The repair-first promise
We replace a roof when it can't be repaired, not because it's old
A repair costs a fraction of a new roof. We would rather write the repair.
Thelma goes up and counts. If the sound slates outnumber the bad ones and the framing is good, the written estimate is a repair, with the number of slates and the metal work on separate lines. If most of a slope is cracked, or the nails have rusted through, we show you the photos and say so. Either way you have the findings before you have a price.
What you get
A count of loose, cracked and missing slates, by slope
Photos you can keep and show another roofer
A repair estimate whenever a repair will hold
A replacement estimate only when it will not
Thelma Dandridge
Owner and slater
What we look at
Six places a roof fails before the slate does
Nails and hooks
Old steel nails rust through. New slates are held with copper or stainless fasteners.
The slates themselves
Cracks, flaking and slipped slates, found by eye and by tapping.
Valleys and flashings
Where two slopes meet, or a chimney or wall rises through. The most common leak.
Built-in gutters
Box gutters lined in metal on older houses. They fail from the inside.
Chimneys and dormers
Counterflashing, pointing and the small roofs that shed water onto the big one.
The attic
Stains, daylight, soft boards and old patches show what the outside hides.
Questions
Repair questions
What are the signs I need a new roof?
Slates sliding or in the gutter, a sagging ridge or deck, stains or daylight in the attic, and metal that has failed more than once. A few of these is a repair. All of them together is a conversation.
Will you check my attic?
Yes, on every visit. The underside of the boards, the rafters and any stains tell us more than the roof surface.
What if it rains while you work?
We open only what we can cover that day, and we tarp the rest before the crew leaves.
Do you repair other roofs?
We repair slate, cedar and copper. For an asphalt or flat roof we will say so on the phone.
Start with the photos
Text us a picture of the roof, or ask for a visit and we will count the slates.