4427 Baldwin Road

Atlas Pinnacle Pristine Morning Harvest — 4427 Baldwin Road, Metamora

This job was a full roof replacement out on Baldwin Road in Metamora, a rural property set well back from the road with a long private driveway. The existing roof was a single layer of 3-tab shingles pushing 30 years old. That's about as long as you can reasonably expect a 3-tab to last, and this one had run its course. The homeowner reached out after receiving one of our mailers, and once we got out there for the inspection, it was clear a full replacement was the right call. No patching a roof that's at the end of its life.

The roof measures just under 55 squares, which is a substantial footprint. The pitch is almost entirely 4/12, with a tiny 1/12 section mixed in, so this is a low-slope residential roof. Nothing extreme, but low-pitch roofs are unforgiving when it comes to water management, so the layered moisture barrier system matters here. We tore off the existing shingles down to the deck, which gave us a clean look at the underlying structure. Three sheets of 7/16-inch OSB needed to come out and get replaced. We documented everything with photos before proceeding, as we always do on any decking replacement.

With the deck solid, we started building the system from the bottom up. Drip edge went on first around the full perimeter, 30 pieces total. Then came the ice and water shield, six feet out from every eave, plus coverage at the valleys, around the chimneys, and at every penetration. Above that, we ran Summit 60 synthetic underlayment from the eaves to the ridge, fastened with plastic cap nails. This roof has two brick chimneys, and both got full chimney flashing replacements using kerf-cut counter flashing tied into the masonry. That's the right way to do chimney flashing on a brick structure. Two pipe boots were replaced as well, each with a pipe boot cover over the top. The kitchen exhaust vent was also replaced as part of this scope.

For the shingles, the homeowner went with Atlas Pinnacle Pristine in Morning Harvest. We installed 114 bundles, which works out to 38 squares of field shingles. Pro-Cut starter shingles went down along the eaves and rakes before the first course, and Pro-Cut hip and ridge shingles finished off the hips and peaks. Ridge ventilation runs the full length of the ridge, 125 linear feet of OmniRidge Pro hand-nailed into place. That exhaust vent, balanced with the soffit intake, keeps air moving through the attic year-round. Stagnant attic air is hard on shingles from the inside out, so getting the ventilation right is part of making the new roof last.

Metamora is a quiet township out in Lapeer County, northeast of the Metro Detroit area, and properties out here tend to sit on larger parcels with mature trees nearby. That rural setting means debris accumulation and moss can be concerns over time, but the Pinnacle Pristine line holds up well in those conditions. The Morning Harvest color blends naturally with the wooded surroundings without looking out of place. Total project cost came in at $3,573. For a nearly 55-square roof with two chimney flashings, decking replacement, a new exhaust vent, and a full ventilation overhaul, that's a solid value.

Roofing Army handles a fair amount of work in Lapeer County, and this Baldwin Road project is a good example of what a straightforward but thorough replacement looks like when it's done right. No shortcuts on the moisture barrier, no skipping the ventilation, and every penetration addressed properly. The homeowner now has a roof that should carry them well into the 2050s if it's maintained.