FAQ

We do not sub-contract our roofing work. Whether it is shingles, torch-on, cedar shakes or repairs, we control the process on our roofing jobs. Each crew consists of a Foreman, a Leadhand and 2 or more labourers, all of whom have been trained to roof the Waterproofing Roofing way. There is ongoing training and many of our employees have been with us for 5 years or more. This ensures that you will get consistent quality on your job and you know that your roof is installed correctly. We even have a Quality Controller who will inspect each job and rate the Foreman so they know that their work is being inspected.

For exterior work there are often many individual trades involved- siding, eavestroughs, sofiit and fascia because of this we often need to subcontract out the work. We work closely with the trades we subcontract the work to, and provide the same level of Quality Control that we do for roofing.

On roofs with a pitch under 8/12 (steep) we install an underlayment over the entire roof. This is to provide a secondary layer of protection in case of a problem like water penetration or wind blow-off. We will use a layer of #15lb tar paper (felt) or synthetic underlayment that covers the entire roof, from the point where the Ice/ Water shield protection ends to the peak of the roof. In order to get the maximum shingle manufacturer’s warranty we install it.

We don’t go over top of your shingles because it will cause an uneven roofing material, your fasteners may not hold into the roof deck and you might be covering up wood rot. Also most shingle manufacturers will not warranty the roof if you shingle over top of existing shingles.

The only way to know for sure if you have rotten wood is to remove your existing shingles. The estimator can make a guess based on whether or not you have had leaking, if there is drip edge, or if the roof feels soft when walking on the roof. If the Estimator notices any of these they will let you know to expect it at the time of the quote. In most cases we do not expect to see rotten wood. If there is rot we replace it with 7/16 OSB or if your roof is planked with roof boards. Any rotten wood will be replaced at an additional cost of $80/sheet of plywood and/or $45/10′ roof board.

Drip edge is a metal flashing that is installed along the perimeter of your house. It protects your deck from rot by diverting water into your eavestrough on the bottom of the roof. On the sides or gables of the roof it holds the fascia in place. It is usually made of thin aluminium and gets damaged when the roof is torn off. We tear it off and replace it because we don’t want to try and save it and then not be able to. Just like your vents, stacks and valley metal, if it is time for a new roof we replace everything we can so you can be confident in your new roof. This also allows you to choose the colour of your drip edge so you can match it to your fascia, your eavestroughs or your shingles and increase the appearance of your house.

The melting and freezing of snow on your roof can result in the formation of an ice dam. This situation occurs as snow melts and travels down the roof and then freezes up again, causing a ridge or dam of ice. After the ice dam is established, it holds back water each time a melt occurs, which can lead to a back-up under your shingles and potentially a leak. This is the reason why using Ice and Water shield on the eaves and valleys is important.

In most cases it is necessary to re-use the existing wall and step flashings. This is because they are installed behind the siding or stucco and cannot be removed. The roofing materials are separated from the flashings and the underlayment is tucked up underneath, then the shingles are installed. If it is deemed that the flashing cannot be re-used or if your house never had proper step and wall flashing (it happens) then we will install new metal flashings as seen here, but a gum-catch flashing may have to be installed over top to seal the flashing to the wall.

This is a flat colored metal flashing with a lip on each side that is installed over top of the wall and step flashing. It is pinned to the wall over top of the wall and step flashing to protect from water getting behind the new flashings. A bead of silicone is put over the gum catch to ensure it is sealed. We don’t install it unless it is necessary and in most cases it is used on older chimneys that need to be re-flashed where we cannot install the metal under the bricks. It may also be used if your stucco walls were never flashed properly and we had to install new step and wall flashing.

After the job we will prepare your invoice, the Quality Controller will contact you to schedule an appointment. He will inspect your job, answer any questions and address any concerns you have. The job will be rated and given a Q/C score and any problems will be corrected immediately or a time will be scheduled to correct them.

If you suspect that there is a problem, give us a call. Whether it is a missing shingle, a suspected leak, or something just doesn’t look right, we will come and check it out.

Your material warranty is typically a Limited Lifetime warranty meaning it pro-rates after 10 years. If you upgrade, you will get a 50 year non-prorated warranty, which we recommend. You can also go one step further to get the GAF Golden Pledge warranty which gives you a 25 year labour warranty on top of the 50 year shingle warranty.

If you have an insurance claim you do not have to use the contractor your insurance company recommends. It is your house and you get to choose who does the work. Often work from the insurance company goes to a general contractor who then subs out the roofing work. You have no idea who will be on your roof what the quality is like or if they will be around to service your roof if there are problems.

You can still get quotes for your roof even if you have filed a claim with your insurance company. We work with several insurance companies and can send them the quote directly in many cases. In our experience if you have an insurance claim use a local contractor, someone with a good reputation who has been in business for at least 5 years.

You may suspect your roof has damage if you notice dents in your eavestroughs or fascia, if there is broken siding of if your neighbors have confirmed hail damage. These are not guarantees that your roof has hail damage though. It depends on many factors whether or not your roof is hail damaged such as the age of the roof, the direction of the storm, the quality of the shingles etc… If there was a hailstorm and you suspect hail damage you should call your insurance company, they will send out a qualified adjuster to assess the damage and give you a scope of work. We do not do inspections for hail damage because each insurance company has different requirements and coverages for hail damage. We will be happy to give you a quote, but it is up to your adjuster to determine the scope of work.

We accept E-transfer, cheques, cash, debit and Visa or Mastercard (If you want to get some points)

We know that your new roof is expensive and you may not have the money saved up for it. Let’s face it a roof over your head is one of the basic necessities so it can’t wait until you can afford it. We partnered with SNAP Financial to offer you easy financing at an affordable rate with low monthly payments. Click on the link on our home page for more info.

Every house is different, just because you have 1200 sq/ft of living area you could have 2300 sq/ft of roof area. There could be multiple layers, problem areas, access restrictions or other issues that factor into the cost of your new roof. For these reasons we have to physically inspect every roof before we can give you a quote and we always give you the quote in writing. Remember estimates are free!

We live in Southern Alberta, it is subject to extreme weather fluctuations, sometimes as much as 30 degrees. So yes we work year round. In the winter it takes us a little longer to do your roof, we often have to sweep off the snow, but we still take the same care that we do in the summer. Typically we will roof in weather up to -15 degrees, after that it gets too cold for the equipment or the workers to be effective. We glue our shingles with plastic cement so you don’t have to worry if the sealing strip on the shingles is activated. This way we know your roof is sealed before we leave, we guarantee your roof from blow-offs even if it is installed in the colder winter months.

Tabbing is simply putting tar on the shingle to ensure maximum wind protection. We know the winds are strong, we don’t want to come back and fix shingles that are blowing off and you don’t want to have to call us. So we don’t rely on the sealing strip on the shingle instead we make sure the shingles are 6 nailed and tabbed for a worry free installation and peaceful nights on those windy days. Some companies don’t do this, especially ones that are new or are from out of town. Experience is the best teacher and we have survived over 20 years of all weather conditions imaginable, trust your roof with a company who won’t take chances.