Roof Replacement in San Antonio

Age is a prompt, not a verdict

Roofs are often quoted for replacement on the strength of how old they are. Age is a reasonable reason to go and look. It is not, by itself, a reason to tear a roof off.

Two roofs installed the same week can be in very different condition depending on how they were installed, what has hit them, how the attic below them is ventilated, and how much direct sun the slopes take. The only way to know which one you have is to look at it.

What actually points to replacement

• The damage is everywhere. Not one slope, not one valley. Fixing one area leaves the rest in the same condition.
• The decking is compromised across an area. Water that has been getting in for a long time softens the wood the roof is fastened to. You cannot fasten a new covering to a deck that will not hold it.
• Repairs are not holding. The same area has been addressed more than once and it keeps coming back.
• The covering is done. Widespread loss of granules, brittleness, curling across slopes rather than in patches.

What the work involves

• Tear-off. The old covering comes off so the deck can actually be seen. A roof laid over the top of a roof hides exactly the thing you need to inspect.
• Deck inspection and repair. This is the part that cannot be quoted precisely in advance, because nobody can see the whole deck until the covering is off. We tell you what we find as we find it.
• Underlayment, flashing, and penetrations. New flashing at the junctions and new boots at the penetrations. Reusing old flashing under a new roof is a false economy: it is the part most likely to leak.
• The new covering. Installed to the manufacturer’s published instructions for that product.
• Clean-up. A tear-off makes a mess, including nails in the yard. Clearing it is part of the job, not a favor.

Permits

A re-roof in San Antonio can require a permit through the City’s Development Services Department, and what applies depends on the scope of the work, whether the pitch or material is changing, where the property sits, and any related trade work. The City publishes current requirements on its residential permits pages, and the re-roof permit application itself is published as a form.

We tell you whether a permit applies to your job before work starts. Requirements and fees change, so confirm the current process with the City for your specific property. We walk through it in more detail in Do you need a permit to re-roof a home in San Antonio?

Before you commit

A roof replacement is a large piece of work and you should be able to read the scope, question it, and compare it. Ours goes in writing. If a contractor cannot put the scope in writing, that tells you something.

If you are being pushed toward a replacement and are not sure it is warranted, particularly after a storm, read How to choose a Texas roofer and avoid post-storm scams first.

Talk it through

Call (210) 468-8279 or send a message. If someone has told you that you need a new roof and you want a second look before you sign anything, that is a reasonable thing to ask for.