / slap-stapler

Fastens synthetic underlayment with plastic-cap nails or staples — the caps prevent the underlayment from tearing around the fastener in wind. Plain roofing nails through underlayment are a code violation in most jurisdictions and fall outside the manufacturer's installation spec.

Roofing shovel / shingle tear-off bar

Long-handled tool with serrated leading edge that scoops under shingles and pops nails. Tear-off is 30-40% of total labor on a re-roof; the right tool keeps the deck intact and pulls nails cleanly. A flat pry bar is the slow, deck-damaging substitute.

Roof jacks + anchor + harness (PFAS system)

OSHA Personal Fall Arrest System for any roof over 6 feet — required by federal law on any pitch above walkable. Anchor screws into a rafter, lanyard limits fall distance, harness distributes shock. Crews following the rule have the right setup visible from the ground; it is also a baseline that goes hand-in-hand with the workers-comp coverage your contractor should carry.

Magnet sweeper

DIY-able

Wheeled magnetic bar dragged across the yard, driveway, and garden beds to pick up every stray roofing nail. Tear-off generates thousands of nails; a careful crew does 3-4 sweeps over the course of the job and one final pass. Skipping this step is what causes flat tires and pet injuries two months later.

Cordless circular saw + chalk line

DIY-able

Decking replacement is fast and clean when sheathing is cut to fit the rafter centers. A pro crew chalks the cut line on the existing deck, removes the rotted section to the rafter, slides in a new 4×8 sheet, and nails it off in under 15 minutes per sheet. Sloppy work patches with offcuts that telegraph through the new shingles.

Drone + thermal imaging

Modern roof inspections use a drone for overhead photos (especially on steep, dangerous, or large roofs) and thermal cameras to find wet insulation under intact-looking shingles. Increasingly standard on insurance claims and pre-purchase inspections. Not yet standard on every re-roof estimate but a signal of a more thorough contractor.

How a job goes

Inspection & system design

60-90 min on site, 1-3 days for written quote

Pro walks the roof (or drones it), goes in the attic, inspects ventilation, measures every plane, photographs all flashings and penetrations, and runs the ventilation calc. Comes back with a line-item quote: tear-off scope, decking allowance per sheet, underlayment type, ice & water coverage area, flashing scope, ventilation work, shingle line, and warranty path.

What you see: The contractor in the attic with a flashlight, on the roof with a tape measure and a phone camera, and asking about ice dams, leak history, and how long you plan to own the home.

Permits, scheduling, and material drop

1-3 weeks lead time

Contractor pulls the building permit (in their name), schedules a 2-4 day window, and drops materials 1-2 days ahead — shingles in bundles on the roof staged across multiple planes to balance load. Dumpster or dump trailer arrives day of tear-off.

What you see: A permit card posted at the front of the house, pallets of shingles being craned or carried onto the roof, a dumpster in the driveway.

Tear-off + decking inspection

4-8 hours for a typical 25-square roof

Crew strips the entire roof down to the deck — old shingles, underlayment, flashings, drip edge. Decking is inspected sheet by sheet; rotted plywood is replaced and billed against the allowance in the contract. Any structural issues (sagged rafters, cracked trusses) are flagged before the new system goes on.

What you see: The roof exposed to sheathing, a constant flow of debris into the dumpster, the foreman taking photos of any decking issues to text you the same day.

Dry-in (the part that actually keeps water out)

4-6 hours

Ice & water shield goes down at eaves, valleys, around penetrations, around skylights, around chimneys. Drip edge installed at eaves under the underlayment. Synthetic underlayment laid across the field. Drip edge at the rakes over the underlayment. New step flashing tucked in along walls. By end of day 1, the roof is fully dry-in — watertight even if it rains overnight.

What you see: White or black synthetic underlayment covering the entire roof, dark adhesive ice & water visible at the eaves and in valleys, new shiny metal at all edges and intersections.

Shingle install + flashing detail

1-2 days

Starter strip at eaves and rakes, shingles installed bottom-up in proper offset pattern with manufacturer-specified nail placement (4 nails standard, 6 nails in high-wind zones). Chimneys re-flashed with new step + counter flashing, kickouts installed at every roof-wall-gutter junction, pipe boots replaced, new ridge vent cut and installed, hip & ridge caps placed.

What you see: A steady rhythm of nail guns, shingles moving up the roof in horizontal courses, a crewmember on the chimney with sheet metal and shears.

Cleanup, inspection, and warranty registration

2-4 hours

Magnet sweeps of the yard, driveway, and garden beds. Final walkthrough with you — every elevation, every penetration, every flashing. Building inspector signs off on the permit. Contractor registers the manufacturer warranty (Golden Pledge / SureStart Plus) with GAF or CertainTeed and emails you the certificate.

What you see: A clean yard, the dumpster removed, a printed warranty certificate in your inbox within a week, the final invoice itemized against the original quote.

What to send when you reach out

Send us:

Address and approximate roof age (year of last full re-roof, if you know it)
Photos from the ground: each elevation, plus close-ups of any visible damage, missing shingles, or staining
Photo of the attic: insulation depth, any signs of staining at the underside of the deck, whether you see daylight at the soffits or ridge
Number of stories, presence of chimneys, skylights, dormers, or wall-roof intersections
Whether you are filing an insurance claim (storm damage) — changes scope and timing

Helps a lot if you know it:

A recent home inspection report if you have one (often has decking notes and ventilation observations)
Approximate square footage of the heated home (used as a sanity check on attic floor area for ventilation calc)
Type of existing roofing (asphalt 3-tab, architectural, wood shake, metal) and whether you know if it is 1 layer or 2
Any interior staining on ceilings, especially near the chimney, in valleys, or at exterior walls
Driveway access for a dump trailer and ground-protection considerations (gardens, patio, AC condenser under the eaves)

Worth flagging if you see any of these — they shape the diagnosis:

Active leaks during heavy rain (location matters — chimney, valley, wall, ceiling stain pattern)
Ice dams in past winters — how big, where on the roof, and any interior water damage that resulted
Sagging ridgeline, dips between rafters, or "spongy" feel when walked (structural issue, not just roofing)
Granules collecting in gutters or downspout splash blocks (shingle wear)
Daylight visible from inside the attic at the ridge, gable walls, or roof-wall intersections

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Permits, timing, and what's local to Quincy

Permits & regulations

Quincy permits are issued by the Inspectional Services Department via the ViewPoint online portal. The department runs Thursday-afternoon walk-in homeowner clinics at the DPW Complex on Sea Street. Historic district and waterfront properties get additional review.

Permit authority: Quincy Inspectional Services Department, 55 Sea Street (https://www.quincyma.gov/departments/inspectional_services/)

What's local to Quincy

Flood-zone exposure on Quincy's peninsulas drives recurring sump, backflow, and elevation work; Mass Save heat-pump and weatherization rebates apply citywide.