Full roof replacement for Vancouver, WA homes

A roof replacement is more than new shingles. It is a full rebuild of the system that keeps water out: removing the old roofing down to the decking, repairing bad sheathing, installing new underlayment and ice-and-water membrane, replacing all flashing and pipe boots, setting up proper attic ventilation, and installing the new roofing. Skipping any of those steps shortens the life of the new roof.

We replace composition shingle, metal, cedar shake and low-slope roofs across Clark County and the Portland metro. Before work starts, we walk you through materials, colors, ventilation and any HOA requirements. On replacement day, we protect your landscaping, siding and windows, tear off in sections so the house is never left open to rain, and clean up thoroughly with a magnet sweep for nails.

When replacement makes more sense than repair

Roofs reach a point where repairs stop being good value. Signs include shingles that crack when lifted, heavy granule loss showing up in gutters, curling and cupping across several slopes, and leaks that appear in a new place every winter. If the roof has two layers of shingles already, or if repairs are costing a few thousand dollars a year, replacement often pays for itself in fewer leak calls and less interior damage.

Age is a guide, not a rule. Many architectural shingle roofs last 20 to 30 years, but in shaded, mossy parts of Clark County, some wear out sooner. Three-tab roofs from the 1990s are often near the end now. Cedar shake roofs from the 1970s to 1990s are frequently past their service life. We inspect the roof and give you an honest read on how many winters it has left, plus a repair price for comparison.

What a full replacement includes

A proper replacement covers every layer, not just the shingles you see. We remove old roofing down to the decking, replace soft or rotted sheathing, and install new underlayment across the whole roof, with self-sealing membrane in valleys, at eaves and around penetrations. All flashing, drip edge, pipe boots and vents are replaced. Then the new roofing goes on, followed by ridge caps and a full site cleanup. You see photos of each layer.

• Complete tear-off down to the decking
• Decking repair priced and photographed by the sheet
• New underlayment plus membrane in key areas
• New flashing, drip edge, boots and vents
• Balanced intake and exhaust attic ventilation

Choosing materials for a Northwest roof

Most Clark County homes get architectural composition shingles. They handle our wet climate well, come in many colors, and fit most budgets and HOA rules. Look for shingles with algae-resistant granules if your roof is shaded, since that slows the dark streaking common here. Metal roofing costs more up front but lasts longer, sheds needles and moss easily, and holds up well to wind. We bring samples of each so you can compare in person.

Cedar shake is still chosen by some homeowners for its look, especially on homes where it suits the architecture, but it needs more maintenance in our climate. Many shake roofs here are being converted to architectural shingles or metal. For low-slope sections like porches and additions, we use membrane systems instead of shingles. We explain the tradeoffs in plain terms and give you prices for the options you are considering.

Permits, HOAs and planning the job

Each city and county sets its own roofing permit rules, so we check with the local building department and pull permits where they are required. Many east and north Vancouver subdivisions have HOAs that must approve roof color and material before work begins, and we can provide product samples and spec sheets for that approval. We schedule tear-off during stretches of dry weather and keep tarps ready so the house is never left open to rain.