Just what is a roofing "square"?

Question: What is a roofing square?

Answer: By definition a roofing square is a 100 square section of roof (a 10′ x 10′ area). Roofers use a roofing square as a measurement of how much roofing material will be needed in the installation of a new roof.

In other words, just like tiling a kitchen floor is measured in square footage and subsequently number of tiles needed to fill particular dimensions, roofing squares are used to measure the size of a roofing project, which when compared to the size of the roofing shingle, will determine how much material needs to be used.

A number of companies will come in and give a bid for your roof saying it'll be X amount of squares. Then come back after the job is finished and tell you it was more.

Here at Bill West Roofing, however, we bid by the job. This way, your proposal is as accurate as possible. And you won't get any surprises in the end based off of squares of shingles.

Missed Connections: Roofing Edition

The weather this February has been unusually warm and that may have you thinking about spring. We all have to-lists and perhaps you also have some home improvement planned.

Here's something I overheard recently.

This guy was outside in his yard doing, I don't honestly know what. Enjoying the first above freezing day in an eternity? Regardless, he took a look at his roof and noticed that some of his shingles seemed to be broken.

"There are just big gaps in my roof" he said to the guy sitting next to him.
"Have your kids been on the roof?"
"My kids? No. No, my kids don't climb on the roof and break off shingles."

There is a simple answer for this and it doesn't involve children trying to kill themselves on snow covered roofs.

This man probably has asphalt shingles. Asphalt shingles become brittle in cold weather making them more likely to break in gusty, winter winds. Kansas City has gotten some record lows and record winds this winter. Even if his shingles have never broken in this manner before, they certainly could have now.

I didn't interrupt him to tell him that. Consider this, then, the Missed Connection posting. It was a warmish day in February...and you were in a Mizzou bar.

And your asphalt shingles are broken from excessive cold and wind.

Spring can't come fast enough.

Three tips on Roofing Quotes.

Whether you are in need of a roofing repair, or need a completely new roof installation. Having a well prepared roofing quote will give you confidence you have selected the best roofing company for the job. Below are three tips that every homeowner should read before choosing a roofer.

1. Estimates are Free
2. Roof Inspection
3. Prepared Proposal

1. Estimates are Free: Legitimate roofers will offer a free estimate. If you are solicited for payment to have your roof reviewed prior to signing an agreement, then you should view this as a red flag. Preparing a free quote is part of the sales process. If you receive a quote from more than one roof, then you’ll notice that not all roof inspections are equal.

2. Roof Inspection: It is very simple–you can’t provide a roofing quote if you don’t inspect the roof. The more time that is spent inspecting your roof, the better estimate you’ll be provided with. If the person performing the quote doesn’t arrive with a ladder… red flag! A roof inspection should include taking the time to fully inspect the roof. This means climbing up on the roof and checking the attic from the inside. While the inspector is on the roof he should be taking accurate measurements to determine how much roofing surface is present on your home. He also should be assessing for damage. For example he should check skylights, attic vents, chimney caps and pans, flashing, gutters, etc. This all help ensure you are provided with an accurate, comprehensive roofing quote.

3. Prepared Proposal: We’ve found when most homeowners are referencing a roofing quote, they really mean they want a prepared roofing proposal. Your roofing proposal should be specific to your home and should incorporate the observations of the roof inspection. The roofing proposal should provide the details of the job and include estimated costs. When reviewing a proposal make sure it has the product options broken out by brand name and includes an itemized listing of services and prices.

The next time you are looking for roofing quotes, make sure to consider these three tips. Make sure the estimate is free, the inspection is thorough, and the quote / proposal are actionable and the pricing will be honored based on the specific needs of your roof.

Interesting times at Cowboy's stadium.

It would appear that not only our homes have issues with snow and ice on the roofs. Here you can see workers and firefighters trying to clear snow and ice off the roof of Cowboys Stadium.

The reason I wanted to point this out, is that they have specialists getting up on this roof to clear the issues. Falling from this height is deadly, and it can be almost no different then falling from your own personal roof.

We would like to take this time to ask everyone with leaks, snow or other problems with their roofs, to not try to climb on top of them when there's snow or ice. You are just looking for trouble. If you have needs, please call a professional so that they can come out and assess your situation. In emergency cases, we have the ability to utilize safety equipment that allows us to take care of extreme cases.

Have a happy Super Bowl Sunday!!