What to Expect on Roof Installation Day in Haines City

Phase 1 — Property Protection

We lay tarps across your lawn, flower beds, bushes, and around your AC unit. We board up windows and doors that sit directly below the roofline. Old shingles and debris fall into the tarps — not your yard. Your property is protected before a single nail is pulled.

Phase 2 — Tear-Off to Bare Wood

We remove every layer of your old roof — shingles, underlayment, and in most cases the old drip edge. Everything comes off so we start on a completely clean surface. Old shingles and debris fall directly into the tarps below. Florida Building Code requires this — roofing over an existing layer is a code violation in Haines City.

Phase 3 — Deck Inspection — Soft Boards Marked Red

This is the most important step most homeowners never see. Once the old roof comes off, we walk every inch of your roof deck. Boards that feel soft or spongy — water damage, rot — get marked in red. New replacement boards go on marked in green. You see exactly what was replaced and why. Deck board replacement costs explained →

In Haines City's humidity, deck rot moves fast. A soft board ignored today becomes a $10,000 interior ceiling repair two rainy seasons from now. Replacement cost is $50–$100 per sheet of plywood — and we quote this before we start, not after the tear-off. Why cleanup quality reflects overall workmanship →

Phase 4 — Ice & Water Shield at Critical Areas

In the critical areas of your roof — every valley, every eave line, every spot where two roof planes meet — we install ice and water shield. This is a self-adhesive waterproof membrane that bonds directly to the deck. It is your last line of defense if a shingle ever gets lifted in a hurricane. What ice and water shield does in Florida roofing →

Then synthetic underlayment goes across the entire deck before a single shingle is laid — a secondary water barrier if shingles are ever damaged. What synthetic underlayment does →

Drip edge goes on the eaves first — before underlayment — and on the rakes after. That order is the code-correct sequence under the Florida Building Code. It directs water off the edge cleanly and prevents it from wicking back under the roof.

Phase 5 — Starter Strip, Shingles & Flashing

Starter strip shingles go along the eave line before the first full shingle — sealing the edge so wind cannot get under the first course. Then we work up the roof in overlapping rows. Each shingle gets nailed in the manufacturer's specified nail zone. The nail pattern directly affects your wind resistance rating. We follow the Florida Product Approval specs for every material we install.

Around chimneys, pipe boots, skylights, and every wall intersection — we install step flashing and seal it. These are the spots that fail first on any roof. We treat them like the most important part of the job — because they are. Fascia and soffit inspection during the install process →

Phase 6 — Ridge Vent, Hip Caps & Ventilation

Ridge vent goes in near the peak. This lets heat and moisture escape from your attic. In a Florida summer, your attic can hit 150 degrees without proper ventilation. That heat cooks your shingles from the inside out and cuts their lifespan significantly. Hip and ridge cap shingles lock every joining section of the roof and give the finished look — no exposed nails, clean lines.

Phase 7 — Magnetic Sweep, Final Walkthrough & Permit Inspection

Before we leave, we roll a magnet through the yard, driveway, and every area the crew worked. We collect all debris. Final walkthrough with you. We show you the completed work and hand over your warranty documents. Then we schedule the final inspection with the Haines City Building Division. You get a copy of the passed inspection paperwork before the job closes. Complete install day homeowner checklist →