Your Roof Replacement Contractor
In Harford County MD

Click Here to Call 410-983-6502 ​​ 

We have been helping people with roof replacements in Bel Air and Harford County MD for years.  We do Baltimore County as well.

It may be that your roof is old and possibly leaking and needs to be replace or it isn't quite that bad but you want a new look for your house. 

You might decide to switch from an asphalt shingle roof to a cedar shake roof or a slate roof. Tile roof is also an option, but unless your house has a design that makes sense for it, most people wouldn't choose that option.

If you do decide to switch to a slate or a tile roof, they are much heavier than asphalt shingle, so it is important to make sure the house is designed to handle the extra weight. Usually it is not a problem but it is a consideration.

We do free quotes and besides using a ladder, we use a drone to inspect your roof and to take pictures for you so you can see issues and also the finished job.

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Roof Replacement Options

Over three quarters of roofs use asphalt shingles. There are options within asphalt shingles as well as other types of roofing. We are happy to work with you and explain the differences in life and cost.

If you have an asphalt roof, the first question is whether you have one or two layers. If you only have one layer, the new shingles can be put right on top of the old ones unless they are in really bad shape. If this has already been done and you have two layers, by code, both layers need to be ripped off before a new layer is put on. This adds a bit to the expense.

Asphalt Shingles 
​Asphalt shingles are the least expensive option. Besides different colors, they come in different qualities or grades with differing lengths of warranty.
come in a variety of colors and grades. Designer shingles are also asphalt shingles but two layers of shingles are bonded together. This allows for a three dimensional effect and can give a surprising range of looks and shapes.

Dimensional Shingle - Architectural Shingle - Laminate Shingles
All names for the same thing. These cost a bit more and give a different look. A regular asphalt shingle (3-tab shingle) roof is very uniform and repetitive in appearance. The architectural shingles are made of 2 layers of roofing material which are bonded together. They are cut in a way so there is more variety, almost like cedar shake, and have more texture or dimensionality to the roof appearance.

Designer Shingles
Roof manufacturers have taken the dimensional shingle concept and tried to go even higher end and provide even more options. They use many different names, mostly as branding. Besides designer shingles, the names include: Hi-Definition or HD Shingles, Premium Shingles, Ultra-Premium Shingles, and Owens Corning uses TruDefinition.

Metal Roof & Standing Seam Roofing
The best known type of metal roofing is the standing seam roof. It is gaining in popularity because of its sleek modern look and how weather-tight it is. However, they are now making metal shingles and tiles as well. There are different options in terms of color and look.

Although usually more expensive, it can turn into the lowest cost over its lifetime because of its long life and lower maintenance costs.

Flat Roofing
There are some single family residences that have a flat roof, but it is more common on row houses in a city or on commercial buildings. Layers of asphalt roofing material used to be used but usually rubber roofing is used today. It has the advantage that when it is laid down, the seams are bonded (basically chemically melted) together making leaking less of a problem. 

Cedar Shake
Although more expensive, they are long lasting and provide a really nice look to the house. A less expensive option are synthetic shakes that are hard to tell apart from cedar shakes. The synthetic shakes also have the advantage of needing less maintenance than the cedar shakes.

When Should I Replace My Roof?

That depends on the type of roof. Slate roofs can last up to 150 years, but just like asphalt shingle roofs, slate comes in different qualities which last different lengths of time. Asphalt shingle will last 10 to 20 years but some newer products claim to last 50 years. For wood shingles or shakes, they will last 30 years if they are taken care of. Metal roofing can range from 40 to 80 years. Different factors can affect the longevity. As an example, if you have a lot of overhanging trees, you can have higher moisture and even moss and lichen growing on the roof and the chance that branches will scrape the roof and damage it.

We can do an inspection and tell you if it makes more sense to repair or replace your roof. The older the roof, the more likely the best decision is to replace, but not always. So contact your roofer in Harford County to be sure.

How to Tell if You Need Roof Replacement in Harford County MD

Age of the roof is one indication. Leaks are also an obvious sign. But that could just mean you need a roof repair. Water damage can dramatically raise the cost of repair or roof replacement which is a good reason to get an inspection every few years.
Asphalt shingle roofs

• Curling or broken shingles
• Gutters filling with granules from the shingles
• Bald spots where granules are missing

Slate roofs -  having more and more tiles cracking and falling down. This happens normally on occasion.
Cedar shake roofs - losing a lot of shakes, splitting, curling and other damage to numerous shakes, and problems with leads are all signs you need to do a cedar shake roof replacement.

If you would like a free quote, simply fill out the form above or give Bel Air Gutter & Siding a call at  
                        410-983-6502

We are confident you will like the quality of our work and our roof replacement prices. So if you need a roofing replacement contractor please contact us.