Metal Roof Installation in Madison, WI

Most repair calls on a Madison roof come down to flashing, not shingles. Step flashing along a chimney or sidewall works loose, the rubber on a pipe boot splits, and water tracks under the deck from there. We lift the surrounding courses, fit new galvanized or aluminum flashing, and set proper counterflashing rather than a bead of caulk. On metal roofs we check fastener heads and replace worn gaskets. A small repair done right stops the leak.

An inspection starts in the attic, where stains on the sheathing show where water has already been. Up top we check flashing, valleys, fasteners, ridge caps and how the decking feels underfoot. The median Madison home was built in 1979, so we look for a second shingle layer and soft plywood that would need replacing before any metal goes on. You get a plain report of what is sound and what is not.

Replacement means tearing off to the deck, not layering over what is there. We strip the old shingles, replace rotted or delaminated sheathing, and run self-adhered underlayment at the eaves and valleys with synthetic underlayment over the rest. For metal, that is standing seam panels in painted steel with a Kynar finish, or exposed fastener panels where the design calls for it. The City of Madison is the permitting authority for this work, and we pull the permit.

Installing a metal roof starts with a flat, dry deck and a straight starting line. Panels go on square to the eave, clipped or screwed at the manufacturer's spacing, with hemmed panel ends and a closed ridge to keep water and wind out. Trim, gable flashing and pipe boots are cut and formed on site to fit the roof, not the other way around. Install metal roofing this way and it outlasts the asphalt roof it replaced, in Middleton or anywhere else we work.

We start on the roof, not in the driveway. That means walking every plane, checking flashing at chimneys and sidewalls, probing the decking for soft spots, and looking inside the attic for water staining and daylight. Metal roofing installation only performs as well as what sits under it. On a house built around 1979, which is the median here in Madison, the original deck often has a story to tell, and we want to read it before we quote anything.

Our estimate lists exactly what we found and exactly what we propose. Panel profile and gauge, fastener type, underlayment, flashing metal, trim details, and any deck repair we can already see. If a decision depends on what we uncover during tear-off, we say so in writing. You should be able to hand this document to another roofing contractor and have them understand the job. Vague estimates create arguments later. Specific ones prevent them.

Tear-off comes down to the bare deck on nearly every job. We strip shingles, felt, old flashing, and any rusted vents or pipe boots. The one exception is a single sound layer of asphalt where an over-frame system makes sense, and we decide that during inspection, not on the day. Debris goes straight into a lined trailer or dumpster set on plywood to protect your driveway. Gutters get a check and a clearing.

Once the deck is exposed, we sound it out board by board. Rotted plywood or delaminated sheathing gets cut back to solid framing and replaced with matching thickness, usually 7/16 OSB or 1/2 inch CDX. Loose boards get refastened to the rafters. Where an older roof still has spaced plank decking, we may add a plywood layer so the panel clips have something solid to bite. This is where structural problems get fixed, not covered up.

Metal sheds water fast, so the layer beneath it has to handle what blows under a panel or backs up at a valley. We roll out a high-temperature synthetic underlayment across the entire deck, lapped and capped according to the manufacturer's spec, with self-adhered membrane at eaves, valleys, and every penetration. Drip edge and starter trim go on before the field. Skipping this step is the most common shortcut on cheap metal jobs.

Panels go on next, and this is where the trade shows. Standing seam in 24 or 26 gauge steel, concealed clips, and factory Kynar finishes are our standard when we install metal roofing on a residential property. Exposed-fastener panels are used where they fit the building and budget. Each panel is squared to the eave, clipped at the layout spacing, and seamed or crimped so it can expand without buckling. Flashing is bent on site for every chimney, skylight, and wall.

Before the ladders come down, we walk the roof one more time. We check seam engagement, fastener torque, sealant at end laps and around pipe boots, and the fit of ridge caps and closures. Then we go inside and look up from the attic again with the lights off. Any gap in the roofing system shows itself here. Everything gets photographed and reviewed with you so you can see what you paid for.

Cleanup is part of the job, not a favor. We run a rolling magnet across the lawn, driveway, and flower beds to pull nails and clips, then do it a second time in a different direction. Scrap metal is sorted for recycling. Gutters are flushed of tear-off grit. The dumpster leaves the same day it is full. If we moved a grill or a patio chair to get a ladder in, it goes back where it started.