Roof replacement in Alpharetta

Is it actually done?

Before anyone sells you a roof, walk the driveway and look for these. Two or more means it is probably time; one means get an inspection first, and you may be told to wait.

• Bare black patches on the south or west slope where the granules have gone
• Shingle edges lifting or cupping, which is what a thunderstorm gust grabs
• A gutter full of granules that looks like coarse sand
• Algae streaks that return within a year of a soft wash
• Repairs in two different places in the last two years
• A deck that gives underfoot, especially below a valley

The post on signs an Alpharetta roof is near the end shows each of these in photos.

Why 30-year shingles last 20 here

A 30-year architectural shingle in Windward, Glen Abbey or Medlock Bridge typically goes 18 to 24 years. The attic under a dark 10/12 roof gets extremely hot in August, and most 1990s houses vent it with two gable louvers. Add humidity on the north slope and storms that flex the seal strips all summer. The shingles are not defective; the climate is harder than the label assumed.

What a full replacement includes

An Alpharetta roof replacement done to last should list every item below, in writing, in the quote.

Tear-off to bare deck. Not a second layer. A roof-over hides rot, adds weight to a steep truss roof, and can void the shingle warranty.

Every sheet of decking walked. Soft or delaminated OSB is replaced at $90–$150 per sheet, usually quoted as an allowance. Ask for a photo of each sheet replaced.

Synthetic underlayment over the whole deck. Felt wrinkles in Georgia humidity and rips in the first gust before the shingles are on.

Ice-and-water membrane in every valley, at every penetration and along the eaves. What the code requires at the eaves depends on where you live — check with the City of Alpharetta (or your city or county) building department, and ask the roofer who pulls the permit. Either way, wind-driven rain gets under the first course the same way ice does up north.

Class H architectural or designer shingles with algae-resistant granules, six nails each, starter strip at eaves and rakes.

All new metal. Drip edge, pipe boots, step flashing, counter-flashing cut into chimney mortar, and kick-out flashing at every stucco wall. Reusing 20-year-old flashing is how a new roof leaks in year one.

Ridge vent and cleared soffits. Roof ventilation: Alpharetta attics built in the 1990s often have too little of it, it is the cheapest thing to fix while the ridge is open, and it is much of the reason the last roof cooked.

A replacement, day by day

Before. Roof and attic walked, measured, one-page itemized price. If the color or profile is changing, the roofer usually prepares the HOA submittal — ask, and wait for approval before anything is ordered.

Day one. Material on the driveway early. Tear-off usually starts on the slope facing the afternoon weather so it is dried in first; in July good crews watch the radar rather than race a storm with an open deck.

Day two. Remaining slopes, all flashing, ridge vent, ridge cap. Most Alpharetta two-stories with 35–45 squares are done in two days; a 60-square Milton house takes three. The post on roof replacement day covers what to expect at home.

After. A walk-around, the magnet sweep, and both warranties in writing — get the manufacturer warranty registered, and get the workmanship term in years, in writing, from the roofer who installs it.

Getting the house ready

A little prep keeps the two days calm. Move cars out of the garage and off the driveway the night before; the dumpster and the shingle delivery need the space. Take pictures off the walls on the top floor, since hammering on a steep roof shakes the framing. Cover anything stored in the attic with a drop cloth, because a tear-off rains dust and old granules through the gaps. Tell the neighbors, and tell the HOA management office if your community asks for notice. If you have a pool, ask how the crew will keep debris out of it.

Questions to ask before you sign

• Which shingle line, which color, and what wind rating?
• How many sheets of decking are in the price, and what does each extra sheet cost?
• Is every pipe boot, step flashing and drip edge new, or is any of it reused?
• Who pulls the permit, if one is needed, and who prepares the HOA submittal?
• What happens if a storm rolls in with part of the deck open?
• What are the manufacturer and workmanship terms, in years, and who registers the warranty?

If any answer is vague, ask again in writing. A good roofer is happy to put it on the page.

Choosing the shingle

North Fulton buys a lot of premium shingle, and the money is usually well spent on a house with the architecture to carry it. A new roof in Alpharetta usually comes down to one of three tiers.

• Standard architectural (GAF Timberline HDZ, Owens Corning Duration, CertainTeed Landmark) is the right answer on most Alpharetta homes and on any roof you are replacing to sell.
• Heavyweight architectural (Timberline UHDZ, Duration Designer, Landmark Pro) adds $50–$120 per square for a thicker mat, deeper shadow line and longer wind and algae warranties.
• Luxury profiles (CertainTeed Grand Manor and Presidential, GAF Camelot and Grand Sequoia, Owens Corning Berkshire) mimic slate or shake at $150–$300 more per square, plus extra labor on a steep roof. Worth it in Milton and the golf communities if you are staying ten years and the covenants permit the profile.

If you are staying longer than that, standing seam is two to three times the price and the last roof the house will need. See metal roofing.

The number

Roof replacement Alpharetta, GA homeowners are quoted for architectural shingle usually runs $450–$800 per square. On the ground that means about $10,000–$15,500 for a 2,000 sq ft ranch in Downtown, $16,000–$32,000 for the standard 3,000 sq ft two-story, and $30,000–$55,000 for a 60–70 square estate roof in Milton or Country Club of the South. A shingle roof in Alpharetta, GA with a simple gable lands low; a cut-up hip roof lands high. The cost page has the tables by house size, and the 2026 cost post explains what pushes a quote up or down.

Roof financing Alpharetta homeowners are offered is usually a manufacturer-backed plan at 12 to 60 months. On a $25,000 roof a home equity line is often cheaper. Ask for both and compare. The post on roof financing options walks through the trade-offs, and a roof installation in Alpharetta, GA should be quoted the same way whichever you choose.