You Ask, We Answer: Common Roof Questions

As Central Oregon’s family-owned roofing company, we’ve been asked a lot of questions over thirty-plus years. These are the ones we hear most, answered the way we answer them at the kitchen table.

About us

How long have you been doing this? Cary Greenlee started tacking shingles on the side in the 1970s and founded the company in 1993. Nicholas Greenlee owns and runs it today. That’s a lot of roofs.

Do you actually get on the roof, or work from satellite photos? We get on the roof. Occasionally one is too steep or icy to walk safely, but our inspectors walk every roof they can, because that’s where the answers are. On replacements we also pull a satellite measurement to double-check the hand measurements, at no charge to you.

Are your inspectors salespeople? No. They’re experienced roofers. You won’t get a pitch; you’ll get the facts about your roof, and if it has years left you’ll hear that.

Where do you work? Bend, Redmond, Sisters, Sunriver, La Pine, Prineville, Madras, Powell Butte and Camp Sherman.

About your roof

How much life is left on my roof? That’s usually the first question, and it’s exactly what the free inspection answers. In our experience a shingle roof here lasts about 18 to 20 years; today’s shingles should do better. What we look for: granules coming off in patches, exposed asphalt, shiny spots where the mat shows, curling, missing shingles. If you don’t need a new roof yet, we tell you that, plain and simple, and put it in writing.

Do I need to be home? No, as long as we have your OK to get on the roof. We’d rather meet you, though: it’s easier to show you what we see than describe it.

Do you go in the attic? When the roof tells us to. Soft spots, ventilation trouble, or a house that bakes in summer send us inside. Otherwise the answers are on the roof.

About the work

What happens after I sign? One email introduces the three people you’ll deal with: scheduling, billing, and your production lead. Scheduling keeps you posted until the week of. Your production lead calls about a week ahead with what day one and day two look like. It’s going to be loud.

What are the steps? Tear-off, dry-in, install, cleanup, final inspection. Tear-off and dry-in usually happen the same day when weather allows, because the roof is most vulnerable in between. Then a small crew installs the roof, we sweep the yard with magnets, and production leadership walks the finished roof before we call it done.

Why small crews? Small crews help us keep attention on the details throughout the project. Production leadership checks the finished roof before we call it complete.

What if you find rot? We stop, dry the roof in, and call you with what we found and what the extra sheets cost. We don’t roof over rot.

Do you work in winter? Year-round, with the weather setting the limits. Here’s how winter jobs work.

About money and paperwork

Do you have a minimum repair charge? No. Some companies set one. We don’t.

What does a replacement cost? It depends on the roof, which is why we don’t post prices. A free inspection gets you a line-item proposal, usually the next business day. Here’s what moves the number.

What’s the warranty? Ten years on our workmanship, and it transfers to the next owner with the original contract and paid-in-full invoice.

Can I finance it? Yes, through Service Finance, with our team walking you through the application. Roofing only; solar is separate.

What colors can I pick? Almost anything. Owens Corning is where we usually start, with CertainTeed and GAF available, and Taylor Metal for standing seam. If your heart is set on a color, we’ll make it happen. Look at a real sample in the sun before you decide; screens lie. See materials and colors.

Still have a question? Call. A person answers. Or request a free inspection and ask us on the roof.