What a Full Tear-Off Includes

A full tear-off means we remove every layer of existing roofing material down to the wood deck. Nothing stays. We pull off shingles, underlayment, starter strips, and old flashing. We expose the full deck before any new material goes on.

This matters because problems hide under old roofing. Rot, soft spots, and failed decking boards cannot be seen or fixed through an overlay. A tear-off finds those problems before your new roof goes on top of them.

Thomas Roofing performs full tear-offs on every replacement we do unless a structural reason exists to do otherwise. We do not take shortcuts that come back to bite you two years later.

Deck Inspection and Repair

Once the old roofing is off, we walk the entire deck. Every board gets checked. This step protects you from installing a new roof over a deck that will fail before the shingles wear out.

We price deck repair separately from the roof replacement and tell you the cost before we start. You will not see a surprise line item on your final invoice. If we find rot during the tear-off, we call you first.

Tear-Off vs. Overlay: The Real Difference

An overlay puts new shingles over old ones. Florida code permits this in limited situations. We almost never recommend it. Here is why.

• Overlays trap heat. Two layers of shingles run hotter than one. Heat kills shingles faster in Florida.
• Overlays hide deck problems. You cannot inspect what you cannot see.
• Overlays add weight. Old homes with marginal roof framing may not meet load requirements with two shingle layers.
• Overlays limit your warranty. Most manufacturer system warranties require a full tear-off. An overlay voids Owens Corning system coverage.
• Overlays cost more the next time. The next contractor will charge to remove both layers. You pay twice for the same work.

A tear-off costs a little more today. It costs far less over the life of the roof.

Marion County Permit Requirements

Marion County requires a permit for any roof replacement. We pull that permit before we start work. Every time. No exceptions.

Some contractors skip permits to move faster or avoid inspection. That creates real problems for homeowners. A non-permitted roof can:

• Void your homeowner's insurance coverage for roof-related claims
• Create issues during a home sale or refinance inspection
• Require a costly tear-off and reinstall to correct after the fact

We handle the permit paperwork. You do not have to do anything. We schedule around the inspection timeline so your project moves at a normal pace.

Day-of Process and Cleanup

Here is what a full tear-off and re-roof day looks like with Thomas Roofing.

• We arrive early and stage a dumpster or debris zone at the start of the driveway.
• We protect landscaping and any HVAC equipment near the home before stripping starts.
• The old roof comes off in sections. Debris goes directly into the dumpster.
• We inspect and repair the deck. New underlayment goes on the same day.
• We install the new roofing system from the eaves up. Ridge cap goes on last.
• We run a rolling magnet across the lawn and driveway after we wrap up.
• We leave the site cleaner than we found it. This is not optional for us.

PACE financing is available if you need it. No payments for the first year. Monthly options start at 00.