Recent project · Baltimore County, MD · RooferMD, the roofing division of Mid-Atlantic Remodeling Co.
Architectural shingle roof replacement
Full tear-off and partial re-deck on a two-story brick colonial in Baltimore County, finished in two days by our own crew and backed by a 50-year transferable warranty.
50-year transferable roofing warranty
Free storm & hail inspections
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MHIC #99933 · Licensed & insured
Project at a glance
| Location | Baltimore County, Maryland |
|---|---|
| Scope | Full roof replacement, two layers removed, eight sheets of decking replaced, new ridge vent and pipe boots |
| Roof | Architectural fiberglass shingles, Pewter Gray, synthetic underlayment, ice-and-water shield |
| Ventilation | Continuous ridge vent, existing soffit vents cleared |
| Crew time | Two days, six-person crew |
| Warranty | 50-year transferable limited warranty |
Services on this job: Residential roofing · 50-year warranty · Storm restoration
The situation
This brick colonial sits on a wooded lot north of Towson with a steep front gable and a long rear slope that faces the trees. The roof was original to a 1994 build, with a second layer of shingles added around 2008 when the first one started leaking. Layering over an old roof is legal in Maryland and it is cheaper in the short term, but it traps heat, hides damaged decking and roughly halves the life of the new shingles. By the time the owners called us, the rear slope was shedding granules by the handful, two pipe boots had cracked, and a ceiling stain had appeared in the upstairs hall.
Their first concern was whether the roof could be patched. It could not, not honestly. A roof with two layers and a cracked deck underneath is not a repair candidate; every patch is money spent on a roof that is coming off within a couple of years anyway. We told them that on the first visit, showed them the photos from the attic and the roof, and gave them an itemized quote for a full replacement with a separate line for decking so they knew what the worst case looked like before we started.
What we did
- Free inspection, attic check and itemized quote with a per-sheet price for any decking replacement
- Both layers of old shingles and underlayment removed and hauled away
- Every sheet of decking checked; eight delaminated sheets replaced with new 1/2-inch CDX plywood
- Synthetic underlayment over the entire deck, ice-and-water shield at eaves, valleys, chimney and all penetrations
- New drip edge, new step and counter flashing at the chimney
- Architectural fiberglass shingles in Pewter Gray, six nails per shingle for the wind rating
- Continuous ridge vent cut in; existing soffit vents cleared of insulation
- New pipe boots and a new exhaust vent cap
- Magnetic nail sweep of the lawn, beds and driveway; final walkthrough
How the job went
Day one was the tear-off. Two layers of shingles come off faster than one because the top layer is not well attached, but there is twice the weight going into the dumpster, so we staged two containers in the driveway. With the deck bare, our inspector walked every sheet with a hammer. The eight bad sheets were all on the rear slope under the trees where moss had held moisture against the shingles for years; the plywood had delaminated and in two spots you could push a thumb through it. Those sheets came out and new plywood went in, properly gapped and nailed to the rafters, before any underlayment went down. By the end of day one the whole deck was dried in with synthetic underlayment and ice shield, so even if it had rained overnight the house was protected.
Day two was shingles. The crew worked from the eaves up, six nails per shingle because that is what the 130 mph wind rating requires and what most roofers skip. The chimney got new step flashing woven into each course and a counterflashing cut into the mortar joint. We cut a continuous ridge vent into the peak and found the soffit vents had been stuffed with insulation during an attic job years earlier, which is why the attic had been running so hot and why the old shingles cooked from underneath. Clearing them gave the new roof the airflow it needs to reach its rated life.
Materials and methods
The shingles are a 30-year-rated architectural fiberglass product with a Class A fire rating and a 130 mph wind warranty when installed with six nails and the manufacturer’s starter and ridge components, which is how we install every roof. Pewter Gray reads as a medium gray against red brick and does not show the algae streaking that darker shingles do on a tree-shaded slope.
Underlayment is synthetic rather than felt: lighter, stronger, and it does not absorb water and buckle if the job runs into a shower. Ice-and-water shield went down 36 inches up from every eave, in every valley, and around the chimney and every pipe. That membrane is what prevents ice-dam leaks in a Baltimore County winter.
The decking replacement was 1/2-inch CDX plywood, the same thickness as the original, so the new sheets sit flush with the old and the shingles lie flat. Ventilation is a continuous ridge vent with external baffles, matched to the cleared soffit vents so air moves from the eaves up through the attic and out the ridge.
Why it matters for Baltimore County homeowners
Baltimore County roofs north of the beltway live under trees. Oak and tulip poplar shade keeps moss alive on north and east slopes, holds moisture against the shingles, and over fifteen years that moisture gets into the decking. The county also sees ice dams most winters; a roof without ice-and-water shield at the eaves will eventually leak at the wall line, usually into a bedroom ceiling.
The other local issue is layering. A lot of 1980s and 1990s homes in Towson, Lutherville, Cockeysville and Parkton got a second layer of shingles in the 2000s because it was cheap. Those roofs are now failing, and the failure almost always includes hidden decking damage. If you own one, plan on a tear-off, and get a quote that prices decking per sheet so there are no surprises.
Cost, insurance and what the owners paid
The owners had a quote from another company that was lower by a few hundred dollars. The difference was in what it left out: no decking allowance, no ice shield except at the eaves, four nails per shingle instead of six, and no ridge vent. We walked them through the comparison line by line. A roof that costs less on paper and fails in fifteen years costs far more than one that lasts thirty and transfers its warranty to the next owner.
Our quote listed the decking at a per-sheet price; eight sheets were needed and that is exactly what they paid. Nothing on this job was storm related, so it was not an insurance claim. Financing was available and they used a 12-month plan.
What to expect if you hire us for a job like this
Every RooferMD roof follows the same steps, whether it is a storm claim or a planned replacement. It starts with a free inspection from the attic and the roof, with photos you keep, and an itemized quote that prices decking per sheet so the worst case is on paper before we start. We schedule around the forecast, stage the dumpster and materials the day before, and our own crew, not a subcontractor, does the work. The deck is inspected sheet by sheet during tear-off, every eave and valley gets ice-and-water shield, every shingle gets six nails, and the attic ventilation is checked and fixed because it is what decides how long the roof lasts. We sweep the yard with a magnet, walk the finished roof with you, and hand you a 50-year transferable limited warranty in writing. If the roof was storm damaged, our inspector documents the whole roof, meets the adjuster, and bills the carrier; you pay the deductible.
Questions about this kind of project
Can you roof over my existing shingles?
We can, but we won’t recommend it. Layering hides decking damage, traps heat and shortens the life of the new roof. Every roof we warranty for 50 years is a tear-off.
How do I know if my decking is bad?
From the attic: dark stains, soft spots, or daylight. From the roof: a spongy feel underfoot. We check every sheet during tear-off and price replacements per sheet in advance.
How long does a replacement take?
Most Baltimore County homes are done in one to two days. This one took two because of the second layer and the decking work.
What is the 50-year warranty?
A limited warranty on the roofing system we installed, transferable to the next owner. Most manufacturers stop at 25 or 30 years or call it “lifetime” without the transfer.
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Serving every county in Maryland
From Baltimore and Harford County to the Eastern Shore and Western Maryland, our crews work across Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Calvert, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, Kent, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, St. Mary’s, Somerset, Talbot, Washington, Wicomico and Worcester counties. Based at 1012 Saddle View Way, Forest Hill, MD 21050.
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