Asphalt shingles in Franconia.

Most Franconia houses went up after the area turned suburban in the 1950s, and plenty of them still sit under asphalt. The original roofs were mostly flat 3-tab shingles, and many have already been replaced once. Today's laminated architectural shingles are thicker, hold up better in wind, and give a rambler or split-level a dimensional look that the old flat tabs never had. On a typical Franconia home they're the most cost-effective way to get 25 to 30 years of protection.

A replacement with us starts with tearing off down to the decking so we can see what's under there. On older ramblers we often find original boards that need spot replacement. Then we install new underlayment, drip edge, flashing and ventilation to manufacturer spec, which is what lets us register GAF and CertainTeed warranties as a certified installer. You get a written itemized quote before we start and a 5-year workmanship warranty when we finish.

An asphalt re-roof in Franconia needs no building permit from Fairfax County, so there's no permit wait between signing and tear-off. In Manchester Lakes, the homeowners association has a say in exterior changes, so we bring shingle samples and spec sheets you can submit for approval before a single bundle is delivered. The exception is re-decking. If a job replaces more than 256 square feet of roof decking, Fairfax County requires a permit, and we pull it for you.

Asphalt roofs here take most of their wear from summer storms. Wind lifts tabs on exposed slopes, hail bruises the granule layer, and branches drop onto the roof in a hard blow. We set every shingle with the nailing pattern the manufacturer calls for, and if your current roof has storm damage we document it so insurance can pay for what it covers.