Roofing, the first line of defense.
Shingles or tile are the part you see. The flashing and underlayment underneath decide whether the roof leaks.
- Leaks nearly always start at details: valleys, walls, chimneys, skylights and vents.
- Underlayment keeps rain out for a while before the final roof goes on.
- In fire-prone areas the roof, vents and eaves are part of how a house resists embers.
- Drip edgeMetal at the eave that sends water into the gutter and not behind it.
- RoofingShingles, tile or metal. It sheds water, but the layers under it keep it out.
- UnderlaymentThe sealed layer that dries in the house before the final roof goes on.
- SheathingThe panels that form the roof deck.
- RafterThe sloped beams that carry the roof.
In the order it happens.
- High
- Medium
- Low
A dumpster arrives. On a re-roof, the old roofing comes off, and nothing is left open overnight if the weather is turning.
The sheathing is checked and replaced where needed, then underlayment goes over all of it.
Metal flashing goes in at edges, valleys, walls and each pipe or vent.
The final roofing goes on, followed by gutters and downspouts.
The techniques that matter.
- Underlayment is continuous and sealed around anything that pokes through the roof.
- Metal flashing at valleys, walls and chimneys is lapped like shingles, so water always runs over the joint, never into it.
- A drip edge at the eave sends water into the gutter, not behind it.
- In high fire hazard areas, a fire-rated roof assembly and ember-resistant vent details are generally required.
Where this trade earns its fee.
- Valleys, roof-to-wall joints and skylights.
- Tile and slate are heavy, so the structure has to be designed for them.
- Working around weather: dry spells set the schedule.
Decide this before the trade starts.
These are the choices that decide whether the finished house matches the one in your head. Changing them later costs time and money.
- Roofing material and color, because weight and fire rating affect the structure.
- Solar now or later, so conduit and blocking go in before the roof is finished.
- Skylights, chimneys and vents, which are the places leaks start.
- Gutters, downspouts and where they discharge.
- Can I see the valley and wall flashing before it is covered?
- Is the roof assembly rated for the fire zone this house is in?
- Who warrants the roof, and for how long?
- Site work
- Foundations
- Framing
- Roofing
- Windows and exterior
- Plumbing
- Electrical
- HVAC
- Insulation
- Drywall and plaster
- Tile
- Cabinetry
- Floors and paint
General guidance, not a specification. Your drawings, your engineer and your building inspector govern every job. See the whole process · Trade secrets home
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