How it works
Our Process: Exactly What Happens From Your First Call to Final Cleanup
No mystery pricing, no vanishing crews, no surprise change orders. Here is the same six-step process we run on every roof in Tomahawk, Minocqua, Rhinelander, Merrill, Phillips, and Wausau.
The six steps of a Roof Masters project
Step 1 — You call or send the form
Tell us the address, what you're seeing, and when works for you. Photos help but aren't required. We answer the phone at 715-453-4800, and every form request comes straight to our inbox the moment you send it.
- Same-day callback during business hours
- Active leaks get moved to the front of the line
- No call center, no pushy scheduler
Step 2 — Free estimate, on-site or virtual
Every estimate is free. Depending on your project, that may mean a Roofing Technician on site — or a virtual assessment using aerial measurement technology, satellite imagery, and photos you send us. Either way, we size up the roof system, the access, and the real remaining life of your shingles before we put a number on paper.
- Virtual assessments for many out-of-town quotes — no waiting on a site visit
- On-site look when the project calls for it
- Honest answer if the roof still has years left in it
Step 3 — A written estimate you can actually read
Pricing with the exact scope of work and system we'll install — manufacturer, shingle or panel line, underlayment, ice-and-water coverage, ventilation, and warranty. One number, no games, no expiring discount pressure.
- Fair pricing, spelled out on paper
- Good / better / best options when they make sense
Step 4 — Materials, permits, and scheduling
Once you approve, we lock in your color, order material, handle any permitting, and give you a real install window. Northwoods weather moves, and we tell you the moment it does instead of leaving you guessing.
- CertainTeed, GAF, and Owens Corning systems
- Free color samples before you commit
- Straight talk about weather delays
Step 5 — Install day
Crews arrive early, protect your landscaping, siding, and docks, tear off to the deck, replace any rot we find, and install the full system to manufacturer spec so your warranty actually holds. Most homes are done in a day or two.
- Property protection before the first shingle comes off
- Rotten decking replaced, never covered up
- Manufacturer-spec install for full warranty coverage
Step 6 — Cleanup and final walkthrough
Magnet sweeps of the drive, lawn, and beds, debris hauled out the same day, then a walkthrough with you before we leave. You get your warranty paperwork and a direct number if anything ever needs a second look.
- Magnet-swept for nails, twice
- Final walkthrough with a person, not a postcard
- Warranty paperwork in hand
The Roof Masters Standard
Our name goes on the roof, so our standards go with it. This is what we mean by a properly built Northwoods roofing system — the parts of the job you will never see once the last ridge cap is on.
- Inspection
- The roof is looked at before a price is written — pitch, layers, deck feel underfoot, flashing condition, valleys and what the attic side is telling us. On out-of-town properties that assessment uses aerial measurement and photos.
- Decking
- We tear off to the deck. Anything soft, delaminated or water-stained is photographed and the replacement sheet price is in your estimate before install day, so a decking find is a decision you make, not a bill you discover.
- Ice and water protection
- Coverage is planned for freeze-thaw and ice-dam exposure, not for the minimum on the box: past the warm wall line at the eaves, in the valleys, and around chimneys and penetrations.
- Flashing
- Step, counter, sidewall, chimney, skylight and dormer transitions are evaluated as part of the roofing system. Old flashing gets rebuilt where it should be rebuilt instead of being sealed over.
- Ventilation
- Intake and exhaust are evaluated together. A ridge vent with painted-shut soffit intake does nothing, and on cathedral-ceiling cabins we say up front what the assembly can and cannot do.
- The system, not the shingle
- Underlayment, ice-and-water membrane, drip edge, starter, flashing, shingles or panels, ventilation and accessories are specified as one system to manufacturer instructions — that is what keeps the warranty real.
- Installation standards
- Every crew representing Roof Masters is held to Roof Masters standards. Roofing Technicians and crews we know, train and stand behind — because our name goes on the project.
- Property protection
- Landscaping, decks, siding, docks and driveways are covered and protected before the first shingle comes off, and staging is planned around narrow lake drives, septic fields and soft shoulders.
- Cleanup
- Debris hauled out, and magnetic sweeps of the drive, lawn, beds and the path to the water. Seasonal owners should not find nails in the grass in May.
- Quality control
- A final walkthrough, warranty paperwork in hand, and a direct local number. We remain accountable for the finished project after the trailer leaves.
Already holding a bid from someone else? We will walk the scope line by line with you — compare my roofing estimate. For the pieces underneath the shingles, see why Northwoods homes get ice dams, metal versus asphalt up here and lake home and cabin roofing.
Common questions about the process
How long does a roof replacement take?
Most Northwoods homes and cabins are torn off and re-roofed in one to two days. Larger lake homes, steep pitches, and multi-layer tear-offs can run three days or more. We give you the real number before we start.
Do I need to be home during the work?
No. Plenty of our lake home and cabin owners are hours away during the install. We document everything with photos and walk you through it after.
What happens if you find rotten decking?
We stop, photograph it, and tell you before we replace it. Decking is priced per sheet up front in your estimate so there are no surprise numbers at the end.
How much does an inspection or estimate cost?
Nothing. Roof assessments and written estimates are always free.
Ready to start at step one?
A free estimate — on-site or virtual — in writing, and a straight answer about whether you even need a new roof yet.