There are many reasons why roof replacement cost estimates vary from one roofing contractor to another. These include the type of roof shingles used, what kind of roof warranty is included, and how the roof replacement work is being done.

To properly compare the various roof replacement quotes you have received, make sure you know what the roofing contractors have included in their roof cost estimate.

Warranty of Roof Shingles Impact Roof Replacement Cost

Roof shingles are available in numerous styles and types of construction that can affect their performance and longevity. Each type of roof shingle also comes with its own warranty coverage. Be aware of the warranty coverage included in the type of roof shingle you are choosing. For example, the warranty of some roof shingles may cover only defects that results in leak vs. roof shingle warranties that includes coverage from any type of defect, including aesthetic defects.

How Roof Shingles are Measured Affects Cost Estimate

Roof shingles are sold in bundles, but roofs are measured in “squares”. Three bundles equal one square. A professional roofer will usually quote a firm price based on the number of “squares” needed to cover the roof. They measure the roof before quoting a price and the number of squares does not change. This ability is what makes them a professional.

Estimates that are not firm can be based on the amount of potential damage to the sheathing beneath the roof shingles. This can only be discovered when the old shingles have been removed.

Other low estimates are often based on placing the new shingles directly over the old roof shingles. The old shingles should usually always be removed. Installing new roof shingles over old ones can lead to premature failure and possibly void the manufacturer’s warranty.

Many owners are not made aware by non-professional roofers of this option. These roofers seldom offer a warranty on their work and instead extol the virtues of the manufacturer warranty. The money saved by using them is quickly lost when problems occur.

Other Factors that Impact the Cost of Roof Replacement

Uninsured non-professionals are always able to offer a lower price for installing roof shingles. Unfortunately, they usually charge about the same as professionals while performing substandard work without a reliable warranty.
Installing roof shingles without the guidance of a licensed professional roofing contractor leaves the buyer to fend for themselves if warranty work is needed. Another problem owners often discover is insurance companies may refuse to pay for a weather-damaged roof if a licensed roofer did not install it.

PREVENT ICE DAMS IN CHICAGO

Old Man Winter can be a dangerous enemy to home owners if the right protection is not put in place. Water damage from ice dams in the eaves and gutters of your roof can cause a number of costly problems to the integral structure and soundness of your home. Understanding the roots of the problem, as well as three important defenses to guard against it may be the only way to protect yourself and your home during the cold winter months.

What are Ice Dams?

Ice dams are problematic snow and ice formations that are seen on roofs and gutters of homes located in colder climates like Chicago. While they may sometimes look pretty, ice dams can wreak havoc on roofs, and its presence may be an indicator that the attic has poor insulation and ventilation.

How Ice Dams Form?

As snow and ice begin to surround the exterior of a home, most families find themselves turning up the heat and gathering around fireplaces to stay warm. Sometimes, this heat may escape into the attic of the home, and combine with the sun’s radiated warmth to melt the snow on the top of the roof.

This causes water to run down the valleys of the roof until it reaches the colder areas of the roof, like the gutters, where it refreezes as ice. Repeating this process over and over throughout the days creates ice dams, which result in water backing up under roof shingles and fascia.

This can lead to damage in the attics, ceilings, walls, and roof of your home.

How to Prevent Ice Dams?

The keys to your success in avoiding ice dams are: proper attic insulation, attic ventilation, and water-proofing shingle underlayment. By insulating the floor of the attic, more heat stays in 樂威壯
the living spaces of the home, instead of allowing it to travel upward into the roof. Adequate attic ventilation will then allow escaped heat or moisture to be drawn out, keeping the roof deck cool and the interior structure free from mildew or wood rot. Water-proofing underlayment acts as the last line of defense, preventing water back-up under the shingles of your roof, thus protecting your investment in your home.

Protecting your home from the damage of ice dams, or correcting a roof problem that has occurred already should be top priority. Professional repair and installation of these defenses will help to guard against the harmful wiles of Old Man Winter.

At Estate Exteriors, we take a system-based approach to preventing ice dams from occurring on your roof. This includes an attic inspection, followed by ensuring proper attic ventilation and attic insulation.

How to Prevent Ice Dams?

The keys to your success in avoiding ice dams are: proper attic insulation, attic ventilation, and water-proofing shingle underlayment. By insulating the floor of the attic, more heat stays in the living spaces of the home, instead of allowing it to travel upward into the roof. Adequate attic ventilation will then allow escaped heat or moisture to be drawn out, keeping the roof deck cool and the interior structure free from mildew or wood rot. Water-proofing underlayment acts as the last line of defense, preventing water back-up under the shingles of your roof, thus protecting your investment in your home.

Protecting your home from the damage of ice dams, or correcting a roof problem that has occurred already should be top priority. Professional repair and installation of these defenses will help to guard against the harmful wiles of Old Man Winter.

At Estate Exteriors, we take a system-based approach to preventing ice dams from occurring on your roof. This includes an attic inspection, followed by ensuring proper attic ventilation and attic insulation.

Hail, wind and storm damage are considered an insurance loss on your homeowner’s policy. Insurance companies should pay the entire cost, less your deductible, for replacing the roof if it is damaged. The claim is also considered a natural disaster and does not count against you for future rate increases.

Estate Exteriors specializes in weather-related damage repair and replacement, including exterior roofing, gutters, siding and widows. We will help you deal with your insurance company and meet with insurance adjuster. Our involvement prevents you from getting stuck with a settlement that won’t cover your costs, or even worse, getting denied. With Estate Exteriors you pay no out-of-pocket expense other than your insurance deductible. We agree to accept what your insurance company will pay for the claim, including your deductible, and ensure the highest quality repair or replacement. You may also benefit from upgrades that we typically offer as signing incentives, such as upgrading the customer from 3-tab shingles to Owens Corning architectural shingles at no additional charge.

How do I know if I my roof has hail damage? My roof isn’t leaking.

In a hailstorm, most hail that hits your roof and house may be too small to cause any damage. However, a percentage of the hail may be large or irregularly shaped, which can cause severe damage that may not be readily apparent and may not start to leak for some time. It’s best to have your roof inspected by a state licensed roofing contractor to determine if you need to file an insurance claim and have an insurance adjuster assess the total amount of damage incurred.

The insurance company withheld depreciation on my roof. Will I get that money?

Yes. Most all homeowners policies cover full replacement value. The first check the insurance company gives you is the Actual Value (AV); what the roof is worth today with its useful remaining life. The money that was withheld is call the depreciation, or technically, the Replacement Value (RV) and will be paid to you when the work is completed or most times upon the submission of a signed contract with a licensed contractor for the work specified in the insurance adjuster’s summary report.

Why did the insurance company withhold depreciation?

There are two reasons that the insurance companies hold some money back. The first reason is to make sure that you get the work done. Past experience has shown them that, if they give the customer all the money up front, many people end up spending it on something else. The second reason is that they wish to make sure that you pay your full deductible. The insurance companies reason that, if you are given all the money to begin with, many people would naturally try to find a contractor who would perform the job for the dollar amount in hand. By holding a retainage amount, they can adjust the amount of the final payout based on the roofing contractor’s invoice, thus assuring that the customer does pay the deductible.

On my paperwork, it looks like my insurance company has already deducted my deductible from the check they sent me?
When most people look at their insurance paperwork they are confused, because they think the insurance company deducted their deductible from the money the insurance company has sent them. However, the deductible is the amount that the homeowner is responsible for paying directly to the contractor. The insurance company subtracts the home owners deductible amount on the paperwork from the total amount the insurance company allows for the claim, since the homeowner will pay their deductible directly to the contractor. The balance after subtracting what the homeowner will pay directly to the contractor as a deductible, is the total amount the insurance company will actually pay for the claim.

The insurance is only paying for part of my roof, and my neighbor’s insurance company paid for their entire roof; why is my insurance company only paying for part of my roof?

No two houses receive the same amount of damage in a storm. Your neighbor may have sustained extensive damage, and you may have received none. The insurance company will only pay for the actual damages incurred. If the entire roof was not damaged, unfortunately the insurance company cannot pay for the whole roof. However, if is it border line, it always helps to have your roofing contractor inspect the roof with your insurance adjuster to accurately assess all damage to the roof. Sometimes insurance adjusters may not be able to see all the damage if they’re not able to walk on a step roof and photograph certain areas. Estate Exteriors ensures a helpful presence to look out for your best interest and assist the insurance adjuster with damage assessment, photographs, and measurements.

What if your estimate is greater than the insurance company’s estimate

Usually this is because of something the insurance adjuster missed in the scope of work to be completed. We can almost always work something out with the insurance company. We will submit what is called a “supplement” with documentation in the form of pictures, measurements and paperwork. The insurance company will review the supplement and upon approval, send a check for the additional monies needed to make the repairs.

Leak in my vaulted ceiling

A vaulted ceiling adds a nice, open feel to any room. In moving away from the traditional 8 foot ceiling, a vaulted ceiling runs across the profile of the house’s roof.

Along with these many bonuses comes one fairly standard issue – roof “leaks”. Homeowners tend to notice water spots on a ceiling and logically conclude that the roof is leaking! This is completely understandable because it’s one of your largest investments and one you want to keep in good condition.

However, vaulted ceilings have a pretty standard design flaw. Because of the way the ceiling/roof is constructed to allow this open space, the standard areas of insulation and ventilation are no longer available. Normally, air enters your attic space at the bottom of the roof (the eave) through some kind of 威而鋼
soffit vent and escapes the roof at the ridge (the peak) through vents known as box vents, mushroom vents or turtle vents allowing for proper attic ventilation. In vaulted construction, this space is no longer built which means that there is no active air movement through the space. In the winter, your home’s humidity from whole house humidifiers and general life (hot water running, kitchen appliance usage, etc…) rises into the attic space where the interior temperature meets the much cooler ceiling, it then drops back into the space causing the water spots.

To ensure a longer lasting roof, it is important for homes in Chicagoland to have a proper and balanced ventilation system. Ventilation is a system of intake and exhaust in your home that creates a flow of air. A proper and balanced ventilation means having proper intake air at the soffits and exhaust at the roof vents that result in your attic temperature being as close to the outside temperature as possible. Having this balanced ventilation system will prevent moisture build up in your attic which could lead to wood rot, mold formation and mildew.

A proper roof ventilation system includes soffits, baffles, attic insulation, and roof vents (ridge vents, bathroom vents, and kitchen vents). Vented soffits are used for air intake that allows to proper air circulation to your attic. Baffles provide a channel for air to flow through certain parts of the attic. Attic insulation helps to stabilize the temperature inside of your home so that it’s not too hot in the summer and not too cold in the winter. Roof vents, which includes ridge vents, kitchen and bathroom ventilation, allow for moisture from the underside of your roof to dissipate to the atmosphere.

Having proper ventilation is important to preserving the life of your roof shingles. In fact, many roof shingle manufacturer’s warranties will require the install犀利士
ation of proper ventilation for eligibility. If you have concerns about the adequacy of your home’s ventilation system, please don’t hesitate to contact us and we will look at your entire roof system.

You know you want to hire a quality Roofing Contractor, but how can you tell which contractor does good workmanship vs a fly-by-night roofer? In addition to checking references and ensuring that your roofer has license, liability insurance and workers compensation, we have outlined some things to pay attention to determine if your roofing contractor does quality work.

Below are Four steps good roofers take when replacing your roof:

1. Check your attic for proper insulation and ventilation

Poor ventilation is one of the three main reasons why roof shingles fail (poor roofing materials and poor workmanship are the other two reasons), so before any work is done on your roof, a good roof contractor should inspect your attic to uncover potential hidden issues that could cause your roof to leak.

2. Install appropriate underlayment under the roof shingles

The underlayment system underneath roof shingles includes the ice and water underlayment (or waterproofing underlayment) and the felt underlayment (also referred as black tar paper) or instead of felt paper more advanced material called synthetic underlayment . Ice and water underlayment should be installed around critical areas where water is most likely to enter. This includes your roof edges around gutters, on valleys, underneath flashing, and around chimneys, skylights and vents. Felt or synthetic underlayment should be installed on the remaining areas of the roof. Good underlayment is water resistant, and provides a buffer between your shingles and the deck of your roof, in the event some shingles are blown away over time.

3. Avoid laying a new roof over existing shingles

Roofers who pay attention to good workmanship would not suggest that you simply add a layer over your existing shingles. It is important to know the state of the entire roof structure, including the roof decking and underlayment. Without removing the existing shingles, good roofers can’t inspect the decking nor verify the state of the underlayment. In addition, roof shingle manufacturer warranties do not cover any shingles installed on top of existing shingles.

4. Pay attention to the little details

A good roof contractor who is committed to providing quality workmanship will watch out for tiny details, such as ensuring the plywood deck is fastened securely to the rafter framing, the underlayment is properly installed, the shingles are nailed down properly and nails are not popping out, and that the flashings are properly finished. Water will get into even the tiniest of holes, so paying attention to the smallest details makes a difference when it comes to protecting your home from the elements.

At Estate Exteriors, we are dedicated to providing quality craftsmanship to our customers. When we come and inspect your roof, we take a system-based approach to determining the health of your roof and the extent of any roofing problems you may experience, and this includes an attic inspection to ensure you have an energy efficient attic. We also go up to your roof and look at every little detail to ensure you won’t encounter the roof repair problems we’ve commonly seen.

A roof is one of the most important elements of your home, so it is crucial to select a good roofing contractor to protect what you value most – your family and your home. Estate Exteriorshighlights three important points to remember when selecting a quality roofing contractor:

Is your roofing contractor licensed and insured to work in your area? Is your roofing contractor trying to win the job by simply giving you the lowest price while cutting corners and leaving steps out? Is your roofing contractor a system-based roof installer?

Hire a reputable and insured roofing contractor

The reputation and long-term solvency of the roofing contractor is very important, especially if you consider that when you install a Limited Lifetime shingles on your roof, you may need to contact the roof contractor at a later time for roof repair work under warranty.

You should also ask to see a copy of the roofing contractor’s roofing license to operate in Illinois. It is important to ensure the roof contractor carry liability insurance, which in turn ensures you and your home are protected in the event something goes wrong.

With roofing contractors, “you get what you pay for”

There are many ways that “fly-by-night” roofing contractors can cut corners just so they can win your roofing contract. Some roof contractors may not carry the necessary coverage and licenses because this adds to their operating costs. Some may leave out important elements off the roof contract to keep prices down, which may explain why the roof cost estimate you receive from various roof contractors vary.

For example, in Illinois’s harsh climate, it is important to install ice shield membranes and felt paper or synthetic underlayment underneath the shingles to prevent water and ice to penetrate your home. If these ice and water protection membranes are not installed, water can leak into your attic causing wood to rot, mold spores to grow, and eventually contaminating you indoor air quality.

System-based roofing contractor leads to long-lasting roof

A good roof is not just a bunch of shingles nailed to the roof plywood. A roof is a system, much like other systems in your house (e.g. plumbing system, heating system) designed to perform at peak efficiency at all times.

At Estate Exteriors, we take a system-based approach to providing you a quality a long-lasting roof installation. This includes Ice and Water Protection Membranes at critical areas, as well as a synthetic underlayment on the roof sheeting. These are required in most roof applications to ensure warranty remains in effect. Some roof manufacturers will not honor their warranty if you leave out these items.

Replacing your roof is one of the most important purchases a homeowner can make. Based on this, it is important to understand the various options available. Asph犀利士
alt Shingle Roofs are the least expensive and most popular option, followed by Metal Roofs, Cedar Roofs, Slate Roofs and Clay Roofs.

When talking to roofing contractors, you may be presented with many options to choose from, including style, colour, lifespan and type of warranty, and of course, price. Even for asphalt shingles alone, there are also many different brands from various manufacturers, with each brand carrying shingles that falls into three categories: Basic Shingles, Mid-Grade Shingles or Premium (Luxury) Shingles. The main difference between categories comes down to the thickness of the shingles, the style of the shingle (e.g. traditional 3-tab design vs architectural shingles), wind resistance and the lifespan of the manufacturer’s warranty.

How to decide which roof shingles best suits your roof?

So how do you decide which roof shingle to go with? At Estate Exteriors, we recommend using the best quality roof shingles while taking into account your budget. Do not simply go with the cheapest option and cheapest price, because as with anything, you get what you pay for. From our experience, higher quality roof shingles will give you the best value and highest warranty, protecting your roof for years to come.

Although you can choose premium roof shingles, if it is not properly installed (i.e. poor workmanship), your roof will not last the warranty provided. As such, after a few years, you may find that your roof has problems and you are left with disappointment and a new roof to replace. Read more about Good Roof Workmanship.

One of the most common question we get asked by Illinois home owners is how long should roof shingles last. A related question is how often should asphalt shingles be replaced? As with most questions, the answer is “it depends”. As we have pointed out in the article on How to Choose the Best Roof Shingles, there are a myriad of options to choose from and the higher quality shingles will give you the best value and highest warranty.

Good quality roof shingles can last for many many years when installed correctly, but there are other outside factors that has an impact on the life of your roof shingles.

Factors that impact the life of your roof shingles:
Roof Pitch

The angle or slope of your roof could impact how often you have to replace your roof shingles. Steeper sloped roofs tend to last longer because water will run off and snow and debris will slide off quicker than flatter roofs or low-pitched roofs.

Sun exposure

It is not uncommon for shingles on the south-facing side of the roof to be in worse shape than the north side. This is because roof shingles that are exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet rays will deteriorate faster, especially on high-pitched roofs.

External surroundings

Trees near your roof may be a source of additional wear and tear due to branches that constantly rub on your roof shingles or fallen limbs and debris that sits on your roof.

Harsh weather conditions

Very hot summers and extremely cold winters will shorten the lifespan of your roof shingles, so does wide temperatures swings that we sometimes see in our Chicago winters where roof shingles go through rapid expansion and contraction due to deep freeze and sudden thaws.

Attic ventilation and improper installation

While the above factors have an impact on how often your roof shingles will need to be replaced, we’ve found that inadequate attic ventilation and improper installation are the more common reasons why your shingles need to be replaced sooner than expected. If you start seeing signs that your roof shingles may need replacement, contact Estate Exteriors and we can help determine the health of your roof shingles.