Services

We work with Malarkey and Certainteed shingles most often. In Montana, the style is almost always “Architectural”, and there are many colors to choose from.

Pros: Asphalt shingles are the most common roofing material, and you guessed it, the least expensive. You can expect the life of an asphalt roof to last up to 50 years, depending on ventilation and workmanship.

Cons: Asphalt shingles have their limitations. A shingled roof is designed to work when water flows over and off of it. In situations where water gets backed-up, leaks will likely develop. This can happen when ice dams form and where there are pinch points in the framing. Also for this reason, asphalt shingles should not be installed on roof pitches less than 2:12.

The Craft:

1. Underlayment can be more important than the shingles themselves, especially in vulnerable spots.
2. A layout plan makes sure our rows look parallel, straight, and the same size all the way up, despite any wonky framing. No skinny rows allowed.
3. Perfect flashing is the strongest line of defense against leaks on an asphalt roof.
4. We handle our shingles with care. Asphalt shingles become brittle in the winter, and turn mushy in the summer. A delicate touch and a section sequence plan ensures your shingles are not compromised.
5. Adequate ventilation is a must. Without it, asphalt shingles overheat and degrade quickly, and condensation gets trapped in attic spaces and causes rot and mold.

Metal panels come in all shapes and sizes: corrugated, single or double lock standing seam, mechanical or snap lock standing seam, screw-down panels, different gauges, and all sorts of colors. We work with several local suppliers that manufacture panels and custom trim.

Pros: A metal roof can last forever. If installed correctly, a double seamed mechanically locked metal roof is as good as it gets, and can be effective down to a ¼:12 pitch. They are less penetrable to leaks caused by pooling water, such as from ice dams, and are tough.

Cons: A metal roof can be very expensive. As the gauge of metal goes up, so does price. Add in extra for mechanically locked double seams. Then there are the snowbreaks, a vital component over any trafficked area. The tally can get daunting, and depending on your roof construction, some of these line items are not optional.

The Craft: Each step, from planning to install, makes our metal roofs a work of art that stand the test of time:

1. A careful layout plan for panels and trim. Each piece is ordered to fit, and has a home.
2. The right tools for the job, from hand seamers and welting irons, to a power seamer and a snap table.
3. No pinch points for water to stall out and pool up.
4. Crisp, clean details. Our guys do origami with metal. High and tight, every time.
5. Perfect flashing will always save the day

Flat roofing can be done with several types of materials, but we prefer to work TPO, or thermoplastic polyolefin. We use products made by GAF and Carlisle, carried by R&S Supply in Bozeman and Northwest Drywall and Roofing in Belgrade. Unlike other flat roofing materials, TPO can be heat welded together. This means that seams and details, which are the most vulnerable places on your roof, are not reliant on glue. Heat welding results in a stronger and more complete bond, and allows us to keep working all winter long becuase the bond is not temperature dependent.

Pros: Flat roofing membrane can be installed on roofs with a pitch as low as 1/8” per foot. We are essentially preparing for your roof to be a swimming pool. Done well, a flat membrane is the strongest line of defense against standing water.

Cons: In Montana, snow can really pile up on a flat roof, so your roof framing has to be beefy enough to handle it. If there is so much as a pin prick in the membrane, the roof will leak. And leaks are hard to track down, because once water gets through, it can travel long distances before becoming noticeable.

The Craft:

1. We use TPO coated metal for our flashing details, which means we can weld the roof membrane directly to the flashing and create a continuous waterproof surface.
2. Flat is a misnomer. A slight pitch is critical, and we are meticulouse about maintaining at least 1/8” per foot of slope to direct water off of your roof.
3. Drains must be placed and sized correctly to prevent water from backing up and giving it a chance to find a pin prick hole, or exceeding your roof’s designed weight loads. Experience and close attention to detail ensures water will not wick around your scuppers and drip behind your siding.

Siding protects your building from the elements, critters, and bumps and scrapes. It is also a major architectural feature and has has as much variety as you can dream up. Wood, composite, metal, masonry. Vertical, horizontal, and everything in between. Lapped, or rainscreen. Each of these have different profiles, finishes, and colors to choose from. The only thing we don’t do is masonry.

Pros and Cons: Oh, the choices! Our little pop-up window could never do the topic justic. Instead, we encourage you to talk with your Architect, go for a walk around your neighborhood, and give us a call.

The Craft:

1. We always start with a layout plan. Our job is to convince your eye that everything is parallel and straight in all the right places. And we are prepaired for windows, doors, drier vents, and utility meters long before we get to them.
2. Details. When it comes to cutting, folding, griding, and riveting metal, our guys are artists.
3. We take a step back and walk up to your building as you would, a passer by, or one of your customers. We wonder about the view out your office winow and what might catch your eye.

Roofing and siding tie into the whole building system, so when we show up for a fix, our goal is to diagnose and address the underlying cause. Our crew is trained to pay close attention to and have a working knowledge of venting, framing, vapor barriers, and insulation. Here are some common symptoms and why they happen:

Leaks: Water getting into your building from the outside.

• Incorrect or missing flashing
• Incorrect or missing dry-in
• Clogged or undersized scuppers or overflow drains
• Pipe jacks are worn out or have been installed incorrectly
• Ice dams

Condensation and mold: Water vapor that is unable to escape the building efficiently. Commonly mistaken for a leak.

• Poor insulation. Warm air from inside your building hits a cold surface and condenses
• Poor ventilation. Vents are not sized correctly, or something is blocking the flow of air, such as framing or insulation

Ice dams: Water that freezes on the eves of your roof, blocking the flow of water off of your roof, and causing it to pool.

• Poor insulation. Heat from inside your building causes the snow on the roof to melt, but as soon as the water gets past the exterior wall, it freezes again.
• Incorrectly installed heat tape. Heat tape does not necessarly prevent ice dams from forming, but is designed to create channels through the snow and ice for water to escape.

Degraded shingles: This could look like sluffing granules, and curling or buckling shingles.

• Poor ventilation. Without adequate ventilation, shingles can overheat, especially cedar products, and degrade quickly.
• Shingles intalled too tight together have no room to expand when they warm-up.

Blown off shingles: Oh no, that’s embarassing!

• Sloppy nailing pattern. Each different type of shingle has its own nailing pattern, detailing where and how many nails to use.
• Nail blowouts. Compressors and nail guns must be adjusted correctly. Asphalt shingles become brittle and must be handled with care in the winter.

Chipping or bubbling paint: This could mean the siding is taking on water, causing it to expand and contract, and wear out the paint.

• Siding installed too close to the roof deck or the ground
• Incorrect or missing roof flashing
• Incorrect or missing flashing around windows and doors
• Clogged gutters

We do cedar too…