A Central Phoenix Roof Replacement, Start to Finish: The Weldon Project
The homeowners of this white brick house near downtown Phoenix called us because their roof was worn out. The old shingles were curling, losing granules, and past the point of another patch. What we found once we got up there turned a straightforward re-roof into a full rebuild, and it is a good example of why a real roof replacement is about more than the shingles you see from the street.
Here is the whole project, start to finish.
The Home and the Starting Point
This is a classic central Phoenix home, white painted brick, single story, the kind built to last but old enough that the roof had seen decades of Arizona sun. From the street the old roof looked tired. Up close it was done.
Those were old 3-tab shingles, the thin, flat style. In Phoenix, the sun bakes the asphalt out of a roof like this. The shingles go brittle, they curl, and they shed the granules that protect them from more UV. Once that starts, the roof ages faster and faster. This one had reached the end.
What We Found Under the Old Shingles
A re-roof always starts with a tear-off. We stripped the old shingles and underlayment down to the deck to see what we were working with. That is when the job changed.
No Solid Decking, Just Old Skip-Sheathing
There was no plywood under this roof. Instead we found skip-sheathing, spaced wood boards with gaps between them. Decades ago that was normal under wood shake or tile, which are fastened over battens and let the roof breathe. It is the wrong surface for modern asphalt shingles, and here is why that matters.
Shingles need a solid, continuous surface so every nail bites into wood. Over spaced boards, any nail that lands on a gap has nothing to hold. In a monsoon microburst, those shingles are the first to lift. On top of that, laying shingles over gaps makes the surface dip and wave, and it voids the shingle warranty. You cannot put a quality shingle over 70-year-old spaced boards and expect it to perform.
Rotten Fascia All the Way Around
The fascia, the board that runs along the roof edge where the gutters mount, was rotten around the entire house. People assume fascia does not rot in the desert, but it does. Monsoon runoff, old failed edge metal, and cracked paint let water in, and once the wood stays wet in the shade of the overhang, it goes soft.
Soft fascia will not hold new edge metal or gutters, so there was no saving it. It all had to come off.
Rebuilding the Roof the Right Way
With the problems clear, we rebuilt the roof from the deck up. This is where a real roof replacement earns its keep.
New Plywood Decking
First we installed a new solid plywood deck over the whole roof, fastened down to the rafters. Now the roof had the continuous, flat, nailable surface that architectural shingles are actually designed to sit on. Every nail from here up would hold in solid wood.
New Fascia, Painted Black
We replaced all the rotten fascia with new wood and set new drip edge to carry runoff off the roof edge and into the gutter instead of behind it. Later the new fascia got painted black to match the finished look.
GAF Timberline HDZ Shingles in Charcoal
Over new underlayment, we installed GAF Timberline HDZ architectural shingles in the color Charcoal. These are laminated, dimensional shingles, thicker and tougher than the old 3-tab, with more asphalt and granule to stand up to Phoenix heat. On a solid deck, nailed in the manufacturer’s nailing zone, they earn their high wind rating instead of it being a number on a box.
We want to be straight about the color. Charcoal is a near-black shingle, and we picked it for how sharp it looks against white brick and because darker blends wear and hide staining well. It is a looks-and-durability choice, not a cool roof. A dark shingle runs hot. If reflectance is your top priority, that is a different product, and we are happy to walk you through it. On this home, the homeowners wanted the clean charcoal-on-white look, and it turned out great.
The Finished Roof
New deck, new fascia, new shingles, and a clean finished line all the way around.
The charcoal roof and black fascia against the white brick give the whole house a fresh, modern look. More importantly, it is a roof that is built right underneath, on a solid deck, with materials made for the Arizona sun.
If your roof is showing its age, or a roofer told you it needs new decking or fascia and you want a straight second opinion, we would be glad to take a look. We are a licensed Phoenix roofing contractor (AZ ROC 306411, CR-42), and we do full roof replacement across the Valley. You can see more of our finished roofs in the gallery or request a free estimate and we will come out and tell you honestly what your roof needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a full roof replacement cost in central Phoenix?
There is no flat price, because no two roofs are the same. The cost comes down to the size of the roof measured in squares, the pitch and how many stories it is, whether the decking or fascia needs to be replaced, and the shingle you choose. On this home, the new decking and full fascia replacement added to the job. The only honest way to price a roof is to measure it in person, which is why our estimates are free.
How long does a re-roof like this take?
A single-story home like this one usually takes a few days. Re-decking the whole roof and replacing all the fascia added time compared to a simple shingle swap. We give you a realistic timeline with your estimate so you know what to expect.
Do I need new decking if my old roof was over skip-sheathing?
Yes. Skip-sheathing is spaced wood boards with gaps, which was normal decades ago under wood shake or tile. Modern asphalt shingles need a solid, continuous surface so every nail holds. Installing new shingles straight over spaced boards leaves nails with nothing to bite into and voids the shingle warranty. A new solid deck is what the shingle is engineered to sit on.
Why was the fascia rotten, and does it always need replacing?
Even in a dry climate, fascia rots when water gets behind it, usually from monsoon runoff, failed old edge metal, or cracked paint letting moisture in. Once it is soft, it will not hold new edge metal or gutters, so it has to be replaced. Not every roof needs new fascia, but this one needed all of it.
Are architectural shingles better than old 3-tab shingles for Phoenix heat?
For most homes, yes. Architectural shingles like GAF Timberline HDZ are thicker and laminated, with more asphalt and granule coverage than the old flat 3-tab shingles. That extra mass holds up better against the UV and heat cycling that wear roofs out fast in Phoenix, and they carry a higher wind rating when installed on a solid deck.