A Complete Re-Roof, Done Right
An asphalt shingle roof replacement means removing your existing roof down to the wood deck and rebuilding the entire waterproofing system from the sheathing up. It is not a patch and it is not a layover. It's a fresh, warrantied roof that resets the clock on your home's most important defense against the weather.
Here in West Michigan that system has to do more than look good. Lake-effect snow load, freeze-thaw that opens every seam, ice dams at the eaves, wind and hail off the lake, and a house that never stops moving underneath it. A cheap shingle-only job leaves the flashing, underlayment, and ventilation, the parts that actually stop leaks, untouched. We rebuild all of it, and we build it knowing that asphalt, steel, wood, and rubber all expand and contract at different rates and have to move together for twenty years without opening a gap.
We've torn apart thousands of roofs that failed. That's how we know how to build one that doesn't.
What Goes Into Your New Roof
A shingle is only the visible layer. Every Stellar Roofing Company asphalt replacement is a full, code-compliant system.
Starter and Drip Edge
New metal drip edge and a factory starter course seal the eaves and rakes, the first line of defense against wind uplift. Missing or bent drip edge is one of the leading causes of rotted eaves on older West Michigan homes.
Ice and Water Shield
Self-adhering membrane at the eaves, in every valley, and around every penetration. Michigan code requires it at the eaves on new roofs. We run it far enough up the roof to get past where the ice dam actually forms, which on a low pitch or a deep overhang is well beyond the minimum. We've torn apart plenty of roofs where the shield stopped six inches short of the ice line.
Synthetic Underlayment
Full-coverage synthetic underlayment replaces old felt across the entire deck. Lighter, tougher, and far more water-resistant.
Architectural Shingles
Dimensional shingles from GAF and CertainTeed, both rated Class F under ASTM D3161 and Class H under ASTM D7158, the top wind ratings available, and Class A fire. In the colors that fit Grand Rapids, Ada, and lakeshore neighborhoods.
Flashing and Boots
New step, counter, and valley flashing plus fresh pipe boots and vent collars. Kick-out at every wall. Counter flashing cut into the masonry, never surface-mounted. Nothing reused. Flashing is where the majority of roof leaks begin, and it's the part of the job that separates a roofer from a shingle installer.
Ridge, Cap, and Ventilation
Matching hip-and-ridge cap over a balanced intake and exhaust ventilation system. The code requires it, the shingle warranty requires it, and it's what keeps the attic from cooking the shingles from below and building ice dams from above. We size it to your attic, not to a rule of thumb.
Fastening
Six nails per shingle, in the nail line, driven flush. That's what the manufacturers require for enhanced wind coverage. Tens of thousands of nails per roof, and every one of them matters. Hand-sealed when the weather won't activate the factory seal.
Why Asphalt Suits West Michigan
Homeowners ask whether they should spend more on metal. Metal is a great system and we install it. But for most West Michigan homes, a quality architectural asphalt shingle, installed as a full system, is the best balance of protection, longevity, curb appeal, and price.
- Best value for the West Michigan climate, strong protection without a premium-material price
- Architectural shingles are heavier, layered, and shed lake-effect snow load
- Class H wind rating, 150 mph under ASTM D7158, when properly sealed and nailed
- Class A fire rating and algae-resistant granules for humid, tree-shaded lots
- A huge color range that fits Grand Rapids, Holland, Rockford, and Ada home styles
- One-to-three-day installs, so the house isn't open for long
- Modern SBS-modified architectural shingles hold granules and stay pliable longer than what went on roofs twenty years ago
Rated for 20 to 30 years. In West Michigan, how close a roof gets to the top of that range depends on the ventilation, the ice and water shield, the flashing, and the fastening, which is why we build all of it and not just the shingle.
Shingle Brands We Install
We install architectural shingles from the two manufacturers we're certified by, which means we can register the enhanced warranty tiers on your roof.
GAF
Timberline HDZ architectural shingles with LayerLock. Class H wind, Class A fire. Stellar is GAF Certified Plus, which qualifies your roof for GAF's enhanced system warranties.
CertainTeed
Landmark architectural shingles, known for their heavier weight and rich, dimensional shadow lines. Stellar is a CertainTeed ShingleMaster.
Prefer a specific line or color? Bring us a sample or a photo and we match it to what performs best on your roof's pitch and exposure. We bring physical shingle samples to your free inspection so you can see them against your home.
How Your Re-Roof Happens
- Step 1
Free Roof Inspection
We measure by satellite before we arrive, then get on the roof and in the attic to confirm the layers, the deck condition, the ventilation, and whether a full replacement is actually the right call. If it's a repair, we say repair.
- Step 2
Written Proposal
An itemized price with your shingle line, color, warranty tier, and timeline. A summary at the top written for your roof, not copied from a template. No vague estimates, no surprise add-ons.
- Step 3
Complete Tear-Off
We strip the old roofing to the deck, inspect every sheet of sheathing, and replace anything rotted or delaminated before anything goes back on. If we suspect rot before we start, it's priced as an allowance up front. If we find more, we stop, show you photos, and get your approval.
- Step 4
System Installation
Underlayment, ice and water shield, flashing, ventilation, shingles, in the correct sequence, to the manufacturer's spec and to our own standard, which is stricter. Project management is checking the work as it goes.
- Step 5
Cleanup and Final Walk
Full debris haul-off, a magnetic nail sweep of the lawn and drive, then a final walkthrough, permit close-out, and warranty registration. We register the manufacturer's warranty on your behalf and hand you ours in writing.
What Does an Asphalt Re-Roof Cost?
Full roof replacements in West Michigan typically start around $500 per square (about $5.00 per square foot) and can exceed $1,000 per square (about $10 per square foot) depending on materials, roof complexity, existing layers, and what we find when the old roof comes off. A square is 100 square feet of roof. So a simple 20-square ranch and a 40-square colonial with three dormers and two chimneys are very different numbers, and neither of them is a phone estimate.
We can usually give general ranges over the phone. The accurate answer comes from the inspection. See the full breakdown on our cost page.
Why Choose Stellar Roofing Company
We started as roofers. Installers, subcontractors, tradesmen who learned this work on the roof, with our own hands, not in a sales office. For years, builders and general contractors hired us to be the crew that actually put the roof on their projects. That's still who we are. When you hire Stellar, the people who design your roof are the people who install it.
We're 100 percent West Michigan owned, here since 2012, and we know exactly what our winters and lakeshore storms demand of a roof, because we've spent twenty years taking apart the ones that lost.
When Stellar replaces your roof, you get:
- Complete tear-off to the deck. Never a layover. Two layers means the next job is a tear-off anyway, and a second layer loses up to half its life.
- Rotted sheathing replaced before shingles go on, priced up front or approved before we touch it
- Ice and water shield run to where the ice dam actually forms
- Ventilation sized to your attic, not a rule of thumb
- Six-nailed, hand-sealed when the weather calls for it, flashing rebuilt as a system
- GAF Certified Plus and CertainTeed ShingleMaster, enhanced manufacturer warranties registered on your roof, backed by our workmanship warranty
- Clean job sites and magnetic nail sweeps
Not sure a full replacement is necessary? A targeted repair may be all you need, and we'll tell you so. Ready for real numbers? Schedule your free roof inspection or call (616) 840-1927.
Asphalt Re-Roofing Across West Michigan
Grand Rapids · Holland · Ada · Kalamazoo · Rockford · Grand Haven · And Surrounding Communities
Schedule Your Free Roof InspectionAsphalt Replacement Questions
How long does an asphalt shingle roof last in West Michigan?
Architectural shingles are rated for 20 to 30 years. Most West Michigan roofs show real wear at 15 to 20, because freeze-thaw, ice dams, snow load, and summer heat are hard on them. Good attic ventilation, ice and water shield at the eaves, one layer instead of two, and regular maintenance push a roof toward the top of the range. A poorly vented or double-layered roof ages out years early. The shingle is 40 percent of the roof. The other 60 decides which end you land on.
Do you still install 3-tab shingles?
No. Not because they're gone. GAF and CertainTeed still make them. We don't install them because they're a single flat layer rated for 60 mph, and they're the shingle that comes off in the wind. Architectural shingles are heavier, layered, rated Class H at 150 mph, and carry longer warranties. For West Michigan wind and snow, that's what goes on nearly every home. Worth knowing if you have a 3-tab roof now: manufacturers are phasing them out, so matching them for a repair is getting harder every year.
Do you tear off the old roof or install over it?
We always tear off. A full tear-off down to the deck lets us inspect and replace rotted sheathing, install fresh ice and water shield and underlayment, and give you a true, warrantied roofing system. Layovers hide problems, trap heat, add weight, cut the second layer's life by up to half, and void most manufacturer warranties. And Michigan code caps it at two layers, so if you already have two, tear-off isn't a choice.
How long does an asphalt roof replacement take?
Most residential asphalt re-roofs are completed in one to three days, depending on the roof's size, pitch, and complexity, and the weather. Larger or steeper roofs and deck repairs add time. We give you a realistic timeline in your written proposal. Our gallery has a full re-frame, re-sheet, and shingle done in one day.
Why is ice and water shield important here?
West Michigan winters create ice dams, ridges of ice at the eaves that force melting snow back up under the shingles. Self-adhering ice and water shield along the eaves, in the valleys, and around penetrations seals those areas so backed-up water can't reach the deck. Michigan code requires it at the eaves on new roofs. We run it far enough up the roof to get past where the ice dam actually forms, not just to the code minimum.
Does my new roof come with a warranty?
Yes. Every asphalt replacement includes the manufacturer's material warranty on the shingles plus Stellar Roofing Company's own workmanship warranty on the installation. Because we're GAF Certified Plus and CertainTeed ShingleMaster and we install to spec with the full system of accessories, your roof qualifies for the enhanced warranty tiers, and we register it for you.
What This Page Cites
- ASTM D3161 and ASTM D7158, wind resistance classifications for asphalt shingles
- Michigan Residential Code, Section R905.2.7.1, ice barrier requirement, and Section R806.2, attic ventilation
- GAF and CertainTeed installation instructions, six-nail fastening for enhanced wind coverage