Roofing questions, answered in plain English

Most asphalt shingle replacements on Knoxville-area homes of about 2,000 square feet land around $15,000 to $30,000. Where yours falls depends on the size and pitch of the roof, how many layers have to come off, how much rotted decking we find, and which shingle line you pick. A steep, cut-up roof with a second layer underneath costs more than a simple ranch roof. Your free inspection gets you a written price, line by line, so you can see exactly where the money goes.

Because they often aren't pricing the same roof. One quote might include full tear-off, ice-and-water membrane in every valley, and replaced pipe boots and flashing, while another reuses flashing and skips the membrane. Some leave rotted decking off the price and bill it later. Ask every roofer for a line-by-line price and compare line to line. If a quote is a single number on a card, ask what's in it before you compare it to anything.

Not through a lender yet. When we add one, its name and terms will be listed here. Until then, read our roof financing basics guide before you sign with any lender: it covers APR, promo periods, dealer fees, and what to ask before a credit check. If the damage came from a covered storm, your insurance may cover most of the cost and you'd pay your deductible.

Only for one thing we can't see until the old roof is off: rotted decking. That's why your written price lists a cost per sheet of decking up front. If we find bad wood, we photograph it, show you, and replace only what's soft. Everything else on the price is fixed. If anything else ever came up, we'd stop and talk to you before doing it.

Up front, usually yes. Metal can cost noticeably more to install than architectural shingles, and standing seam costs more than exposed-fastener panels. What you get back is a longer life and less upkeep on a roof that sheds rain fast, which matters on steep cabin roofs and for owners who plan to stay a long time. We price both at the same inspection so you can compare them on paper.

Yes. There's no charge and nothing to sign. We fly your roof, take close-up photos of every slope, and go through them with you. The photos are yours whether you hire us or not. If your roof is in good shape, we'll tell you that and leave.

Not for the flight, as long as we can get to the yard and you've told us it's OK to fly. We'd like you there for the walk-through afterward, though, because it's much easier to show you a cracked boot on a tablet than to describe it over the phone. If you can't be there, we'll send the photos and call you to go through them.

A drone gets close enough to photograph hail hits on slopes you can't see from the ground: dark spots where granules got knocked off, and dents in metal vents and flashing. Our software flags spots worth a closer look, and a person checks every one. Some hits still need to be confirmed by hand, so we use a ladder when the photos aren't conclusive.

Sometimes. A camera can't feel soft decking, test whether shingles have lost their seal, or trace a leak that starts in one place and drips in another. When the photos leave a question open, we tell you why and check it in person. For repairs and replacements, of course, the crew is on the roof.

Please do. Text a photo of the problem (the stain on the ceiling, the shingles in your yard, the spot you can see from the street) to (865) 830-8126 with your address. We'll text back what it looks like and whether someone needs to come out. It's the fastest way to find out if a problem is small.

It lets you look at your own roof from above before we come out, so you can point to the area you're worried about when you call. Satellite photos can be a few years old and aren't sharp enough to show damage, so they don't replace an inspection. Your address goes to Google to draw the map; we don't receive it unless you send us the form.

We'd get a free inspection first. It tells you whether there's damage worth a claim before anything goes on your record. If there is, you file the claim with your insurer (it's your claim) and we'll document the damage, write the scope, and meet the adjuster on the roof with you. If there isn't, you've lost nothing but an hour.

It depends on your policy and on what caused the damage. Insurance generally covers sudden damage, such as hail or wind. It usually leaves out wear and age. Your insurer makes that call. What we can do is give your adjuster clear, dated photos of every damaged area and a written scope, so the decision is made on good evidence.

You do. Your deductible is your share of the claim, and we never waive it, cover it, or rebate it. If a roofer offers to "take care of your deductible," that's a reason to walk away, because it puts your claim at risk. Some policies carry a separate deductible for wind or hail; check your declarations page so the number isn't a surprise.

We work with whatever company insures your home. We document the damage, write a scope your insurer can read, and meet the adjuster on the roof. We don't negotiate your claim for you; in Tennessee that's the job of a public adjuster who holds a state license. The claim and the decisions stay yours, and we explain each piece of paperwork as it arrives.

Ask your insurer to put the reasons in writing. Then compare them to the photos. If something was missed, we can re-inspect, take more photos of the specific areas, and help you understand what a re-inspection request should include. Sometimes the denial holds up, and a repair is the right next step.

Yes. Under Tennessee law, if you sign a roofing contract that depends on an insurance claim and your insurer tells you in writing that the damage isn't covered, you can cancel by midnight of the third business day after you get that notice (T.C.A. § 62-6-602 and § 62-6-603). Any payment, other than for emergency repairs already done, comes back to you within 10 business days. Our advice: never waive your deductible, and walk away from any roofer who offers to cover it.

For a typical house, we're on site one to three days, depending on size, pitch, how much decking needs replacing, and the weather. Before we start, you get the schedule in writing. If rain moves it, we call you. Anything we open, we close or tarp before we leave for the night.

We stop, photograph it, and show you before replacing it. Rotted decking won't hold nails, and shingles over soft wood fail early. Your written price already lists the cost per sheet, so you know the number before we find anything. We replace only the boards that are actually soft.

We tear it off. Going over an old roof hides rotted decking, adds weight, and can shorten the life of the shingles on top. Inside Knoxville city limits, an overlay only avoids the permit if the first layer is intact, and you still give up the chance to see the deck. Tear-off costs a little more and tells you exactly what's under there.

We tarp the beds and anything near the house, carry debris straight to the dumpster, and run a magnet sweep over the yard and driveway when we finish. Before we leave, we walk the property with you. If you find a nail later, call us and we'll come back for it.

Yes. Inside Knoxville city limits a re-roof needs a city building permit and an inspection after tear-off. Farragut, Maryville, Oak Ridge and the counties set their own rules. In Farragut, for example, the town says a plain re-roof usually doesn't need a permit. We check the rule for your address, and when a permit is needed, we pull it and you'll see the permit card on the job.

Mostly architectural (dimensional) asphalt shingles, in the color you pick, with matching ridge caps. In humid East Tennessee we steer people toward a line with algae resistance, which keeps the black streaks off longer. We'll show you samples and the manufacturer warranty for each line at the estimate. If you want metal, we price that too.

Usually, yes. Most roof leaks start at a handful of spots: cracked pipe boots, flashing at a wall or chimney, a few wind-lifted shingles, or a skylight. Each of those can usually be fixed on its own. If a repair will stop the leak, the repair is what we quote. We photograph the fix and tell you plainly when a roof has reached the point where patching is throwing money away.

Put a bucket under the drip and move anything valuable. If the ceiling is bulging, poke a small hole in the lowest point so the water drains into the bucket instead of bringing the drywall down. Take photos. Don't go on the roof in the rain. Then call or text us at (865) 830-8126 and we'll get it covered as soon as it's safe to go up.

In a lot of Knoxville-area subdivisions, yes. Many covenants set rules on shingle color and sometimes material, and the HOA wants an approval form before work starts. We give you the manufacturer, line and color name, and a sample photo, for the form. We order material after you have approval in writing, so nobody has to tear off a roof the HOA rejects.

That's almost always algae. Knoxville averages about 52 inches of rain a year and stays humid all summer, and algae grows on the shady, north-facing slopes. It's mostly cosmetic and doesn't usually mean the roof is failing. Pressure washing can strip granules and shorten the roof's life, so don't. When you replace, an algae-resistant shingle keeps it away longer.

Yes. We work with cabin owners and rental managers in Sevierville and across Sevier County. We plan around your bookings, send you photos so you don't have to drive in, and quote steep metal and shingle roofs side by side. If you manage several properties, we can inspect them on one trip.

It happens a lot, because colors get discontinued and old shingles fade. For a repair, we bring the closest match we can find and show you a photo before we nail it down. After a storm claim, ask your insurer in writing how your policy treats a roof that won't match. Our shingle matching guide goes through your options.

If big trees hang over your roof, usually yes, because leaves and pine needles clog gutters every fall and send water over the edge and toward your foundation. If your roof is open to the sky, guards often aren't worth the money. We'll tell you which you are at the inspection, and price the gutters with and without them.

The Crestone Roofing name started in Colorado in 2018, founded by Luke Jones and Eddie Ramey. Here, the company is run by Ryan Dix, who lives in Knoxville. The Knoxville company buys its own materials, writes its own estimates, and answers its own phone. When you call, you get someone here.

Ryan Dix, the owner. He writes every estimate, so the person who looked at your roof is the person who priced it. He's the one you call with questions during the job, and he walks the finished roof with you. You'll meet the crew lead on the first day.

Not right now. We work on homes, rental cabins, and HOA and condo roofs. If you own a store, office or warehouse, you're better served by a roofer who does commercial work every day, and we're happy to tell you who we'd call.

Knoxville and the towns around it: Farragut, Hardin Valley, Karns, Powell, Oak Ridge, Maryville, Lenoir City, Sevierville and Seymour. That covers parts of Knox, Blount, Loudon, Anderson and Sevier counties. If you're just outside that list, text us your address and we'll tell you honestly whether we can get to you.