Frequently Asked Questions About Roofing in Chicago

Look for visible signs such as missing, cracked or curling shingles, water stains on ceilings and walls, excessive granule accumulation in gutters, or visible sagging along the roofline. Inside the attic, dark staining on the sheathing, damp insulation and daylight coming through the deck are all worth acting on. Keep in mind that a ceiling stain is rarely directly under the entry point - water travels along the deck and rafters before it drips through.

Intermittent leaks usually point to wind direction, rainfall intensity or ice. A leak that only shows up in driving rain from one direction is often a wall or flashing detail rather than a roof surface problem. A leak that only appears during winter thaws is almost always an ice dam, which is a ventilation and insulation issue expressing itself as a roof leak.

Yes. We offer storm damage inspections, emergency tarping, and permanent restoration following hail, windstorms and ice events. We document conditions with photographs and measurements, which is what you need for your records whether or not you file an insurance claim.

Yes. Active leaks are prioritized. If water is coming into your building, contact us and we will get you scheduled for the soonest available response and walk you through protecting the interior in the meantime.

Active leaks and storm damage are scheduled ahead of routine work. Non-urgent inspections are typically scheduled within a few business days, though that stretches after a widespread hail or wind event when demand across the area spikes at once.

Warm air reaching the underside of the roof deck melts snow, the meltwater runs down to the cold eave overhang and refreezes, and water then backs up under the shingle courses. Prevention is about keeping the deck cold: sealing air leaks into the attic, adequate insulation, an open intake-to-exhaust ventilation path, and ice-and-water shield membrane at the eaves. Repeatedly repairing the roof surface without addressing those does not stop it recurring.

It depends on the size of the affected area, the roof pitch, access, and whether the decking underneath is sound. Replacing a single pipe boot is a very different job from rebuilding chimney flashing. We provide a complimentary on-site estimate with the full scope priced before any work begins.

Cost is driven by square footage, roof pitch, the number of existing layers to remove, material selection, and roof complexity - valleys, dormers, chimneys and skylights all add labor. We provide a complimentary on-site estimate detailing all expenses prior to work beginning. We do not quote replacement figures over the phone without seeing the roof, because a number produced that way is not reliable enough to plan around.

We show you, and we photograph it. Deck replacement is priced per sheet and identified as a contingency line in the estimate, because there is no way to know the condition of the sheathing until the old roof comes off. You are only billed for sheets that were actually replaced.

Use the estimate form on this site or contact us directly. Tell us the property address, the type of property, and what you are seeing - a leak, storm damage, an aging roof, or a planned project. Photographs help us come prepared. Estimates are free and there is no obligation attached to them.

Yes. We perform comprehensive structural and surface inspections for both residential and commercial properties, covering the roof surface, flashings and penetrations, edge details and drainage, and where access allows, the deck and ventilation from inside the attic. You receive a written summary with photographs.

No. A large share of the inspections we perform conclude that the roof is in good condition, and that is what we report. Where work is needed we show you photographs of the conditions and explain the reasoning, so you can see what we saw rather than take it on faith.

We provide the inspection, photographs, measurements and written documentation of what we found, and we can meet the adjuster at the property. The claim itself is between you and your insurer. We document conditions accurately and let the evidence stand on its own - we will not tell you there is damage that is not there.

Chicago and the surrounding suburbs across Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane and McHenry Counties. The service areas section of this site lists the communities we cover, with pages for the ones we work in most frequently.

For most exterior work, no. We will let you know in advance if we need attic access for a ventilation detail or interior access to trace a leak.