Morning: Tear-Off

The crew typically arrives between 7 and 8 in the morning. Tear-off removes all existing shingles, underlayment, and in some cases flashing components down to the bare decking. Tear-off is the loudest and most disruptive part of the day. Debris falls from the roof into a dump trailer or dumpster positioned in the driveway, and the sound of shingles being pulled and tools moving across the decking is audible inside the house. This phase typically runs two to four hours depending on the size of the roof and the number of layers being removed.

Plymouth building code does not allow shingle overlays on a re-roof in many circumstances, which is one reason tear-off to bare decking is the standard approach. Starting from the decking also allows the crew to see the full condition of what they are building on.

Decking Inspection: The Step Most Homeowners Never See

After tear-off and before any new material goes down, the crew walks the bare decking and inspects it. Soft spots, areas where the OSB or plywood has delaminated from moisture intrusion, and sections that show rot or structural compromise are identified and marked. Any damaged sections are replaced before installation continues. A contractor who photographs the decking before covering it gives the homeowner a documented record of the substrate the new system is built on. Ask for these photographs if they are not offered.

Underlayment, Ice and Water Shield, and Drip Edge

After decking is confirmed sound, the waterproofing layers go down in a specific sequence. Drip edge is installed at the eaves first so that the underlayment overlaps it correctly. Ice and water shield goes down at the eaves, extending at minimum 24 inches inside the exterior wall line per Minnesota code, and in quality installations also into all valleys and around all penetrations. Synthetic underlayment covers the field of the roof over the ice and water shield. Drip edge at the rake edges goes over the underlayment. The sequence matters because getting it wrong reverses the water-shedding direction at critical transitions.

Shingle Installation, Flashing, and Ridge Cap

Shingle installation runs from the eaves up to the ridge in courses, with each course overlapping the one below by the manufacturer-specified amount. Flashing is set at every penetration: pipe boots around plumbing vents, step flashing at any wall intersection, valley flashing in every valley, and counter-flashing at any chimney or skylight. These are the most labor-intensive details and the most common source of future leaks when they are done quickly rather than carefully. Ridge cap is the last component installed, covering the peak where the two slopes meet.

End of Day: Cleanup and Nail Sweep

A professional crew runs a magnetic nail sweep of the yard and driveway before leaving. Roofing nails that miss the debris collection area end up in the grass, driveway, and around the foundation perimeter, and a magnetic sweep collects them systematically rather than leaving them for feet, tires, and lawnmower blades to find. The dumpster or trailer is typically removed the same day or the following morning. The job site should be clean by the time the crew leaves.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU

You do not need to be home for a roof replacement. The crew needs access to the roof perimeter, a clear driveway for the debris trailer, and a water source if one is needed. What you need before the day starts: vehicles out of the driveway, fragile items along the exterior walls moved away from wall surfaces, and any pets or young children accounted for away from the yard during the noisiest parts of the day. By end of day you should have a finished roof, a clean property, and photographs from the crew documenting what the decking looked like before it was covered.

HOW PROOF BUILDERS APPROACHES THIS

Proof Builders crews complete standard Plymouth residential replacements in a single day and photograph the decking before new material covers it. We run a magnetic nail sweep before leaving and confirm the property is clean before the crew departs. If decking damage is found during tear-off, we document it with photographs and contact the homeowner before proceeding so there are no undisclosed scope additions on the final invoice.