King's Roofing Company replaces worn and storm-damaged roofs on houses, townhouses and additions across Northern Virginia, Washington DC and Maryland. Each job begins with a written scope that spells out what comes off, what goes on, and what happens if the deck underneath turns out to be bad.
The written scope
Two replacement proposals can look alike and describe very different jobs. A useful scope names each layer of the roof so you can compare line by line. This is the list a King's Roofing Company proposal works through.
The scope should also say what is left out, such as gutters or interior ceiling work.
Replace or repair
Age alone does not decide it. Condition, how many places are involved and what the roof is made of matter more.
| What you see | Points toward | Why |
|---|---|---|
| One cracked vent boot or a short run of lifted flashing | Repair | Water is entering at one detail, and the shingles around it still lie flat and hold their granules. |
| A handful of wind-lifted tabs after a storm | Repair | The damage is local. A repair can restore the lap if the neighboring shingles are still flexible. |
| Leaks in several unrelated rooms | Replacement | Separate entry points suggest the whole surface is failing, not one detail. |
| Shingles that curl, crack when touched or show bare patches | Replacement | The covering has lost the material that sheds water and sun, and patching cannot restore it. |
| A soft or sagging deck seen from the attic | Replacement, with deck work | Wet decking has to be opened up and renewed, which a repair rarely covers. |
| Repairs stacking up on the same slope | Replacement | Each patch adds cost without ending the pattern, so compare the total against a new surface. |
| A roof that is two decades old and still tight | Inspect first | Some coverings last that long in good shape. A look at the condition tells you more than the date. |
The roof repair page covers leaks and flashing in depth. If a storm is the reason you are asking, see roofing and insurance.
The process
Five steps, each leaving something you can ask to see in writing.
A free 15-minute call about the roof's age, the covering, any leaks and your association, so the visit is spent on the right questions.
Someone looks over the roof surface, the flashing and the attic where it can be reached, and notes anything that cannot be judged from outside.
The layers listed above, the product chosen, what is excluded, and how hidden deck damage is priced and approved before work continues.
The old roof comes off, the deck is checked, and the new system goes on in order, protected at the end of each work period.
A look at the finished roof together, a description of what changed, and a cleanup of the grounds.
How long the job takes depends on roof size, the number of slopes, the covering and the weather, so a date is set after the scope, not before it.
Permits and associations
The County's Land Development Services page on when a permit is required lists replacing roof shingles as work that does not need a residential building permit. It also lists replacing less than 256 square feet (nine boards) of roof plywood as exempt, unless fire rating is required, such as on townhomes. The same page lists roof repairs and chimney repairs as permit work. Land Development Services answers questions at 703-222-0801.
Virginia's building code exempts replacing any amount of roof covering on one- and two-family homes and townhouses, provided the area is not one where the nominal design wind speed is above 100 mph. It also exempts replacing 256 square feet or less of roof decking, again with a fire-rating exception. A locality may still require a permit inside a designated historic district.
A Fairfax mailing address does not tell you which office applies, because the parcel decides. The City of Fairfax is an independent city with its own Code Administration office, reached at 703-385-7830. Homes in the surrounding unincorporated county go through the County. In the City of Falls Church, the City's permit pages say a single-family owner can replace a roof without a permit as long as rafters or a major portion of the decking are not being replaced. The Town of Vienna has its own Windover Heights Historic District, so check with the Town before changing a visible roofing material there.
Rules and exemptions change, and a building official has the final word on your scope. Confirm with the office that covers your parcel before work begins.
Associations are a separate layer. Many townhouse and neighborhood communities set rules for shingle color and product that apply even where no permit is needed, so ask for the architectural review form early. Our guide to choosing a shingle color helps with that decision.
Materials
The covering sets the look, the weight on the framing and the maintenance that follows. The materials guide compares them side by side.
The common choice on Northern Virginia colonials, split levels and townhouses. They come in many colors and install quickly, which is why most homes here carry them. Details are in the materials guide.
Compare materials
Standing-seam panels and composite shake suit homes where appearance and long wear weigh more than the lowest first cost. See the composite shake page for that option.
Composite shakePorch roofs, additions and rowhouse roofs with little pitch use membranes rather than shingles, because shingles need slope to shed water. Our flat roof page explains TPO, EPDM and modified bitumen.
Flat roofs
New roof installation
A new roof installation on a new structure differs from a re-roof in several ways. There is no old covering to strip, so the work starts on fresh sheathing. That sheathing and the framing are normally built by others and inspected under the building permit for the addition, so the roof is usually reviewed with the rest of the structure rather than as a separate job.
The detail that needs the most care is where new meets old. Tie-in flashing at the wall of the existing house is a common source of leaks, and an addition often has a much lower pitch than the main roof, which changes the covering that suits it.
King's Roofing Company can scope the roofing portion of an addition once the plans or the finished frame are available. Bring the drawings to the phone call, along with any association approvals already granted.
Comparing proposals
Roof area and pitch, the number of valleys and dormers, how many layers are on now, the covering chosen, deck repairs, access for equipment and every chimney, skylight and vent that needs flashing.
Ask each contractor for the same items: product names, the ice barrier and underlayment, flashing replaced or reused, ventilation, deck repair terms and cleanup. A lower figure with fewer lines is a different job. Our dated cost guide for Fairfax explains how those parts add up.
Reviews
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FAQ
Fairfax County lists replacing roof shingles as work that does not need a residential building permit, while roof repairs and chimney repairs do need one. Rules differ for the City of Fairfax and other towns, and for historic districts, so confirm with the building office for your parcel.
It depends on the size and shape of the roof, the covering, deck repairs and the weather. The schedule is set once the scope is written, and a larger or more complex roof simply takes more working days than a simple one.
There is no single figure that fits, because roof size, layers, deck repairs and the chosen covering all change it. The written scope sets the number for your house. Our Fairfax cost guide cites its sources and its date.
Not automatically. Look at the condition: granule loss, curling, cracking, leaks in more than one place and the state of the flashing. A roof of that age with a tight surface may have time left, and one that already leaks may not.
Yes, with two extra checks. The association may need to approve the color and product, and fire-rated plywood on a townhouse wall can change the deck repair rules. Raise both on the phone call.
You describe the roof, its age, any leaks and your association, and we explain how a replacement scope is built and what the roof visit involves. There is no pressure to book anything. See the consultation page to choose a time.
The approximate age of the roof, the current covering, where water has shown up, a few photos from the ground, the name of your association if you have one, and any approvals you already hold. Do not climb onto the roof to take pictures.
Talk through the next step
Call or book a free 15-minute phone consultation. Have the roof age, the covering, a few ground-level photos and your association name ready, and we will talk through what the job involves.
9220 Topaz St, Fairfax, VA 22031
Mon to Fri 7 AM to 8:30 PM, Sat 7 AM to 8 PM, closed Sunday