Roof Replacement for North Shore and Greater Boston Homes

KMK Roofing takes the old roof off down to the wood deck. Then the whole assembly underneath gets rebuilt: underlayment, flashing, the ice barrier, and the ventilation path. That is all handled as one job with one written scope.

This is different from putting a second layer of shingles over the old ones. A second layer can look fine for a while, but it hides the deck the whole time. If the wood underneath is soft or rotted, nobody finds out until it shows up as a sag or a leak. Massachusetts limits how many old layers of roofing can stay in place, and a roof that is soaked or badly worn should not be used as a base for a new layer no matter what the layer count allows.

For most homes in this area, architectural asphalt shingles are the standard covering. A flat section, like a porch roof, usually needs a different material.

Tear-off and deck repair

Once the old shingles come off, the crew can finally see the deck. That is when soft plywood, rotted sheathing, or old fastener damage gets found and replaced, board by board, instead of guessed at from a ladder. This is also why a second layer over old shingles is the wrong move on an older roof. Any deck problem underneath just stays hidden and keeps getting worse. If a roof only needs patching rather than a full tear-off, roof repairs may be enough.

The ice barrier Massachusetts requires

Massachusetts building code requires an ice barrier under the shingles along the eaves. This is usually a self-adhering membrane, often called ice and water shield. The code sets how far up the roof that barrier has to extend, and steeper roofs need it to reach even further. Getting that distance right matters here, since our freeze-thaw winters are exactly what causes ice dams at the eaves. The written scope for your job should say where the membrane goes, not just that it is included.

Ventilation gets checked, not automatically replaced

A roof replacement is also a chance to check how the attic breathes. Code calls for a balanced path of intake and exhaust air between outside and the underside of the roof deck. A replacement is the moment to confirm that is actually working, not just present. That does not mean every job needs new ridge and soffit vents. If the current setup already moves enough air, the smart move is to leave it alone. If ventilation is a bigger concern for your home, attic ventilation covers that in more depth.

What the written scope should settle before tear-off

Before any shingle comes off, the contract should spell out what is included and what could change once the crew is on the roof. That means:

• Full tear-off, and how old layers and debris get removed
• Underlayment type
• Where the ice barrier goes
• New or reused flashing
• The ventilation plan
• The shingle product
• Cleanup, including a magnetic sweep for nails

Massachusetts also requires home improvement contracts over a small dollar amount to be in writing, so a verbal quote is not something to build a project on.

What actually changes the price on a job like this is the roof’s size and pitch, how many old layers come off, how much deck repair the tear-off uncovers, the condition of the flashing, and how much material needs to be hauled away. Two roofs the same size can end up costing differently once one needs new plywood and the other does not. That is why an estimate is a starting point, not a locked-in number, until the tear-off shows what is actually underneath. Get the scope in writing, get the unknowns named ahead of time, and reach out with any questions before the work starts.