Roof Installation & Replacement in Birmingham, Alabama

The Shingles Are the Cheapest Part of Your Roof

Homeowners shop roofs by shingle brand and warranty length. Almost every roof that fails early, though, fails somewhere else - at a flashing detail, a rotted section of decking that got covered instead of replaced, an underlayment that was skipped in a valley, or a ventilation system that was never balanced. ALR Construction installs roofs as a building assembly, not as a covering, because that assembly is what actually keeps water out of your house.

We install and replace roofs on homes and commercial buildings across the Birmingham metro, and because we are a general contractor, we can also handle the framing, fascia, soffit, and interior repairs that a roof replacement so often uncovers.

What Birmingham Roofs Are Up Against

Central Alabama sits in a genuinely demanding climate for roofing. Severe spring storm season brings hail and straight-line winds. Summer heat drives attic temperatures high enough to age shingles from underneath if ventilation is inadequate. Heavy rainfall tests every valley, penetration, and flashing detail. And our tree cover means constant debris load and shaded, damp sections where algae streaking takes hold.

Practically, that means three things matter more here than the shingle warranty: wind rating and correct nailing pattern, a properly balanced intake-and-exhaust ventilation system, and flashing details executed correctly the first time.

Our Roofing Services

Full Roof Replacement

Complete tear-off down to the decking, inspection and replacement of any damaged sheathing, and a full new assembly: ice and water shield at eaves and valleys, synthetic underlayment across the field, new drip edge, new flashing, ridge and starter courses, and the finish roofing. We tear off rather than overlay. A second layer over an existing roof traps heat, hides decking problems, adds dead load, and shortens the life of everything above it.

New Construction and Addition Roofing

Roofing for ground-up builds and for tying a new roofline into an existing one. Connecting an addition to an existing roof is one of the most leak-prone details in residential construction, and it is where having the same company do the framing and the roofing genuinely matters. See our new construction and home addition services.

Decking, Framing, and Structural Repair

Once a roof is torn off, problems become visible: delaminated or rotted sheathing, sagging rafters, failed valley framing, damaged fascia and soffit, and water damage in the sheathing around chimneys and vents. Our crews repair all of it in-house rather than calling in another trade and stalling your project with an open roof.

Flashing, Chimneys, and Penetrations

Step flashing at walls, counter-flashing and crickets at chimneys, pipe boots, skylight curbs, and valley details. This is where the large majority of roof leaks originate, and it is the part of a roofing quote most worth scrutinizing. Sealant is not flashing, and a bead of caulk where a metal detail belongs will fail.

Attic Ventilation

A roof needs balanced intake at the soffit and exhaust at the ridge. Most underperforming roofs we inspect have exhaust without adequate intake, or a mix of ridge vents and box vents that short-circuit each other. Getting this right lowers attic temperature, extends shingle life, reduces cooling load, and prevents the moisture problems that show up as mildew in the attic.

Gutters and Drainage

Gutters, downspouts, and drip edge, sized and pitched for our rainfall and routed far enough from the foundation to matter. On a sloped lot - common throughout Vestavia Hills, Homewood, and the lake communities - roof drainage and site drainage have to be planned together.

Commercial and Low-Slope Roofing

Low-slope and flat roofing systems for commercial buildings, and roofing as part of a larger commercial build-out. Low-slope assemblies are a different discipline from steep-slope shingle work, and they fail quickly if detailed as though they were the same.

Roofing Material Options

• Architectural asphalt shingles: The default for most Birmingham homes. Good wind ratings, a wide range of profiles, and the best cost-per-year value available. Typically 25 to 30 years in our climate when installed and ventilated correctly.
• Impact-resistant shingles: Class 4 rated products worth serious consideration given Alabama's hail exposure. Many insurers offer a premium discount that offsets a meaningful share of the upcharge - ask your carrier before you decide.
• Standing seam metal: Long service life, excellent shedding and wind performance, and a clean modern look. Higher upfront cost, and the detailing has to be right. Popular on our lake and custom home projects.
• Metal accent roofing: Standing seam over porches, bays, and dormers combined with shingles on the main field - a common and cost-effective way to get the look without roofing the whole house in metal.
• Low-slope membranes: TPO and modified bitumen systems for flat and low-pitch sections.

Signs You Need a New Roof

• Curling, cupping, or missing shingles, or granules collecting in gutters
• Ceiling stains, attic daylight, or damp sheathing after heavy rain
• Sagging rooflines or visible dips in the decking
• Repeated repairs to the same area
• Storm or hail damage, especially bruising visible on the shingle mat
• A roof past 20 years, particularly with three-tab shingles

If a storm has just come through, get an independent assessment before signing anything with a door-knocking crew. We will inspect the roof and tell you honestly whether you are looking at a repair, a partial replacement, or a full tear-off.

What a Roofing Proposal Should Specify

Insist on a written scope that names the shingle product and wind rating, the underlayment type, the ice and water shield locations, the flashing that is being replaced rather than reused, the ventilation plan, the nailing pattern, the decking replacement allowance and per-sheet price, and who is responsible for permits and debris disposal. A quote that lists a brand name and a total is not a scope.

Schedule a Roof Inspection

ALR Construction will inspect your roof, document the condition, and give you an itemized proposal with the assembly spelled out. Contact us to schedule, see finished work in our project gallery, or read our client reviews.

Roof Installation Across the Birmingham Metro

We install and replace roofs in Homewood, Vestavia Hills, Hoover, Downtown Birmingham, and at Lake Martin, Logan Martin Lake, and Lay Lake.

Related Services

ALR Construction also handles full home renovations, kitchen remodeling, bathroom remodeling, home additions, custom decks, interior and exterior painting, new home construction, custom projects, and commercial build-outs. Learn more about the team behind the work.