Sparx Roofing / New Construction Roofing
A new build or addition needs a roof that goes on fast and fits the framing. We work directly with your builder to keep the job moving, at one clear price.
New construction roofing is different from a reroof. There is no old roof to tear off, no family living under the deck while you work. What it does have is a tight window between the framer and the dry in. The walls are up, the trusses are set, and the roof needs to go on before the interior trades can start. That window is where we fit. We show up when the framing is ready, lay the underlayment, flash the penetrations, and get the shingles down so the electrician and drywall crew can come in behind us.
Because the deck is new, there is usually no rotten sheathing to replace. That means the price you see is the price you pay. We still measure the roof ourselves before we schedule the work. Square footage on new construction comes straight off the plans, but we confirm it on site. No guessing, no surprises. The $7 per square foot covers everything: 30 year architectural shingles, underlayment, flashing, labor, and cleanup with a magnet pass to pick up any stray nails.
We charge $7 per square foot of roof surface. That is the whole price, with material and labor included. On a new build, the roof area is measured off the actual deck once the trusses are sheeted. We do not estimate off the plans alone. Plans tell you the footprint, but the roof pitch multiplies the surface area. A 2,000 square foot house with a 6/12 pitch has a lot more roof than a 2,000 square foot house with a 4/12 pitch. We measure it and give you a number.
To give you a sense of what that looks like, a 1,000 square foot roof comes to $7,000. A 1,500 square foot roof is $10,500. At 2,000 square feet, the total is $14,000. A larger roof at 2,500 square feet runs $17,500, and a 3,000 square foot roof is $21,000. These are the numbers, plain and simple. The price includes the shingles, the underlayment, the flashing, the labor, the cleanup, and the magnet pass. If the framer used good decking and there is no damage, that is the whole job.
The only thing that can change the price is rotten or damaged decking. On a new build, that is rare. Lumber can sit on the job site in the rain before the framer gets to it. If a sheet of decking is swollen or delaminated, we point it out. We quote the replacement cost, and you approve it before we swap it out. That is the only variable, and it is not a common one on new construction.
The framer sets the trusses and sheets the deck. After that, the roof needs to go on fast. We coordinate with your framer so we are ready to start as soon as the deck is complete. The goal is to get the roof dried in before weather hits. In Central Texas, a thunderstorm can roll through with almost no warning. A sheeted deck with no underlayment will soak up water fast. We get the synthetic underlayment down first, then the ice and water shield in the valleys and around penetrations, then the shingles.
We do not need the framer off the job for us to work. We can roof one section while they finish another, as long as the deck we are walking on is fully fastened. Communication is the main thing. We talk to the builder or the homeowner directly about when the framing will be done. If the schedule shifts, we adjust. We keep enough crew available to knock out a new construction roof in a few days, depending on the size and complexity.
Once the roof is on, the building is dried in. The interior trades can start rough in. The drywall can go up. The whole job advances. A roof that sits unfinished holds up everything behind it. We understand that, and we do not let it happen.
$7 per square foot, material and labor included, on 30 year architectural shingles. Tear off, haul away, underlayment and flashing, labor and a magnet pass on the cleanup are all in that number. Rotten decking found after tear off is quoted and approved by you before it is replaced.
The materials are the same as any roof we put on, but the sequence is simpler because there is no old roof to strip. We start with a synthetic underlayment rolled out over the entire deck. Synthetic underlayment holds up better than felt during the construction phase. It does not wrinkle when it gets hot, and it does not tear under foot traffic from other trades who may need to walk the roof later.
In the valleys, around plumbing vents, and at the chimney if there is one, we lay ice and water shield. This is a self adhered membrane that seals around nails. Valleys move a lot of water, and penetrations are where leaks start. The ice and water shield is cheap insurance. After that, we flash the penetrations with metal. Pipe boots go on the plumbing vents. Step flashing goes on any sidewalls. Drip edge goes on the eaves and rakes.
Then the shingles go down. We use 30 year architectural shingles. They are thicker than three tab, with a dimensional look that holds up to the hail and wind we get in Central Texas. The shingles are nailed with ring shank nails, six per shingle on the main field and more in high wind zones. Ridge cap shingles finish the hips and ridge. The whole roof gets a magnet pass at the end to pick up nails and metal debris.
An addition is part new construction and part tie in. The new section gets a new roof, and that new roof has to tie into the existing roof. The tie in is the critical part. We cut back the existing shingles and underlayment far enough to weave the new underlayment under the old. The new shingles get laced into the old ones so the transition sheds water. If the pitch is different, we may need a cricket or a saddle to direct water away from the intersection.
The new section of roof is priced the same way: $7 per square foot for the new roof area. We measure the addition roof separately. The tie in work is part of the job. We do not charge extra for lacing shingles or flashing the intersection. It is just part of getting the roof on right. The existing roof is not part of the new construction price. If you want the old roof replaced at the same time, that is a separate conversation.
Timing on an addition is similar to a full new build. The framer puts up the walls and the roof structure. We come in behind and dry it in. The difference is that part of the house is still occupied. We keep the job site clean and make sure the existing part of the house stays watertight while we work. The magnet pass is extra important here because nails in the driveway are a problem for the homeowner coming and going.
Dry in means the building is protected from weather. The roof is on, the underlayment is down, the windows and doors may or may not be in yet, but water is not getting into the structure. In Central Texas, the dry in is a milestone. Once the roof is on, the interior can start. Insulation, drywall, paint, flooring. None of that can happen if the building is still open to the sky.
We take the dry in seriously because we know what is waiting behind us. A delay on the roof is a delay on the whole project. We do not schedule a new construction roof unless we have the crew and the materials ready to go. The shingles are ordered and delivered to the job site before we start. The underlayment and flashing are on the truck. We do not start and then leave for another job. We stay until the roof is complete and the building is dried in.
The dry in is also when the homeowner can see the roof take shape. The deck goes from bare OSB to covered in underlayment to finished shingles in a matter of days. It is one of the fastest visible changes on a new build. The house suddenly looks like a house. That matters to the homeowner, and it matters to us. We like seeing that transformation.
The deck is the layer of sheathing the framer nails to the trusses. On most new builds in Central Texas, it is OSB or plywood, usually 7/16 inch or thicker. The deck is the foundation of the roof. Shingles do not make a roof watertight on their own. The underlayment and the deck work together to shed water. If the deck is solid, the roof is solid.
On a new construction roof, we walk the deck before we lay anything down. We look for sheets that are swollen, delaminated, or not fully fastened. A sheet that rattles underfoot needs more nails. A sheet that has been rained on and is starting to swell at the edges needs to be replaced. We point these things out to the builder or the homeowner. The fix is usually quick. A few sheets swapped out, a few nails added, and the deck is ready.
Because the deck is new, we rarely find major problems. But we check every time. Skipping the deck inspection is how you get a roof that looks fine on day one and sags or leaks a year later. We do not skip it. The cost of replacing a few sheets of decking is small compared to the cost of tearing off shingles later to fix a soft spot.
Central Texas weather does not wait for a schedule. We plan new construction roofs around the forecast, but we also know the forecast changes. A week that looks clear on Monday can have a line of storms by Wednesday. We build flexibility into our schedule so we can move a new construction roof up or back by a day or two if the weather demands it.
The materials on a new construction roof are staged on the job site. The shingles are delivered on pallets. The underlayment and flashing are on site. If rain is coming, we can tarp the deck or get the underlayment down ahead of the shingles. The underlayment alone will keep the deck dry for a few days. It is not a permanent roof, but it buys time. We use synthetic underlayment because it handles exposure better than felt.
We work in Harker Heights, Copperas Cove, Belton, Temple, Salado, Nolanville, Georgetown, Round Rock, Waco, Austin, and the surrounding areas. We know the weather patterns in this part of Texas. Spring brings hail. Summer brings heat and sudden thunderstorms. Fall is usually the easiest season for new construction roofing. Winter is mild but can be wet. We roof year round and adjust our methods to the conditions.
We measure the actual roof surface on site after the deck is sheeted. The pitch of the roof multiplies the footprint area, so a 2,000 square foot house with a steep pitch has more roof surface than one with a low pitch. We walk the roof or use a measuring tool to get an exact number. That number is the square footage we use for the price.
It covers 30 year architectural shingles, underlayment, flashing, labor, and cleanup with a magnet pass. On a new build there is no old roof to tear off, so that step is not needed. The only thing not covered is replacement of any decking that is damaged or swollen, which we quote separately before replacing it.
Most new construction roofs take two to four days, depending on the size and complexity. A simple gable roof on a 1,500 square foot house can be done in two days. A larger roof with hips, valleys, and multiple penetrations takes longer. We stay on the job until the roof is complete and the building is dried in.
Yes. We roof the addition and tie it into the existing roof. We keep the job site clean and make sure the existing part of the house stays watertight. The magnet pass at the end is especially important to pick up nails from driveways and walkways. We treat the occupied side of the house with care.
We get the underlayment down as soon as the deck is ready. Synthetic underlayment will protect the deck for several days if rain comes before the shingles go on. If a storm is forecast, we can tarp exposed areas. The goal is to keep the deck dry so the interior stays dry. We plan around the weather as much as possible.
If you are framing a new house or addition in Central Texas, we can give you a firm price based on your plans and an on site measurement. Call our quote form to talk through the schedule and get on the calendar.