One of the most common practices of discount roofers is purchasing discounted shingles from secondary markets, or “gray yards.” This secondary market is comprised of old or defective shingles. These are shingles that have either been baking in the sun for an extended period of time and lost some of their integrity, or shingles that simply were rejected by the manufacturer for cosmetic or functional defects. These defective shingles are then sold to discount retailers, as-is, with no warranty.

Roofing technology has advanced significantly over the last 20 years and discount roofers know that few homeowners are current with these advancements. Discount roofers know this and often use it to their advantage by neglecting to inform you about your options, such as specialty shingles, synthetic underlayment, premium accessories, etc. Discount roofers often won’t educate you on these options because they cost more, resulting in lower profit for them. Being knowledgeable about the materials available equips you to ask the right questions and ensure you get a high quality roof.

This unfortunate reality occurs when a dishonest roofer claims premium materials will be installed but substitutes lesser materials to increase profit. Because many homeowners have a limited knowledge of materials, this is easily accomplished. Some examples of this include:

1. Installing lesser quality shingles than you are paying for
2. Substituting 3-tab shingles for starter and ridge cap shingles
3. Substituting traditional roofing felt for synthetic underlayments
4. Reusing the old, existing felt instead of replacing with new underlayment