Roofing Contractor in Augusta, ME
Kenneth Cox Construction is the roofing contractor in Augusta, ME that will talk you out of going over your existing shingles, and we have been giving that advice since 1988.
- 38 years in business, since 1988
- Over 250 projects completed
- Affordable work, two-year written warranty
A second layer of shingles goes on fast and tells you nothing. On this page we explain why Kenneth Cox Construction usually steers Augusta homeowners toward a full tear-off instead: until the old roof comes off, nobody knows what the deck under it is doing.
Plenty of older houses here are sheathed in plank boards with gaps between them, and years of a slow drip near a chimney or valley can leave wood too soft to hold a nail. Cover that up and your new roof is fastened to guesswork.
You will also find how heavy Kennebec valley snow and the freeze-thaw cycle load a roof over a winter, and what the City of Augusta requires a permit for. Ken has been taking old layers off since 1988, and every roof leaves with a two-year workmanship warranty in writing.
Why Augusta Residents Hire Us for Their New Roof
Kenneth Cox Construction has been roofing in the Kennebec valley since 1988, and Ken has taken enough old layers off to know what tends to be hiding under them.
The company holds BBB accreditation, and every roof leaves with a two-year workmanship warranty in writing alongside the manufacturer's coverage on the shingles.
Get a roofing estimate for your Augusta home
Five questions about the roof, then where to send it. Ken has been roofing MidCoast houses since 1988.
What other contractor services do we offer in Augusta?
Which towns near Augusta do we serve?
Where is our shop?
Directions from Augusta, ME to our shop in Searsmont
128 New England RoadSearsmont, ME 04973
What Roofing Services Do We Offer in Augusta?
- asphalt shingle roof installation and replacement
- metal roof installation and replacement
- roof repairs and patch work
- roof decking replacement
- flashing and ventilation upgrades
- full tear-offs vs. layovers
What is our roofing process in Augusta?
Get your free quote
Ken checks the roof, the attic and the eaves, counts the existing layers, and tells you plainly what tear-off will involve.
We bring your project to life
Everything comes off to the deck, failed sheathing is replaced, then membrane, flashing and shingles go on in the right order.
Enjoy your new space
A roof fastened to sound wood, with the ceiling stains behind you and a clean yard afterward.
Why hire us as your roofing contractor in Augusta, ME?
Homeowners hire us as their roofing contractor in Augusta, ME because we will tell you to tear off when tearing off is right. Roofing over an existing layer is legal in many situations and it is still the wrong call on most of the houses we look at in this city.
The reason is the deck. Older Augusta roofs are often boards rather than sheet material, sometimes with gaps, and decades of a slow leak around a chimney or a valley leaves sections that will not hold a nail properly.
Cover that up and you have a new roof fastened to soft wood, plus the original layer trapping heat and hiding the evidence. Tear-off costs more on the day and it is the only version where anyone knows what they built on.
An overlay is faster, cheaper and blind. Nobody knows what the deck underneath is doing, and the new nails are being driven into whatever it turns out to be.
Ken quotes the tear-off honestly, and every roof we finish carries a 2-year workmanship warranty from a BBB accredited company.
Our Augusta roofing work runs from the older housing near Capitol Park and the waterfront to the postwar and newer stock out toward Sidney, Manchester and Chelsea.
Most calls come either from a visible problem, meaning a stain on a ceiling, or from a roof that is simply at the end of its years and the owner would rather choose the date than have it chosen for them.
A full roof replacement includes stripping every layer to the deck, replacing any decking that has failed, ice and water membrane at the eaves and valleys, then underlayment and drip edge, flashing, and the shingles and ridge venting.
Cleanup is part of it. Magnetic sweeps of the drive and lawn are the difference between a finished job and one that keeps turning up under your tires for a year.
We work on roofs across the whole of Augusta, from the tighter older neighborhoods to the newer subdivisions where access is easy and material can be staged on site.
River-adjacent and low-lying properties get particular attention at the eaves, because ground moisture and poor drainage below often go with gutters that have not worked properly in years.
You should schedule a roof in Augusta for late spring through October, and the good slots are gone early because everyone wants the same weather.
Emergency work happens whenever it has to. A tarp in February is a legitimate answer, and it buys time for a proper replacement in a month when shingles will actually seal down.
Augusta roofs age the way they do because of freeze-thaw first. This valley cycles hard through winter, and every cycle works at the seal between shingle courses and around every fastener.
Snow load is the second. Heavy accumulation sits for weeks, and its weight and meltwater together find any weakness in the deck and the flashing.
Sun is the third. South-facing slopes here take a full summer load and age noticeably faster than the north side, which is why one slope often fails first.
Ask whether the quote is a tear-off or an overlay, and get it in writing. The two numbers are not comparable and some quotes are deliberately vague about which they are.
Then ask what happens if the deck is rotten. There should be a per-sheet price agreed before anyone climbs up, not a conversation on day two.
What a roof costs in Augusta comes down to size, pitch, layers and the number of penetrations, far more than the shingle you choose.
We quote the tear-off, the disposal and a written allowance for deck replacement as separate lines, so you can see exactly where a cheaper number elsewhere is coming from.
What should you ask before hiring in Augusta?
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Augusta?
You often do not need a permit to replace a roof in Augusta on a straight replacement, though structural repairs do need one. We confirm it with Augusta Code Enforcement before we start.
Can I put a second layer over my existing roof?
You can put a second layer over an existing roof where town rules allow it, and it is still rarely a good idea. Industry guidance is clear that an overlay shortens the life of what you install over it.
How long should a new roof last here?
A new roof here should last decades when an architectural shingle goes onto a properly ventilated deck. A poorly vented attic can take years off that regardless of the product.
What warranty comes with the shingles?
The warranty that comes with the shingles is the manufacturer's, and it varies by product. Shingle warranty terms are worth reading, and our own workmanship warranty is separate from them.
Full Tear-Offs vs. Roof Layovers in Augusta
A full tear-off is the right choice for most Augusta roofs. Older board decking, hidden valley leaks, and multiple generations of fasteners cannot be assessed through an overlay.
We would rather expose and repair the deck once than fasten a new roof to wood nobody has inspected.
What happens when you call us about Augusta?
What happens when you call us about an Augusta roof is that Ken starts with the quote you already have. If that number seems low, check whether it includes removing what is up there now.
Ken will price the honest version and explain the difference for free. He answers at 207-386-9235.