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Leaks & Service Repairs

757-399-3066 ext 3 (Leaks & Service Repairs)

Reroof Estimates & Inspections

757-399-3066 ext 1 (Reroof Estimates & Inspections)

Category: Roof Installation

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Category: Andrews Roofing, Residential Roofing, Roof Installation, Roof Insulation, Roof Warranty, Roofing Information

Why You Should Replace Rather than Roof Over Your Existing Roof

If you’ve been in the market for a new roof for your home, you have probably run across the option of roofing over top of your existing roof.

“Roofing over” is a method that leaves the current shingles and roof deck in place, and installs new shingles right over top of the existing ones. Alternatively, reroofing requires removing all existing shingles, doing any necessary repairs or replacement of the roof deck, membrane, and supporting structures beneath, before replacing the shingles with new ones.

Roofing over your roof requires that all the existing shingles are perfectly flat without any curling, that your roof deck be in perfect condition, that there are no leaks or ventilation issues that need addressing, and that the current roofing structure is able to withstand the additional weight of a second layer of shingles. However, if all of these things are true, you may not need a new roof at all. And even if those conditions are in place, a roof over existing roof can appear wavy and uneven. In most cases, a roof over does not make long term sense for homeowners, which is why we do not recommend this to our clients and do not guarantee this type of work.

We should note here that it is possible to roof over certain materials, like membranes that are in decent condition. This is done more often on commercial roofs depending on the core sample, decking, condition of insulation, etc. This type of project is only performed after careful inspection of the flat roof and an analysis and assessment of the materials and decking beneath the membrane.

Roofing over an existing roof is sold to homeowners as a cheaper alternative to replacing their roof. Often times, though, roofing over does not really solve the underlying issues the structure may have and can end up being a more costly option.  If you’re looking into replacing your roof, it’s likely because you’ve noticed leaks here and there, there’s damage to the shingles, shingles are missing or deteriorated or you’re noticing your energy bill is soaring. Putting new shingles overtop of existing ones doesn’t address any of these critical issues on the inside, which means damage may continue to occur. Putting another layer of shingles on top of existing ones that have issues also means it will take more time, money and material to get to and diagnose the problem, and more labor to repair the underlying issues.

Replacing your roof may cost more up front, but the return on investment is higher.

Over the long term, a new roof will look better, last longer, and protect your home better. When you allow a licensed roofing contractor to remove the existing shingles, they can properly assess any other repairs that need to be done to the roof decking, membrane, flashing, structural beams or ventilation systems. Having these issues addressed at that point means the overall lifespan of the roof will be longer. It’s also important to note that some roofing material manufacturers will not warranty a product that is put over existing shingles rather than onto a clean roof deck. While roofing over a roof may be cheaper upfront, the costs of uncovered warranty claims and an overall shorter lifespan don’t pan out in the long run.

Your roof is a major part of your home that you want to look good and function well. When you’re considering your roofing project, consider that your roof literally protects everything in your home beneath it. It’s not the place to cut corners. Before reroofing your home, research roofing contractors in your area, read up on their online reviews and ask around your neighborhood for recommendations. Get quotes from at least two to three reputable companies and research the materials they work with to ensure they are high quality and guaranteed with a manufacturer warranty.

If you live in the Hampton Roads region and your home needs a new roof, contact Andrews Roofing. We’d love to be one of the companies to provide you with an estimate. Our work is always guaranteed, we use some of the best products on the market, and we’ve been providing excellent customer service to Tidewater residents for years.

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Category: Andrews Roofing, Completed Projects, Residential Roofing, Roof Installation

How to Pick the Right Color for Your Roof

Picking a roof color is an important decision. Your roof is a major investment, and once the materials have been ordered, and especially once they’ve been installed, there’s usually no going back. Unlike a poorly chosen paint color, you can’t just buy another color and cover it up. So, before you make any final decisions when replacing your roof, take some time to consider your options. You will hopefully only need to reroof your house once, maybe twice, depending on how long you live there, so here are our tips for making sure your choice is one you’ll love for decades.

Don’t default to your current color.

There’s no rule (except perhaps in the case of a stringent HOA) that you have to replace your roof with the exact same color or material that’s currently there. This is your chance to spruce up your home’s curb appeal or modernize its look. Metal roofing, composite shake, or architectural shingles are all options you may want to consider, even if they’re not what your home currently has. Since you’ll likely only do this once, let yourself think outside the box for a bit.

Consider the architectural style of your home and neighborhood.

While you should definitely give yourself the opportunity to think outside the box, it is important to keep in mind the style of your home and neighborhood. It’s your home and you can certainly do whatever you’d like, but you will probably be happier with a material that compliments, rather than contrasts or competes with your home’s style. For instance, a brick colonial home likely won’t be done any favors with a modern, shiny metal roof. Conversely a sleek contemporary home probably isn’t going to look great with cedar shake shingles. An architect and even your roofing contractor can help you determine styles and materials to consider that will make your home look its best.

Consider your other exterior material colors.

If you’re not planning on replacing the exterior materials of your home, then you will certainly want to consider a roof color that compliments them. Once you’ve narrowed it down to a few options, ask your roofing company for large format samples. When you get them, take them outside at different times of the day and in different lighting scenarios (a cloudy versus a sunshiny day) and see how they look against the other materials. Look at the samples against your house up close, but also from the curb or across the street.

How something looks in a brochure or on a different house doesn’t necessarily reflect how it will look on your home. You may love the sand-colored shingles on the brick home you saw in a brochure, but against your tan vinyl siding, they may look bland and dated. Also, remember that there are exterior elements that you may be able to change to coordinate better with your preferred roofing material. Painting your home’s trim to coordinate with your roof can help a lot without undergoing a major expense like replacing siding. Replacing or painting doors – including garage doors – can also help incorporate a roofing color that you like.

Use an online design tool.

There are several good online design tools that allow you to play around with the exterior materials and colors on different pictures of homes. We recommend our clients use CertainTeed’s free ColorView™ program, which allows you to change the roof color on a stock image of a home, as well as the siding, trim, doors and other materials. If you’d like to use this tool on a picture of your own home, they offer custom design services for a $15 fee. They’ll prepare a photo of your home within 3-5 business days, then provide you with a link to your photo that you can use in their visualizer. From there, you can play around with different roofing materials and colors that correspond to actual products they manufacture before choosing one. We think this cost is well worth the opportunity to truly visualize your home with a wide variety of options.

Need Help?

We have been installing and repairing roofs for homeowners in Hampton Roads for decades, and our team of dedicated professionals know what looks great on all the different styles of homes you’ll find in the Tidewater Region. Want to see what we’ve done or want to see a specific shingle color or type? We can show you installations done for our happy customers. You can also see completed projects here. If you’re ready to give your home a new look while improving its structure and value, contact Andrews Roofing today. We’d be happy to give you an estimate, provide samples and recommendations on products that will make your house look its best.

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Category: Andrews Roofing, Homes, Residential Roofing, Roof Installation, Roof Warranty

Does a New Roof Increase the Value of Your Home?

A new roof is a major investment, and even if you’re getting ready to sell your home and move on to the next, it may still be worth considering.

That’s because a new roof can actually add quite a bit of market value to your home, increasing its likelihood of getting offers (or multiple offers in some real estate markets). The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) noted in their 2019 remodeling impact report that new roofs can provide a 109% return on investment. That same report states that 39% of realtors suggest that their sellers replace their roof before trying to sell their home, and 33% said that a new roof helped close a sale.

Even if a new roof does not give you a one-for-one return on investment, it can help with the marketing and quick sale of your home. New homeowners usually aren’t able to take on a major renovation right after spending money on the down payment and closing costs of their new home. For this reason, lots of new homebuyers are looking for a home that is “turn key” – in other words, one they can walk right into without having to do any work themselves.

When looking at two homes in the same price range, a home buyer is going to be more likely to make a generous offer on the one that has the most recent repairs and updates, because they know it will save them money in the long run. If they are looking at a house that clearly needs a new roof, buyers will mentally tack on thousands of dollars to the listing price.

Of course, if your roof is failing or has incurred damage, you will need to replace the roof before selling, regardless of the return on investment. In many states, it’s a legal requirement to disclose any damage or structural issues in a home to the buyer. Even if it’s not, if the buyer or mortgage lender requires a home inspection prior to closing, the issues will quickly be found and could dead-end a sale, wasting time and delaying your sale.

So how much should you invest in a new roof if you’re preparing your home to sell? This is a great conversation to have with your realtor, as they will know the market value of your home with and without a new roof, and guide you in how to choose materials that make the most sense for your budget. In most cases, installing a typical asphalt shingle roof is enough to make a buyer feel secure and good about the update. But some markets, neighborhoods or price ranges may require the homeowner to invest a bit more in architectural shingles, cedar shake, metal roofing, or a combination of materials for a higher-end look. Again, a realtor can help you make this decision based on comparable sales in your neighborhood and price range.

Even if you aren’t trying to sell your home, NARI’s research shows that 75% of homeowners report feeling “a major sense of accomplishment” after finishing a reroofing project and 49% say they have an increased sense of enjoyment when they’re at home. Your own happiness and comfort is definitely worth the investment.

If you’re preparing your home for the Hampton Roads real estate market and need a new roof, contact Andrews Roofing. We have decades of experience in the Tidewater region, and can help you choose the best materials and look for your budget, home design and style. We also offer a guarantee on our work and use materials with excellent transferable manufacturer warranties, to put your buyers’ minds even more at ease. Contact us today for a free estimate.

 

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Category: Andrews Roofing, Residential Roofing, Roof Installation

When is the Best Time of Year to Reroof Your House?

For many homeowners, the choice of when to replace their roof isn’t up to them.

When a storm sends a tree through your roof, or built-up snow causes a cave in – the roof has to be replaced, regardless of the season. But if your roof is reaching the end of its lifespan and you want to replace it before a leak or damage occurs (which usually causes additional damage to the interior of your home), it helps to know the pros and cons of having your roof replaced during each season, so you can plan ahead.

Spring

Spring is an extremely popular time for roof replacements. As people begin fixing up their home for the spring, and the cold weather makes its way out, home improvement projects have a major uptick. For Hampton Roads homeowners, it’s also safely ahead of hurricane season, so if there is any fear that an older roof may not withstand another major storm, spring is the best time to replace it.

The downside is that spring weather can be finicky in southeast Virginia, so rain, spring storms, even late snow can delay progress of a reroofing project. But when the weather does cooperate, spring days can provide plenty of working daylight for your roofing contractor to get the job done. One other con to this time of year is how busy it generally is. It may be harder to get on a contractor’s schedule in the spring, which is why you should plan ahead and schedule your roofing project during the winter months to get ahead of the rush.

Summer

The summer months stay busy for roofing contractors as well, but in the Tidewater region, it’s a reasonably good time of the year to replace your roof. During the hottest parts of summer, however, roofing crews may need to work shorter days to avoid heat exhaustion or damage to the materials and tools.

Another thing to consider when scheduling a roof replacement during the summer months is how it will affect your outdoor space while the project is underway. Having your home reroofed is a major undertaking and having debris, materials, ladders and workers around your home for several days or weeks are just a part of the process. This means you may not be able to use your pool, patio, backyard, porch or other outdoor spaces while your roof is being replaced. If this puts too much of a cramp on your summer lifestyle, it may be best to schedule for another time of year.

However, if your roof is beginning to leak or fail in any other ways, it’s best to have it replaced prior to the most active part of hurricane season: late summer and early fall. So even if it means skipping the pool for a few days, it may be worthwhile to avoid further damage and costly interior repairs.

Fall

Fall can be a very busy time to try and get on a roofing contractor’s schedule, as people batten down the hatches for winter while also requiring emergency repairs due to storm systems. The weather in Tidewater in the fall can be volatile – hot one day, rainy the next, with hurricanes and tropical storms seemingly always on the radar.

If you’re set on replacing your roof in the fall, schedule it as early as possible. You should also be prepared to be flexible in case weather issues do pop up and cause rescheduling or delays in work. Otherwise, when the weather cooperates, the fall provides easy working weather and reasonably long days for workers to get the job done efficiently.

Winter

For many parts of the country, having a roof replaced in the winter isn’t even an option due to the freezing temperatures. Shingles require a thermal sealing in order to set, which could take days or weeks in temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Snow and winter storm systems can cause major delays as well.

Fortunately, in Hampton Roads, extreme winter weather is not as much of an issue. While we do encounter the occasional winter nor’easter or snow storm now and then, it’s not a huge concern. And since our winter temperatures can be fairly mild, contractors usually work through the entire season with few issues. This is also a slower time of the year for contractors, so it may be easier to get on a roofer’s schedule. Another pro is that you’re likely spending less time outside and around your house in the winter, so the debris and work going on around it is less likely to impede on your daily activities.

We’re Here All Year

If you live in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk or any of the other surrounding cities of Hampton Roads, Andrews Roofing is available year-round for your roof repairs and replacements. Even if you’re not looking to replace your roof for a few more months, we’d be happy to talk to you about your needs and put together an estimate so you can make an informed home improvement plan. Contact us today.

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Category: Andrews Roofing, Financing, Residential Roofing, Roof Installation, Roof Warranty, Roofing Information

How to Pay for a New Roof

Reroofing your home is a major investment, and it’s not always one you were expecting or planning for. This can make it difficult to pay for a roof replacement out of pocket. So how are you supposed to fund a new roof without draining your bank account? Here are a few options that may be available to you.

Insurance Claims

If your roof was damaged during a storm or other catastrophic event, the replacement of it, or the repair costs, may be covered by your homeowners’ insurance. The amount that may be paid out and the process through which you receive this money is different from policy to policy. It’s a good idea to review your homeowners’ policy every year or so to make sure it is still providing the coverage you believe your home may need. For instance, in areas like Hampton Roads, it’s a good idea to make sure you have hurricane, high wind and flood coverage in your policy.

At Andrews Roofing, we work closely with our clients who are going through an insurance claim for roof repair or replacement, providing any necessary paperwork or information they may need to ensure their claims are accurate and paid accordingly.

Home Improvement Financing

If you are replacing your roof because your current roof has reached the end of its life span, you can expect to be paying for it in full on your own. This can be daunting, as new roofs are one of the largest home improvement investments you may make. Fortunately, there are home improvement financing options available. At Andrews Roofing, we work with GreenSky® financing, which offers a variety of different financing options to consumers. They offer financing up to 120 months with fixed rates as low as  9.99%. They also offer 12 month no interest, no payments options for those who qualify.

Applications may be done online quickly and easily, and once you are approved you are provided with a 16-digit account number, which you can then use like a credit card to make payments for the work being done. You have four months after you are approved to make your qualified purchases to the approved merchant, so it’s best to wait to apply until the project is ready to begin.

Home Equity Loan

Depending on the amount of equity you have in your home, another financing option may be to go through a bank or credit union for a home equity loan. The housing market and interest rates are in a great place for homeowners to take advantage of the equity they have in their home in order to make improvements on it. If you know your roof is reaching the end of its lifespan, you may consider taking out a home equity loan to replace it before there are leaks that may cause damage to the interior of your home.

A new roof can also increase your home’s value and make it more appealing to potential buyers if you’re considering moving any time soon. Home equity loans generally do not have strict rules about how long you have to use the money or what exactly it needs to be used for, so if you’re considering doing multiple projects around your house, or you just aren’t sure when you want to begin the work, a home equity loan may be a more flexible option for you.

Manufacturer Warranties

Most material manufacturers have a warranty of some length on their products, provided they are installed correctly by a licensed contractor. If your roof is still within its expected lifespan and warranty period, but you have experienced leaks or other damage, the repairs or replacement may be covered by your warranty. Even if you didn’t have the roof installed yourself, there may still be a transferred warranty from the person who did have it installed.

The best way to determine if the damage or leaks you’re experiencing are caused by the materials is to have a licensed roofing contractor come and inspect your roof. In addition to identifying the cause of the damage, they can also identify the materials that were used so that you can reach out to the manufacturer about a potential warranty. Keep in mind, however, that you will likely need to provide some sort of proof of the installation being completed by a qualified contractor and paperwork showing that the materials were purchased for that purpose.

We Can Help

At Andrews Roofing, we are happy to work alongside customers using a variety of methods of payment for their roof repair or replacement. Whether you’re paying out of pocket, filing an insurance claim or applying for some type of financing, we will help guide you through the process while providing excellent workmanship and products. All of our work is guaranteed, and we use some of the best materials on the market, all of which provide their own manufacturer’s warranty. Contact us today to get started.

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Category: Andrews Roofing, Residential Roofing, Roof Installation, Roof Warranty, Roofing Information

Manufacturer Spotlight: CertainTeed Shingles

Andrews Roofing can supply products from any manufacturer a customer desires. However, based on our extensive experience with roofing products, there are certain ones we recommend. One of those products is the Landmark® line of CertainTeed asphalt shingles. Please note that product availability industry-wide has varied greatly between manufacturers including CertainTeed.

The quality of the products we install is the most critical factor in our recommendations, however, we also have to balance that with budget and variety. CertainTeed asphalt shingles check all of these boxes, which is why they are one of the most popular materials we install.

The Landmark® line of shingles is made with a dual-layer design that creates the visual dimension to mimic true wood shake. These shingles are heavy weight and come in a wide variety of colors. In our residential roofing portfolio, you can see many homes that have been reroofed using the Landmark® shingles, and get a feel for how varied the colors and styles can be. Of course, CertainTeed manufactures many home building products, so homeowners who are building new construction or doing a major exterior renovation can coordinate their roofing materials with CertainTeed trim, siding, decking, fencing and more.

One of the things we appreciate about the Landmark® product is the attention they’ve given to the installation process. Their proprietary design provides a nailing area that is three times wider than a typical laminate shingle, which increases the efficiency and accuracy of installation. The shingles are also made with a specially formulated adhesive that is resistant to delamination, giving these products longevity and durability.

Roofs in Hampton Roads are apt to staining thanks to our hot, humid weather that fosters mildew and algae growth. To combat this, CertainTeed uses a technology on their shingles that repels algae with a granular blend of algae-resistant copper. This means your roof maintains its curb appeal and is less susceptible to deterioration caused by organic material that could otherwise cling to an asphalt shingle.

Finally, we appreciate a manufacturer who stands behind their product. Certainteed products come with a lifetime, limited transferable warranty. This includes a 10-year SureStart™ warranty (100% replacement and labor costs due to manufacturing defects), a 10-year StreakFighter® warranty against streaking and discoloration caused by airborne algae and a 15-year, 110 mph wind-resistance warranty. Customers can also choose to upgrade their wind warranty to 130 mph. This option is especially important for our customers along the oceanfront of Virginia Beach when hurricanes move into the region. It’s also important to keep in mind that manufacturer warranties are only valid if they are installed correctly by a licensed roofing contractor.

If you live in the Tidewater region, are ready to reroof your home, and need help choosing the right product for you, please contact Andrews Roofing. We’d be happy to discuss all the available options with you and help you make an informed decision based on our decades of experience in the roofing industry.

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