When the last tornado came through town, it beat the crap out of my roof, which ended up being a major blessing in disguise. I ended up calling Superior Roofing in Franklin, TN and they came out, met with my insurance adjuster, and did a really great job replacing the roof on my house and on the shed out back.
I’ve never seen a roof replaced, so I got excited to be home and have the chance to watch the process. I asked lots of questions and learned lots of mundane things. At 7 am sharp, the crew arrived and a herd of buffalo proceeded to rip the place apart. The cats freaked out in holy terror for most of the morning, running to and fro, meowing irritatedly, until the warm afternoon sun signaled nap time.
Since many of you have also probably not had the chance to see a roof from start to finish, I present you with a blow by blow of my “Pictorial Ode To A Roof.”
When the shingles blew off, the guys put a tarp up that held the place together for a couple of weeks until the insurance check came.
Tarps were spread over all the flower beds and around the sides of the house where all the shingles were dumped. The guys used pitchforks to remove the shingles, American Gothic style. There were two layers, one was an ugly brown that must have been the bane of the neighborhood for a decade. Ew.
This truck was brimming to the top by the end of the day.
Instead of using felt, they now use this high tech synthetic stuff that is lighter, stronger, and prevents leaks if your shingles are blown off in a storm. But that won’t happen because these are certified for like 100 mph winds or something.
The shingles used were Timblerline HD architectural shingles in Pewter Grey. They look much more interesting than ordinary flat shingles.
VOILA!!!!! New roof!!! Everything was cleaned up and I just stood in the yard, thanking God for sending a small tornado that only blew part of my house off. There are still a couple of things to be done, but what a relief to have this huge thing taken care of the first year in the house.
For anyone getting a new roof, I would suggest shopping around to find a company you trust that has all kinds of good certifications and references and good people with great customer service. Also, if you have nervous pets, you may want to put them somewhere else for the day. If anything looks amiss while the job is going on, ask questions because you may learn something. After the job is done, make sure you walk around the yard and look for stray nails and pieces of shingle that could take out an eye the next time you mow the lawn. Also, insurance can be a pain to deal with, but make sure you stand up for yourself, are educated about the process, and understand the whole depreciation factor. Insurance checks now come made out to you AND the name of your mortgage company. I got to meet the cute, just out of college, boys at my bank and chat with them for an hour while waiting for someone at the head office to approve a signature. Also, the estimate the insurance company sends has to match up with the estimate your roofer gives you in terms of work being done. Apparently, companies have gotten much more strict about their policies concerning replacement costs and reimbursements, so it’s best to just do it by the book.
That is all the wisdom I have to share today. I can’t wait till it rains to see if the roof holds up.
The unpredictability of weather is a roof’s biggest enemy, so it’s really important that the materials used are apt to face the kind of weather a certain area is known for. I can cope with bland-looking shingles as long as they can protect my home from harsh weather. But I do have to agree; your new roof looks better than the one they took out. 🙂
Thank you for all the wisdom you imparted with us. Homeowners who have to go through roof replacement for the first time find it hard to go through the process — starting from checking with their insurance company, picking which roofing company to hire, down to the type of shingles to pick. Your post is really enlightening; and yes, people should be knowledgeable even at the most mundane things about their roof. They’re the ones who’ll benefit after all.
Karen Burgess
Thanks for your pieces of advice! That's really how it should be; look for options and choose the one that has the best offer. Also, to make your search easier, you can ask for referrals from friends, relatives or someone who had the same experience. Some of them know a reputable roofing company that you can trust.