Shingle Roofing & Metal Roofing in Colony North, Austin, TX

Why did this Colony North home need a new roof?

The roof had taken a beating from a Central Texas hailstorm, and this was an insurance claim. Many homes in this part of Austin date to the 1980s and 90s, so their original roofs are well past their prime.

Here's what pushed the project forward:

• Filed as insurance work after storm damage
• Aging comp shingles that had lost granules and weather protection
• A screened porch roof that needed a stronger material than shingles
• A homeowner who found us through an internet search in June 2023

What did we find when we inspected the home?

Once we were up on the roof, the hail bruising was clear across the field of shingles. That kind of damage cracks the mat and speeds up granule loss, which then exposes the asphalt to Austin's brutal UV. We also looked closely at the screened porch, where the old covering had worn thin and no longer shed water the way it should. The gutters were solid, so we planned to detach and reset them rather than replace. That inspection shaped the whole scope, from the tear-off plan to the choice of metal over the porch.

What materials did we use, and why?

We installed GAF Timberline HDZ SG shingles as the main system. These architectural shingles have a wide nailing zone that speeds up install and holds firm in high wind.

The full assembly included:

• GAF ProStart starter strip along the eaves (120 feet)
• GAF Timbertex hip and ridge caps (20 feet)
• GAF FeltBuster synthetic underlayment (10 squares)
• GAF StormGuard ice and water shield (2 squares) in the vulnerable spots
• GAF Cobra Rigid Vent 3 ridge exhaust (4 feet) for attic airflow
• ACM galvanized steel drip edge, 2"x2" (10 feet)

Synthetic underlayment matters here. Old felt paper can tear and trap heat, and in a 100-degree Austin attic that shortens a roof's life. FeltBuster stays stable and adds a second line of defense under the shingles.

Why R-panel metal on the screened porch?

The porch called for something tougher than asphalt, so we went with R-panel metal roofing. Exposed-fastener R-panel is one of the most practical metal profiles for a porch or patio structure. It sheds water fast, shrugs off hail that would dent or crack shingles, and needs almost no upkeep. Metal also handles the cedar pollen and pooling debris that Austin springs throw at low-slope roofs. Pairing metal over the porch with shingles over the main house gave this home the right material in the right place.

How did the installation go?

This was a multi-day job that we wrapped on August 28, 2023. We tore off the old comp shingles, hauled everything away, and rebuilt the system from the deck up.

Key steps on site:

• Full tear-off with haul-off and dispose
• 7,200 roofing coil nails (1 1/4") to fasten the new shingles
• 2,000 plastic cap nails (1") to secure the synthetic underlayment
• Detach and reset of the existing gutters after the roof went on
• R-panel install over the screened porch as a separate scope