01
Exposure and alignment
Consistent exposure across every course is what makes a shingle roof read crisp from the street. It is entirely a workmanship question.
Asphalt Shingle Roofing
Asphalt shingles, specified for this coast.
Architectural asphalt shingle roofing for Chesapeake and Hampton Roads, rated for coastal wind and ventilated so it reaches the life it was sold with.
How we approach it
The most common roof, done properly
Architectural shingles are what most Hampton Roads homes want and should have. The difference between a good one and a poor one is almost never the shingle itself.
02
Choose the weight and the color
Architectural shingles vary in weight, wind rating and depth of shadow. Color is chosen against the siding and trim, not from a sample chip alone.
03
Edges before field
Starter strip, drip edge, ice-and-water at the eaves and valleys. The field of the roof is straightforward. The edges are where the work is.
04
Ridge, valley, and flashing
Closed-cut valleys, proper step flashing at every wall, and ridge caps set last. These three details separate a twenty-year roof from a twelve-year one.
What we install
The workhorse roof, done properly
Most houses here want a shingle roof. What separates a good one from a poor one is almost never the shingle.
Architectural, not three-tab
Dimensional shingles built up in layers, so the roof carries shadow and texture rather than reading flat. Heavier, longer-lived, and far better in wind than the flat shingles they replaced.
Wind rating, specified
Coastal exposure is why wind rating belongs in the conversation here. It is one of the few specifications genuinely worth comparing between quotes rather than assuming.
Ventilation decides the life
A roof that cannot breathe cooks its own decking from below and ages years faster than the warranty implies. Intake and ridge ventilation are designed, not added at the end.
The layers under the shingle
Underlayment, drip edge, valley treatment, and flashing at every wall and penetration. A modest share of the cost and very nearly the whole story of whether the roof performs.
Weighing it up
Shingle or metal
Shingle costs less now. Metal lasts longer. Neither is the right answer in the abstract, and what a new roof costs sets out the decisions that actually move the number. If the roof is leaking rather than failing, start with roof repair.
Good to know
Asphalt shingles, answered
What are architectural shingles?
Dimensional asphalt shingles built up in layers, so they carry shadow and texture rather than reading flat. They are heavier, last longer, and hold up better in wind than the three-tab shingles they replaced.
What wind rating do I need in Hampton Roads?
Higher than an inland house. Coastal exposure is the reason wind rating belongs in the conversation here, and it is one of the specifications worth comparing between quotes rather than assuming.
How long should an asphalt roof last?
The honest answer is that installation and ventilation decide this more than the shingle warranty does. A well-ventilated roof reaches its expected life. One that traps heat underneath ages years faster, whatever the packaging said.
Why do two shingle quotes differ so much?
Usually on the parts that are not the shingle: underlayment, drip edge, valley treatment, flashing, and ventilation. Those are a modest share of cost and very nearly the whole story of performance. We wrote about this in what a new roof costs.
Shingle or metal?
It comes down to how long you plan to live under it and what the architecture wants. Both are honest roofs. See metal roofing for the comparison.
Chesapeake Showroom
Visit us in person.
See the materials, meet the team, and talk through your project at our Chesapeake showroom, serving Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, and the wider Hampton Roads region.
Hours
- Mon – Fri
- 9 AM – 6 PM
- Saturday
- 10 AM – 5 PM
- Sunday
- By Appointment
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