Project Case Study: GAF Timberline HDZ Charcoal Roof Replacement in Argyle, Texas

This roof has been developing leaks at various weak points for multiple years leading up to the replacement.  For at least 3 years we had been doing minor repairs and inspections, helping to buy the roof time until a hail storm hit.  The leaks were coming from fundamental building level issues that could be remedied but would be very costly and could be fixed easier as part of a full roof replacement.  This took a lot of patience because there had been hail storms very close to the home and the temptation was there to tell them to file a claim and see if it stuck but we always opt for patience and careful planning. 

Finally in Spring 2024 a hail storm hit that was enough to total the roof and we were able to guide them to a a full roof replacement.  This still required careful consideration, helping them file the claim and meeting the adjuster.  The damage was enough to get the roof bought but it was not catastrophic so we came to the insurance adjustment ready to advocate heavily to make sure the full roof replacement was approved.  In this case the insurance adjuster actually did not even give notice and 20 minutes before he was arriving he called the homeowner.  Luckily we are a local company and had a representative available to get there right away and meet him and advocate for the client.

This neighborhood is full of kids walking to school, it is one of the busiest walk to school neighborhoods in all of Denton county so when managing a roof replacement we need to be extra careful about falling debris, loose nails making it to the sidewalk or street, and other aspects of the build that could put a child at hazard if left to chance.

We set up the usual safety perimeter around the job with cones and tape.  We parked our vehicles in front of the job to help create further obstacles so little kids would not get too curious and walk close to the roof job.  We also had 2 project managers on site for 100% of the build to monitor both safety and quality control.   Especially in the morning and after school when lots of kids where on the sidewalk passing the build we were fully engaged with site protection and safety protocols.

This homeowner did not want to replace their gutters.  This is pretty common in Texas where a roof is damaged by hail and the gutters are also but the gutters are more light cosmetic damage than function damage like the roof.  It is common for homeowners to not be very concerned with their gutters and often will opt out of replacing them.  This is legal as long as the contractor does not invoice or represent to  the insurance as if the gutter work was completed.  But when not replacing gutters the roofing crew most be very careful not to damage them during the roof tear off and installation.

It is not always possible to replace a roof without damaging the gutters. For example, often times, to replace the drip edge on the roof eaves the gutters must come off as the gutter screws pass through the drip edge to anchor into the fascia board.  In this case the drip edge was not screwed in behind the gutters so we could complete a code compliant roof replacement which includes replacing the drip edge even with some gutters on the house.  We just had to be very careful to cover the gutters especially during the old roof removal portion of the job.  We will use tarps, wood boards, and other items to cover gutters that could be damaged during tear off.  We also work to make sure the existing roof is being removed only from certain parts of the roof where there are no gutters to damage.

A beautiful roof properly installed with repurposed gutters and no injuries/incidents in the community. And an awesome warranty.