Reference cardThe Honest Roof Guide

The Nine Components of a Real Roof

A roof is not just shingles. It is nine separate components, and every one of them has to be right. This is what should be on your written estimate.

The nine, top to bottom

1. The deck (the plywood or OSB the whole roof sits on). Bad spots are replaced, not covered over.
2. Drip edge. Metal that runs along the eaves and gables to push water off the deck. Required by code in NC.
3. Ice and water shield. A self-sealing membrane in the valleys, around penetrations, and along the eaves. Stops wind-driven rain.
4. Synthetic underlayment. The waterproof layer over the rest of the deck. The old tar paper is dead. We use synthetic.
5. Starter strip. A factory-made first row of shingles along every eave and rake. Wind goes up under shingles without it.
6. The field shingles. The big visible layer. Architectural, premium, or metal panels.
7. Flashing. Metal around the chimney, walls, skylights, and pipes. This is where 80 percent of leaks come from when it is done wrong.
8. Ridge cap. The shaped shingles that cover the peak. Not optional. Not interchangeable with field shingles.
9. Ventilation. Ridge vent at the top, soffit vents at the bottom. Without it, your shingles cook from the underside and your warranty is void.

Every line above should appear by name on your written estimate.
If something is missing, ask why. "It is fine, we always include that" is not the right answer. Ask them to write it on the estimate.
If a competitor is cheaper by $3,000, count their components. They are skipping two or three of these.

A roof that lasts 25 years has all nine. A roof that lasts 8 has five of them. The cost difference is small. The lifetime difference is everything.