Guide
When patching stops being worth it
There is no single moment when a roof stops working. It fails gradually, and the useful skill is recognising which stage yours is at.
Get it looked at
Three questions, and up to three Fountain Valley contractors. Free either way.
You are on the list.
No provider in Fountain Valley is taking requests through this service yet. We are lining them up, and yours is kept until one can.
- Nobody gets your details yet. Your request stays with us and is not passed to any company.
- One email when someone can help. When a provider covering your area can take it on, we email you once and ask whether you want that company, by name, to contact you.
- Deleted after 90 days. If nobody can take it on, or you do not say yes, your contact details are deleted 90 days after your request.
- You decide, or you do not. There is nothing to cancel and nothing to pay us.
Nobody will call you about this request unless you say yes to a company by name.
Repeated repairs in different places
One leak is an event. Three leaks in three different areas inside two years is a pattern, and the pattern means the covering has reached the end of its service life rather than suffered a specific failure.
Sagging along a line
Straight lines going wavy means something underneath has softened. That is no longer a roofing question with a cheap answer.
Shingles that curl, cup or go brittle
A roof near the end goes hard. Shingles that were pliable enough to seal down in the sun no longer bond, and the first serious wind takes them.
Granules in the gutter
The granules are the sunscreen. Losing them in volume means the asphalt beneath is being cooked directly, and from that point the roof ages in years rather than decades.
Daylight or damp in the attic
Go up on a bright day with the lights off. Pinpoints of daylight through the deck, dark staining on the sheathing, damp insulation or rust running down a nail shank all say water is getting in and has been for a while.
The age on the paperwork
Age alone is not a reason to replace. Age plus any one of the symptoms above usually is.
In short
None of these on their own settles it. Two together usually do. An inspection costs little and removes the guesswork entirely.
Related questions
Why three quotes and not one?
One quote is a number with no context. Three gives you a range, and the conversation about why they differ is where you learn what you are actually buying.
How much deposit is normal?
Ten to thirty per cent is ordinary, and is often used to order material. A demand for full payment up front is a reason to walk away.
What does a new roof cost in Fountain Valley?
Most quotes here for a standard asphalt replacement come in around $13,000 to $27,500. That assumes one layer to remove and sound decking. Every quote you get should say in writing what happens if the decking is not sound.
What is it going to cost?
Free, no obligation, and your details go to no company until you say yes.