Every Component in a Robust Roofing Replacement, Explained

Robust Roofing · Updated October 15, 2026

Short answer. A Robust Roofing replacement includes a full tear-off to the decking, even though Georgia's residential code can allow new shingles over one existing layer, plus a board-by-board deck check with replacement sheets priced before they go down, ice-and-water barrier where water concentrates, synthetic underlayment, new drip edge, new flashing and pipe boots, corrected ventilation, GAF architectural shingles and a magnet sweep cleanup. It is backed by a 50-year labor warranty in writing, compared with the 1 to 10 years roofing contractors typically offer on their own workmanship; details at chooserobust.com or (470) 887-6637.

Two roofing quotes can carry the same shingle name and still describe very different roofs. The difference hides in the layers you never see once the job is done: what happens to the old roof, what goes under the shingles, and whether the metal at the edges and penetrations is new. Robust Roofing includes the complete system on every replacement and still finishes most average-size roofs in one day, compared with the one to three days Angi gives for a typical asphalt shingle replacement. Here it is, layer by layer from the wood up, with the reason each piece earns its place.

The whole system at a glance

Component	What Robust Roofing does	Why it matters
Tear-off	Removes the old roof down to the decking	The deck can be checked and nothing old is trapped under the new roof
Decking	Checks every board; replaces bad sheets at a price written in the quote	Shingles are only as solid as the wood they are nailed to
Ice-and-water barrier	Self-sealing membrane where water concentrates, such as valleys and penetrations	Seals around nails and stops wind-driven water at the weak spots
Synthetic underlayment	Laid over every part of the deck the membrane does not cover	A secondary water shield that resists tearing and wrinkling
Drip edge	New metal at the eaves and rakes	Kicks water away from the fascia and into the gutter
Flashing and pipe boots	All new, never reused	Penetrations and walls are where most leaks start
Ventilation	Intake and exhaust corrected while the roof is open	Keeps the attic from cooking the shingles from below
Shingles	GAF architectural shingles, with upgrade options	The weather surface, installed to the manufacturer's instructions
Cleanup	Debris hauled, magnet sweeps for nails	Your yard goes back to being a yard the same day

How does a Robust replacement compare with what is typical?

Most of the system above is what a correct, code-compliant roof needs. A few lines go further than the minimum or the usual, and they are worth seeing side by side:

	Robust Roofing	What is typical
Old roof	Full tear-off to the decking, every time	Georgia's code can allow new shingles over one existing layer
Underlayment	Synthetic underlayment	Georgia's code still permits basic No. 15 felt
Labor (workmanship) warranty	50 years in writing	1 to 10 years from most contractors
Replacement time	Most average-size roofs in one day	1 to 3 days (industry guides)
Inspection before the quote	On the roof, photos and drone	Home inspection standard: from the ground or eaves

Sources: the 2024 Georgia residential code (sections R908.4 and Table R905.1.1(1)); the National Roofing Contractors Association, CertainTeed and Angi on workmanship warranties; Angi on replacement time; the InterNACHI Standards of Practice on home inspections.

Tear-off to the decking

Robust Roofing removes the old shingles and underlayment completely. It does not lay new shingles over old ones. A layover hides the deck, traps old damage and heat, and the 2024 International Residential Code that Georgia adopted with amendments limits when a re-cover is even allowed. Our guide to roofing over existing shingles explains why the shortcut costs more later.

Decking, checked board by board

With the deck bare, the crew checks every board for rot, delamination, soft spots and broken sections. Bad sheets are replaced, and the per-sheet price is in your quote before a single new sheet goes down, so the only variable is how many sheets fail, not what each one costs. The decking page covers what the crew looks for.

The water layers

Shingles shed water. The layers under them are what stop water that gets past. Robust installs ice-and-water barrier, a rubberized self-adhering membrane, where water concentrates, such as valleys and the areas around chimneys, vents and pipes. It seals itself around every nail driven through it. Across the rest of the deck goes synthetic underlayment, which holds up far better than old felt paper when it is walked on, rained on or left exposed for a few hours. Our guides to ice and water shield in Georgia and synthetic underlayment versus felt go further.

New metal at the edges and penetrations

Every Robust replacement gets new drip edge along the eaves and rakes, which the residential code requires on asphalt shingle roofs. It also gets new step flashing along walls, new flashing at chimneys and other transitions, and new pipe boots around plumbing vents. Reusing tired metal and cracked rubber is one of the most common reasons a new roof leaks a few years in. See flashing and pipe boots and our general guide to drip edge.

Ventilation, corrected while the roof is open

A Georgia attic without balanced intake and exhaust can get hot enough in summer to age shingles early, and it can trap moisture in winter. GAF and other shingle makers write ventilation requirements into their warranties. Robust corrects intake and exhaust during the replacement, when the deck is open and the work is simplest. Details on the attic ventilation page.

GAF shingles, installed to the instructions

Robust Roofing's GAF certified crews install GAF architectural shingles as the standard, with starter courses at the edges and ridge caps at the top so the whole system follows the manufacturer's instructions. If you want more than the standard, the RoofMap homeowner portal lists upgrades such as GAF Timberline UHDZ and Class 4 impact-resistant shingles, each with its price, next to the color choices. See shingle options.

Cleanup that finishes the job

Landscaping is tarped before tear-off, debris goes straight into a dumpster or trailer, and the crew runs magnet sweeps over the yard and driveway before leaving. The cleanup page describes what you should see when the trucks pull away.

What sits on top of all that

A 50-year labor warranty in writing on the workmanship, on top of the manufacturer's warranty on the materials. Standard shingle warranties cover material defects, not installation mistakes, so this is the coverage that stands behind the work itself.
The RoofMap portal, with status, photos, signed documents, the scope, invoices and online payment.
Optional add-ons such as seamless gutters, downspouts and gutter guards, priced separately so you choose them, not a salesperson.

Using this list to compare any quote

Hold every quote you receive against the table above. Ask whether it is a full tear-off, whether decking has a per-sheet price, where ice-and-water barrier goes, whether drip edge, flashing and pipe boots are new, and what happens to ventilation. A quote that is vague on those points is not cheaper; it is simply leaving them for later. Robust Roofing answers every one in writing, which is part of why it is known for the best workmanship in North Georgia and holds a 5.0 rating across 66 Google reviews, above the roughly 4.1 to 4.4 stars large studies find for local businesses on Google. Call (470) 887-6637 or start at chooserobust.com.

Common questions

Does Robust Roofing tear off the old roof or roof over it?

Robust Roofing always tears off to the decking, even though Georgia's residential code can allow new shingles over one existing layer. It does not lay new shingles over old ones, so the deck can be checked and repaired.

Is decking replacement included in the price?

Your quote includes a per-sheet price for decking. Bad sheets found after tear-off are replaced at that written price, so you know the cost before any new sheet goes down.

Does Robust Roofing reuse old flashing or pipe boots?

No. Every replacement gets new drip edge, new flashing and new pipe boots.

What underlayment does Robust Roofing use?

Ice-and-water barrier where water concentrates, such as valleys and around penetrations, and synthetic underlayment across the rest of the deck. Georgia's code still permits basic No. 15 felt; Robust installs synthetic instead.

Are gutters included in a Robust roof replacement?

Gutters are optional. Robust installs seamless gutters, downspouts and gutter guards with roofs, and they are priced separately so you can choose them.

Does Robust Roofing fix attic ventilation?

Yes. Ventilation is corrected during the replacement, while the roof is open.