1931 Ryan Andrew Court

Atlas Pinnacle Pristine Black Shadow — 1931 Ryan Andrew Court, Leonard

This job was a full roof replacement on Ryan Andrew Court in Leonard, Michigan, just off Hummer Lake Road in the Oakland County area northeast of Metro Detroit. The roof came in at 3,413 squares — a substantial house with multiple pitch sections ranging from a low 3/12 up through steep 10/12-plus runs. The existing shingles had significant aggregate loss across the surface along with some minor tears, which are classic signs of a roof that's simply aged out. No dramatic event, just time doing what time does.

We started with a complete tear-off down to the deck. Once the old material was stripped, we plugged the 14 existing can vents using Smart Plugs and filled those openings in the deck before moving forward. The can vent system was being retired entirely in favor of a continuous ridge vent setup, which works in combination with the soffit intake to move air properly through the attic. While we were up there, we found that insulation had migrated over and was blocking the soffit vents, so we installed 30 attic rafter baffles to clear that channel and keep airflow moving from the eaves up to the ridge. Two bathroom exhaust fans were also venting directly into the attic space, which is a moisture problem waiting to get worse. We corrected that by installing two dedicated bathroom exhaust vents through the roof with insulated ductwork so that air goes outside where it belongs.

With the deck clean and the ventilation sorted, we laid the water protection layers. Fourteen rolls of ice and water shield went down at the eaves, through the valleys, around wall transitions, and at any penetrations. Above that, 2 rolls of synthetic underlayment ran from the ice and water shield up to the ridge, fastened with plastic cap nails per manufacturer specs. At the eaves and rake edges, we installed Pro-Cut starter shingles to lock down the first course and keep the edge tight. Drip edge went on at 52 pieces total, upgraded to a 1.5-inch profile with white fascia to match the existing trim. The chimney got a full flashing replacement, step flashing was installed at all wall intersections using 2 bundles of black/brown step flashing, and we put in 8 pieces of wall flashing at the transitions. Two new pipe boots went in at the roof penetrations, each covered with a pipe boot cover for added protection against critter intrusion and long-term seal integrity.

Then came the shingles. We installed 120 bundles of Atlas Pinnacle Pristine in Black Shadow, which works out to 40 squares of field shingles. The ridge and hips got 6 bundles of Pro-Cut hip and ridge shingles nailed at the correct pattern to match the manufacturer's installation requirements. Atlas Pinnacle Pristine is a solid architectural shingle, and Black Shadow is a versatile color that reads well on a house this size without fighting the exterior.

David had done his homework before signing with Roofing Army. He'd pulled multiple quotes, asked detailed questions about materials and practices, and was right to push back on companies that oversell differentiation on standard items. He also pointed out that another contractor came in $10,000 higher. That kind of gap is worth asking questions about, and David did exactly that. At the end of the day, the materials and methods between reputable contractors are largely the same. What differs is how a company handles the details, shows up on time, and stands behind the work when something comes up later.

Leonard is a small community, but the homes out here tend to be larger and well-kept, and this one was no exception. If you're in the Leonard area or anywhere in northern Oakland County and your roof is showing the same kind of aggregate loss and surface wear, it's worth getting eyes on it before it becomes a leak problem. A roof this size with this scope of work is a significant investment, and getting the ventilation and moisture management right from the start is what makes it last.