Pyramid Roofing Review

The following narrative is my experience with Pyramid Roofing replacing the shingles on my home. Whether this is typical or not is for the reader to determine.

For purposes of clarity, the house is 25 years old and built of brick with approximately 33 squares of roofing with multiple roof valleys and two dormers along with a front and rear porch roof. Guttering surrounds the house and has screen covers to prevent clogging from leaves.

I selected Pyramid Roofing to remove the old shingles on my home and replace them because I knew Pyramid Roofing was a large contractor which I believed would stand by their work. I was attracted to them because they offered a lifetime guarantee and have been in business for a number of years. I compared their bid against another local roofer. By my estimate, Pyramid Roofing was about 10% higher in their bid, but I considered that a good trade-off for their experience and guarantee. It's always difficult to make an exact comparison because each company uses different brands and makes different recommendations. I checked the Internet and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if there were any complaints. There was a BBB complaint that had been resolved satisfactorily which I considered a plus as many businesses just let complaints linger.

The contract was signed with Pyramid Roofing on 12 February 2010 with the caveat that work might not begin for 2-3 weeks. I waited a month and then called them. They started work on March 21, 2010 which was 5 weeks after the contract was signed. They showed up on a rainy day and after several forays on the roof in between intermittent rain they finally stopped and returned the following day. They had scrapped a few shingles off the roof and covered it with roof paper before leaving.

When I initially sat down with the Pyramid Roofing salesman they were several areas that I wanted addressed. I had aluminum wrapping on all fascia boards which over the years had loosened and needed to be re-nailed in about 8-10 places. I was assured this was normal procedure. I also brought up the fact that aluminum nails would have to be used to prevent rust. I also wanted copper used as flashing to replace the existing copper. There was an extra charge for copper, purely to satisfy my esthetic needs. The copper flashing was to be "saw cut" into the brick as in recent years when the wind blew from the north, a small leak had developed. I also wanted to be assured that the leaf guard screens over the guttering would be replaced or repaired. The house is situated among trees and leaf guards are essential to prevent the drains from clogging. He also stated that Pyramid Roofing used "ice and water" shield in the valleys of the roof and in other critical areas. At the time, I was unaware of what "ice and water" shield was, but after I saw how it would prevent any water intrusion, I am sold on this option.

Essentially the "ice and water" shield is a water proof material that is about 1/16 to 1/8 inch think with a sticky side which adheres to the roof or wall of an adjoining roof. In my case, I had a one story roof which butted up against a two story brick wall. It was here that a leak had occurred because of the wind and rain blowing from the northeast.

On the second day, Pyramid Roofing returned and began work in earnest. They were methodical and efficient and there was a supervisor present to answer any questions or concerns. They removed the old shingles along with the old roofing felt and deposited the trash in a dumpster which they had brought with them. They then installed the "ice and water" shield where necessary. I discovered the reason for the leak was because of a one to two inch gap where the one story roof butted against the two story wall. I wanted them to apply the "ice and water" shield to that area and they accomplished that task. The copper flashing was installed in a much better fashion than the original. Roofing felt was installed over the roof and over the "ice and water" shield (another safeguard against any potential leak) which was then followed by the installation of the shingles.

Pyramid Roofing concluded their work on the third day and returned the fourth day for a few hours to insure the aluminum on the fascia boards was re-nailed and they adjusted and/or replaced the screens over the gutters.

Overall the experience with Pyramid Roofing was positive. Their efficient and thorough service combined with their lifetime guarantee made their selection a "no brainer" for me. Nevertheless, I think it is important that a homeowner monitor the roofing activities to watch the progress and ask questions about any process that is not understandable. In my case the installation of the "ice and water" shield in a location where a leak had occurred eased my mind and since I insisted on the use of that shield it was accomplished without question. I'm uncertain if it would have been used without my presence.

Pyramid Roofing operates three locations in Virginia and in Louisiana. An interesting and informative article about the company is at http://www.pyramidroofing.com/compassarticle.pdf