Charlotte Roofing and Construction Blog

If you've been looking for a new roof in Matthews, North Carolina, then you may be aware that there's a shortage of roofing shingles in the greater Charlotte metro area.

So when a Matthews Roofing Company places a shingle order with a manufacturer, it could take a couple of weeks for the order to come in or it might not be possible to get that type of shingle at all in the current market.

If you're working with the wrong roofing company, that company could be cutting corners and installing a lower quality brand on your roof as a substitution for what you were expecting in the contract you signed with that company.

These shingle shortages can happen for a variety of reasons, but some contractors in this market are substituting lower quality shingles into their contracts but telling their customers that they're actually getting an upgraded shingle compared to what was in the contract.

In other cases, they could simply be substituting in any type of shingle they can get.

That could put you in a difficult situation where you're asked to make a last minute decision to accept a substitute product that may not perform the way you expect it to.

When you contact High Top Roofing, we'll work with you and agree on a high quality shingle brand that we'll include by name in our contract.

If we place an order and can't get that particular brand right away, we'll encourage you to wait for it to come in.

We're simply not willing to use a substitute brand that may not be the same high quality that you were expecting.

If you're pressed for time and want to substitute another roofing shingle, we'll take the time to educate you on the quality differences of any shingle you might be considering for substitution.

And at the end of the day, you can make the call on whether or not to make a substitution, but we want you to have the best information to make an informed decision.

If you're in the market for a new roof in Matthews during the pandemic, don't accept a lower quality roofing shingle because of the shingle shortage during the pandemic.

Call High Top Roofing today at 704-989-3189 or request a free estimate.

When it comes to roof repairs in Charlotte, one of the most common types of roofing repairs made by High Top Roofing involves cricket repairs.

As shown below, a cricket is a section of the roof that's surrounded by a roofing section that slopes into the area and/or the house.

As you can tell from the photo, a cricket is highly susceptible to roof leaks because of the large volume of water that can flow through the area.

In this case, the roof that slopes into the area and the siding area of the house can both bring large volumes of water through this section of the roof.

As a result, many of the roof repair work calls we receive are about fixing links in a cricket area.

To fix links in a cricket we generally do the following:

Tear off the shingles and underlayment in the area.
Install an ice and water barrier.
Then we install new shingles in the area.

Because crickets can have a large volume of water that flows through them, at High Top Roofing we take great care in our to make sure our cricket repairs are done to very high standards.

If you need help with a roofing repair, give us a call at 704-989-3189 or request a free estimate today!

When you have a roof leak or you're in need of a roofing repair, you might be very apprehensive and concerned when you begin the process of trying to find a reputable roofing contractor.

And you have good reason to be concerned.

After all, there's no shortage of horror stories out there from Charlotte homeowners who were unlucky enough to select the wrong roofing contractor.

And let's face it, while you might already have a favorite landscaper or small repair contractor, there's a good chance that you don't have a favorite roofing contractor in your address file.

Hiring the right roofing contractor is an act of faith.

Even with lots of research, this kind of decision can be nerve wracking.

So what's the best way to help you spot a bad roofing contractor? Consider the following tips.

You get what you pay for.

Your roof protects everything that is near and dear to you. If you cut corners and select a roofing contractor based on price only, there's a good chance you'll be sorry you did. And whatever savings you thought you were going to get will quickly evaporate if roofing installation problems surface after the fact.

Check for verifiable reviews, references, and credentials.

Ask any contractor you're considering to provide links to online reviews, reference phone numbers, as well as their Better Business Bureau and Angie's list profiles. Take the time to call those references and ask them in-depth questions about the quality of the roofing materials and workmanship that customer experienced. Don't rule out a company you're considering just because you see a bad review. Take the time to read the company's response to the bad review to ensure that you get a complete picture of the dispute in question.

Look to see what kind of online presence the contractor has. 

Locate the company's website, their business listings on Google and Bing, and find all of their social media accounts. A company that does not have a meaningful online presence could be brand new or it could be that they don't want potential customers to learn about their business reputation.

Check to see how long the company has been in business.

Many roofing companies are small businesses. It's not unusual for a roofing company to switch from one company name to another one over a period of time. What you need to find out is how long that company has been in the roofing business. So take the time to add up the number of years of roofing experience the company may have across multiple company names.

Choose a local company with a long track record.

There's a good chance that your new roof is going to need some follow-up work to fix some issues or possibly to make some warranty repairs. If you hire a roofing company that does not have a long-term local presence in your community, you're taking a big risk that could result in poor service after the sale.

Never pay a roofing contractor for all of the work up front.

It's not unusual for a roofing contractor to ask you for a portion of the total cost up-front to pay for roofing materials. But if you do that, ask the roofer to have those materials delivered directly to your home - not to some other location. A reputable roofing contractor generally won't have a problem with a customer making the final payment (sometimes called retention) of 10% to 20% upon completion of the project. For most contractors that final payment is their profit and a good contractor will be highly motivated to complete the job to your satisfaction in order to receive this final payment. When a roofing contractor asks you to pay 100% of the cost of a project upfront, that's a strong warning sign that you may be dealing with a bad roofing contractor. And if you do this, you're not going to have any recourse if things don't work out.

A good roofing contractor isn't afraid to walk away.

Think about it. A good roofing contractor will have confidence in the quality of their work and the price they quote you to walk away from your project if you're not going to select them. A bad roofing contractor might be overly persistent and may tend to use high pressure sales tactics and be willing to do anything to close the sale.

Look for good communication.

Bad roofing contractors are horrible communicators. The only time they may contact you or show up is when they want you to sign a contract or to pay them money at the start of the project. A good roofing contractor will return your phone calls and emails prompty both before and after the sale.

While there are never guarantees when it comes to hiring the right Charlotte roofing contractor, the list above will help you spot a bad one.

Let's face it.

Does any homeowner with a roof leak wake up get excited about spending thousands of dollars on a new roof?

No.

But when you have a leak and contact a Charlotte roofering company, there's a good chance you'll want to consider repairing your roof instead of replacing it.

If you contact High Top Roofing, you should know that we're putting our name and reputation on the line each and every time we repair or replace a roof in Charlotte.

So we're not about to recommend a new roof if we think a roof repair will work for you.

But what if you've contacted several roofing companies and can't make up your mind on whether to repair or replace your roof.

Here are some things that may help you decide:

1.How old it the roof?

Most shingle roofs in the Charlotte metro area have a life of 20-30 years. So if your roof is 19 years old, it might make more sense to replace the roof especially if other sections of the roof are about to fail. If your roof is only 4 years old and has a leak, there's a good chance that your original roof wasn't installed properly. Start by contacting the original installer of the roof to see if they have a warranty on their workmanship or labor.

2. How big is the area of your roof that's leaking?

If the leak is contained to a small area, it might be possible to repair it at a reasonable cost. A smaller area may also give you the option to replace all of the shingles in the section of the roof that's leaking - not just in the immediate area of the leak. That will help ensure a good color match in that section of your roof. When roof damage is limited to a small area, a roof repair should be possible.

3. How visible is the area of the roof that's leaking?

If the location of the leak is not prominent or highly visible from the street, a repair might make sense even if the color match isn't perfect. 

4. What's happening with the roofing materials?

Are shingles missing? Are the shingles curling or starting to buckle? Are a large number of granuals starting to accumlate in your rain gutters or on the ground? Installing a few new shingles as part of a roofing repair is not going to be a good long term solution if those shingles are surrounded by other worn shingles that are a roof leak just waiting to happen.

5. Is the roof felt or decking damaged?

Roof felt acts as an additional moisture barrier to prevent water from entering your home. If the felt is damaged in a widespread area, your going to have other roof leaks in the future even if you repair the area of the leak. Sometimes roof decks become damaged as well and the boards need to be replaced. If there is extensive damage to your roof deck, it may be better to tear the roof off and replace any deck boards that are damaged.

6. Is it possible to repair the roof by putting shingles over your existing roof?

While most building codes allow up to 2 layers of shingles, it's generally not a good idea. Shingles are heavy and another layer of shingles could add too much weight to your roof. If you decide to put off installing a new roof by adding another layer of shingles, you will pay for it later because when you finally have to install a new roof, the roofing contractor will have to charge you for the extra time needed to tear off 2 layers of shingles instead of just 1. Finally, installing shingles on top of shingles will typically void the manufacturer's warranty on the original shingles installed.

7. How does the cost of a repair compare to the cost of a roof replacement?

As a general rule, once the cost of a repair exceeds $1,000, it's important to compare the repair cost to the cost of a roof replacement. If the roof repair is going to cost $2,800 with only 3 years of remaining life in the shingles, it would be better to spend $10,000 on a brand new roof.

If you've spoken to a roofing company and you're still undecided about whether to repair or replace your roof, call High Top Roofing at 704-989-3189 or request a free estimate today!