Roof replacement in Atlanta, GA.

Roof Replacement for Atlanta homes.

Intown Atlanta roofs are rarely simple. Virginia-Highland, Inman Park, Kirkwood and East Atlanta are full of 1910s–1950s homes with steep gables, dormers, chimneys and low-slope porches, often with a second layer of shingles nobody removed. A proper tear-off is where we find and fix the soft decking and old flashing those houses hide.

Tight lots and street parking are normal here, so we plan dumpster placement, protect landscaping and neighbors' cars, and magnet-sweep driveways and sidewalks. If your home is in a historic district, visible changes may need review by the city, and we'll help you choose materials that fit.

Many intown owners also add standing seam metal over a front porch or back addition during the replacement. It sheds pine straw well and looks right on Craftsman and modern homes alike.

Replacing roofs on Atlanta's older houses

Atlanta's intown neighborhoods are full of houses that were built between about 1900 and 1960: Craftsman bungalows in Grant Park and Kirkwood, Queen Anne and Victorian homes in Inman Park and Cabbagetown, mid-century ranches in Morningside and parts of East Atlanta, and brick cottages in Druid Hills and Ansley Park. Each style asks something different from a roof. Bungalows have deep eaves and exposed rafter tails. Victorians have steep hips, valleys and turrets. Ranches are low, simple, and often have long runs of roof that drain to a single side. We plan the tear-off, the underlayment and the flashing around the shape of the house, not a generic template.

The hidden condition in these homes is usually the decking and the old layers. Many intown roofs have two layers of shingles, sometimes three, and the original boards under them may be wide planks that are no longer produced. When we tear off, we check every board, replace soft or rotted decking, and make sure the new underlayment lies flat over the transitions. A replacement done without that step can look fine for a year and then fail at the valleys.

Chimneys, dormers and skylights are where most leaks start in these houses. We rebuild the step flashing and counter flashing by hand where needed, and we set the new flashing into the mortar joints so water runs off the brick instead of behind it. Skylights and attic vents get new flashing kits and curbs. If a chimney is failing, we tell you before we start the roof, so you can decide whether the masonry repair should come first.

Historic districts and what they mean for your roof

Several intown neighborhoods sit inside designated historic districts, and some of those districts have design review for changes that can be seen from the street. Changes to the roof's color, shape or material are the ones most often reviewed. In practice that means a replacement with a similar architectural shingle in a similar color usually does not need review, while switching from a slate or cedar look to a bright metal roof might. Rules differ by district and can change, so we check the district map and the current design guidelines for your address before we quote a visible change.

If review is required, we prepare the submittal with photos of the existing roof and the proposed material, plus product specifications. The time it adds is usually weeks, not months, but it is better to plan for it than to be surprised on the schedule.

Working on tight intown lots

Many intown homes sit on narrow lots with cars parked at the curb and neighbors close enough to touch. A roof replacement on a lot like that needs a site plan. We decide where the dumpster can go, whether it needs a permit for the street, and how the debris will come down the side yard without damaging shrubs or fences. We set magnetic sweepers at the end of each day, cover the walkways and driveway, and keep the trucks off lawns and root zones.

Live oaks, pecans and dogwoods make intown Atlanta beautiful and make roofing harder. Overhanging limbs need to be trimmed back, and we coordinate with the homeowner before any limb is removed. We protect plantings under the drop zone and can arrange tree work through a licensed arborist if a limb blocks safe access. We tell you about any tree issue before we start, not in the middle of the job.

Permits also vary by location. The City of Atlanta is mostly in Fulton County, but parts of intown neighborhoods like Druid Hills and some areas near Decatur sit in DeKalb County. A roof permit for a home in DeKalb goes through DeKalb's office, not the city's. We pull the right permit for your address and schedule the required inspections so the job does not stall.

Materials that fit Atlanta heat, humidity and storms

Atlanta summers are hot and humid, and the roof sees more UV and heat than most people expect. Dark shingles can run well above the air temperature, which shortens shingle life and pushes heat into the attic. We talk through lighter colors, proper ventilation, and cool-roof options before you choose a color. Attic Armor ridge vent systems help move that heat out of the attic, and we install them on many of our replacements because they work with the shingle and do not add a visible ridge cap.

Architectural shingles from GAF and Owens Corning are the most common choice for intown homes, because they look like the wood shake and slate lines many of these houses were built with and they fit the neighborhood. Standing seam metal is a strong option over front porches, back additions and steep sections, because it sheds the heavy pine straw and the summer storms. Duro-Last and TPO are the right answer for the low-slope roofs on porch additions and some older flat sections.

For homes that were built with slate, copper or clay tile, the replacement material is part of the conversation from the start. We can match the look with a composite like Brava, use a natural material where the budget and structure allow, or use an architectural shingle that is clearly designed to look like the original. We show you samples on the house before you commit.

What a replacement looks like on an intown Atlanta street

A typical intown replacement takes a few days on a home of average size, longer if the roof has many planes or needs significant decking work. We start with a walk-through and a written scope, then schedule the permit and the material delivery. On tear-off day we protect the landscaping, set the dumpster, and start from the high side so debris does not slide into the gutters before we are ready. We install new underlayment and flashing, then the shingles or metal, and we clean up the same day.

Before we leave, we walk the property with you. We check the gutters and downspouts, make sure the new roof is not dripping onto the porch, and go over the warranty paperwork. We are glad to schedule a follow-up after the first big rain so you can see how the roof is holding up. If anything needs attention, we handle it.

What goes into a Mosaic replacement.

• Full tear-off down to the deck. No roofing over old shingles.
• Decking repair. Every soft or rotted sheet replaced up to the decking allowance in your written contract (more is quoted in writing first), documented with photos.
• Synthetic underlayment plus ice and water protection in valleys and around penetrations.
• New metal. Drip edge, step and counter flashing and pipe boots replaced, not reused.
• Balanced ventilation with a ridge vent and Attic Armor underneath to keep pests out.
• Warranty. A 10 to 15-year one-time transferable Mosaic workmanship warranty on shingle replacements, on top of the manufacturer's material warranty.

Frequently asked questions