Roofing Installation & Repair in Lake City, MI
WHAT WE DO
An ice barrier has to run from the lowest roof edge to 24 inches inside the exterior wall line, and Lake City averages 76 inches of snow a year. Craig McLeod Construction LLC
does roofing installation and repair on houses and outbuildings in Lake City, MI, Cadillac, and Manton: tear-offs, shingle replacement, leak and flashing repairs, chimney and skylight details, ventilation corrections, gutters, and inspections. We are licensed, bonded, and insured, and every scope is written and signed before material is ordered.
WHERE WE INSTALL
Roofs That Carry Snow For 5 Months A Year
Snow sits on these roofs from November into April, and it does not come off evenly. We work on lake cottages around Lake Missaukee, farmhouses with steep gables and cramped attics, ranch houses in town, detached garages, and pole barns out toward Cadillac and Manton. Each one sheds differently. A north slope that stays shaded all winter needs different eave protection than a south face that thaws by noon, and we detail the eaves, valleys, and penetrations to suit the roof in front of us, not a standard drawing.
Roofing Services We Provide
Each job below starts at the deck and works up, because a shingle only performs as well as the sheathing, the flashing, and the airflow underneath it. Nothing gets covered until that part is right.
01
New Roof Installation
Tear-off comes first, down to sheathing, and any board that has gone soft gets replaced. Then ice barrier at the eaves, underlayment, drip edge, and shingles nailed to the pattern the slope requires. Valleys and penetrations get detailed as we go.
02
Shingle Replacement
Wind, hail, and plain age pull shingles off in patches, often along a rake or ridge. We match profile and color as closely as the roof allows, rebuild the courses around the damage, and check the nailing on sections that stayed put.
03
Roof Leak And Flashing Repairs
Water rarely enters where the stain shows up. Tracing a leak means checking fasteners, valleys, vents, and every flashing joint uphill of the damage, then rebuilding the failure that caused it instead of smearing sealant across the symptom.
04
Chimney Flashing And Skylight Repairs
Chimneys and skylights interrupt the plane of a roof, so they leak first. Step flashing, counterflashing, and the curb details get rebuilt and woven back into the shingle courses rather than caulked over, which buys a season at most.
05
Roof Ventilation Repairs
Intake at the soffit and exhaust at the ridge have to be balanced against each other. Blocked or undersized venting bakes shingles from below in summer and melts the snowpack unevenly in winter, which is exactly how an ice dam starts.
06
Roof Inspections And Maintenance Packages
Regular checks catch lifted shingles, cracked sealant, clogged gutters, and rusting fasteners while they are still cheap. Personalized maintenance packages set the schedule, and each visit ends with written notes and photographs of anything that needs watching or fixing.
Signs Your Roof Is Asking For Attention
Trouble shows itself long before a roof fails, usually a season or two before a ceiling stains. These are the things homeowners call us about most, and what each of them tends to mean once we are up there.
01
Curled, Cracked, Or Missing Shingles
Curling edges and split tabs mean the mat has dried out and lost its flexibility. Once shingles start letting go in more than one area, patching becomes an annual expense rather than a repair, and the field is telling you it is finished.
02
Stains On Ceilings And Attic Sheathing
Brown rings on drywall and dark streaking on the underside of the boards are the same problem caught at two different stages. The entry point has to be found first, because water travels along rafters for a while before it drops.
03
Ice Building Up At The Eaves
Ridges of ice along the gutter line form when heat escapes into the attic, melts the snowpack above, and the runoff refreezes over the cold overhang. The backup that follows pushes water up under the shingle courses and inside.
04
Granules Collecting In The Gutters
Granules shield the asphalt underneath from sunlight. A handful right after installation is normal, but steady accumulation years later means that surface is wearing through, and what is left will not hold up long once it is exposed.
05
Daylight Or Damp Insulation In The Attic
Light coming through the boards on a clear afternoon means a gap somewhere above your head. Matted or damp insulation means moisture is getting in, either through a leak or as humid air carried up out of the rooms below.
06
Flashing Pulling Away At Walls And Chimneys
Metal expands and contracts at a different rate than masonry and wood, so joints work themselves loose over time. Once a sidewall flashing lifts or its sealant cracks, water runs behind the cladding instead of over the top of it.
WHO WE ARE
We Have Torn Off Enough Roofs To Know What Is Under Yours
Stripping roofs in this area for 20+ years teaches you what hides beneath them: soft decking, 3 nails where there should be 6, ice barrier that stops short of the wall line, bathroom fans venting straight into insulation, and valleys that were never properly woven. We are family-owned, licensed, certified, bonded, and insured, and you hear about anything we find before it gets covered back up. Send the details through our contact page and we will set up a free estimate with no obligation attached.
Why Choose Craig McLeod Construction LLC
Built on Quality & Trust
01
Construction Support From Start to Finish
We offer design, drafting, construction, and project management for residential and commercial projects. From new builds to renovations and additions, we help guide your project from the initial plans through completion.
02
Built Around Your Goals
We work closely with you to understand your ideas, preferences, and budget before developing a plan. Whether you’re building a home or updating an existing space, we tailor our approach to your needs.
03
Clear Communication Throughout Your Project
We answer your questions in straightforward language and keep you informed as work progresses. Our approach emphasizes detailed planning and open communication so you understand what’s happening at each stage.
04
Respect for Your Property
We maintain clean, organized worksites and take steps to minimize disruption during construction. Our team prioritizes safety and treats your property with care throughout the project.
FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
What are the signs that my roof needs attention?
Curled, cracked, or missing shingles, stains on ceilings, granules collecting in the gutters, ice building at the eaves, and daylight or damp insulation in the attic. Any one of those is worth an inspection before the next freeze arrives.
When should I replace my roof instead of repairing it?
Replace when the wear is spread across the whole field, the granules are gone, or the decking underneath has softened. Repair when the failure is local: a lifted section, an open flashing joint, a handful of tabs off after a windstorm.
How long does a roof replacement take?
Most houses take 1 to 3 days once the tear-off begins, longer for steep pitches, multiple layers, or decking that needs replacing. Craig McLeod Construction LLC schedules roofs around the forecast in Lake City, MI so no deck sits open overnight.
What causes ice dams?
Heat escaping into the attic melts snow on the upper roof, and the meltwater refreezes once it reaches the cold overhang past the wall line. The ice ridge that builds there holds the next thaw back until it works under the shingles.
How do I prevent ice dams?
Air-seal the attic floor, insulate it properly, and balance soffit intake against ridge exhaust so the deck stays near the outside temperature. Craig McLeod Construction LLC corrects venting and eave protection on roofs throughout Lake City, MI and the surrounding towns.
Why is attic ventilation important for a roof?
Moving air keeps the sheathing dry and the shingles cooler, which slows aging in summer and stops condensation from forming on the boards in winter. Balanced venting also keeps the roof cold enough that snowmelt does not refreeze at the eaves.
What causes roof flashing to fail?
Movement, corrosion, and sealant asked to do a piece of metal's job. Flashing at chimneys, sidewalls, and skylights shifts at a different rate than the material around it, so joints open unless the pieces are lapped, fastened, and tucked in correctly.
How many layers of shingles can a roof have?
Under the residential code, no more than 2, and that second layer hides whatever is happening to the deck below it. Tearing off gives a flat nailing surface, a full ice barrier at the eaves, and a chance to replace bad sheathing.
A Roof You Can Stop Thinking About Every Winter
The difference between a roof that lasts and one that fails early is rarely the shingle itself. It is whether the deck was sound, whether the ice barrier ran far enough past the wall line, whether the flashing was rebuilt or reused, and whether the attic can breathe. Craig McLeod Construction LLC has been putting roofs on houses, cottages, and outbuildings around Lake City, MI, Cadillac, and Manton for 20+ years, licensed and insured, with extended warranties on parts and labor and honest upfront quotes. Tell us what your roof is doing through our contact page and we will come out for a free estimate.