Shingle roofs
built to last
Architectural shingle is still the right answer on most Flathead Valley homes, when it's the right shingle, torn off to the deck, and detailed for our winters. We're a Malarkey Certified Pro and an Owens Corning Preferred contractor.
Licensed & insured
Montana contractor, fully covered
Written warranty
Workmanship guaranteed in writing
Five-star reviews
From neighbours across the valley
Clean job sites
Magnet-swept before we leave
Most of it is what you can't see
Two shingle roofs can carry the same brand on the wrapper and behave completely differently after ten Montana winters. The shingle matters. What goes under it, and how the eaves and valleys are detailed, matters more.
Architectural, not 3-tab
Architectural laminate shingles are thicker, carry a higher wind rating, and last substantially longer than 3-tab. The saving on 3-tab is real but small once the labour is in the number, and you spend it again sooner.
If someone offers you 3-tab on a house as a money-saver, ask what the wind rating is and how long they expect it to last up here.
Malarkey or Owens Corning
We're certified with both, which means we have no reason to push you either direction. They're genuinely different products.
Malarkey uses polymer-modified asphalt, rubberised in plain terms. That flexibility is worth real money in a climate that freeze-thaws all winter and gets hail, because a shingle that stays pliable in the cold resists cracking and impact better than a conventional one.
Owens Corning has a deep colour range, wide availability, and a strong warranty programme. If matching an existing roof section or a neighbourhood palette is part of the job, that range is often the deciding factor.
We wrote this up in more detail: Malarkey against Owens Corning for a Montana roof.
Ice and water shield at the eaves
This is the detail that separates a roof that lasts from one that leaks at the ceiling line in March. Meltwater backs up behind ice at the cold edge of the roof and finds its way under the shingles. Shingles shed water running downhill. They don't stop water pushing uphill.
Self-adhered membrane at the eaves, in the valleys, and around penetrations is what stops it. We don't treat that as an upgrade line item.
Why we won't roof over your old shingles
A layover, meaning new shingles nailed straight over the old ones, is cheaper and faster. We don't do it. You can't inspect the decking you're covering, so rot stays hidden. The new shingles telegraph the old texture. Fasteners have to reach through two layers to bite. Ventilation and flashing can't be done properly. And the manufacturer's warranty usually won't apply.
Every roof we do is a full tear-off to the deck. If someone quotes you meaningfully less, ask which one they're planning.
Ventilation decides how long it lasts
A shingle roof needs to breathe. Without balanced intake at the soffit and exhaust at the ridge, the attic runs hot and damp: shingles age from underneath, sheathing takes on moisture, and ice dams get worse every winter.
Our inspection measures what you've actually got against what the roof area needs. Sometimes the honest finding is that your ventilation, not your shingles, is the reason the last roof didn't make it.
Shingle or metal
Metal runs roughly two to two and a half times the cost on the same house. Shingle is usually the better call when:
- The roofline is complex, with lots of valleys, dormers, and penetrations where metal labour climbs fast
- You're likely to sell within a few years and won't recover the premium
- A neighbourhood or HOA palette constrains the look
- The budget is the budget, and a good architectural shingle now beats waiting
Want to see both? Look at the metal roofing page and we'll quote them side by side off one inspection.
Storm and hail damage
If this is about wind or hail rather than age, start with our storm damage page instead. Insurance work runs on a different track, and documenting it properly at the inspection is what gets a claim paid.
Where we work
Whitefish, Kalispell, Columbia Falls, Bigfork, Lakeside, Marion, Kila, Polson, Eureka, Rexford, and out to Missoula. We're on Central Ave in Whitefish, local enough that we're the ones who come back if something needs a second look.
What will shingle cost on your house?
Three questions and you'll see a real range, based on what we actually charge for shingle re-roofs in the Flathead Valley. Your on-site inspection sharpens it to a fixed, written price.
Which roof system?
How big is the house?
How many stories?
We call within one business day to set a time that works.
Full roof-to-gutter inspection, with photos of what we find.
A written, fixed quote. Options explained, no pressure.
What moves the final number
Three questions can't see your roof. These are the things we look at on site that push a quote toward one end of the range or past it.
- Pitch
- A steep roof is slower and needs more fall protection. It's the single biggest labour variable.
- Layers
- Two or three existing layers means more tear-off, more dumpster, more time.
- Decking
- We don't know what's under the old roof until it's off. Rotten sheathing gets replaced.
- Complexity
- Valleys, dormers, chimneys, and skylights all need flashing and hand work.
- Ventilation
- If intake or exhaust is short, correcting it is part of doing the roof properly.
- Access
- Tight lots, steep driveways, and long carries add hours.
Your ballpark range
Typical asphalt shingle roof in the Flathead Valley for a home this size. Pitch, layers to tear off, and any decking repair move the final number.