Skylight Installation Turned Roof Replacement

Our client contacted us to install three VELUX skylights in their Brentwood home. The existing roof looked fine from the ground - no missing shingles, no visible damage. But when heavy rain hit before we could start, three separate leaks appeared inside the house. That changed everything.

We went up to inspect and found the real situation. The shingles had lost most of their protective granules - you could see bare asphalt in multiple areas. The underlayment beneath was cracked and brittle from years of UV exposure. When we pulled back sections of shingles, the roof deck had soft spots from long-term moisture intrusion. This roof was not just aging - it was failing.

We covered the roof with protective tarps immediately to stop the active leaks while we revised the project scope. What started as a skylight installation became a complete roof replacement. We pulled the permit through LADBS and began full tear-off once approved.

The entire old roof came off down to bare deck. We swept every nail with a magnetic roller, replaced damaged decking sections, and installed new synthetic underlayment rated for the Brentwood fire zone. Then we framed the curbs for three VELUX skylights - each one has to be level and sealed before the skylight unit goes in.

We chose CertainTeed Presidential shingles - their premium architectural line that meets California Title 24 cool roof requirements. These shingles have a 50-year limited warranty and the thick, layered profile gives the roof a substantial look that matches the quality of Brentwood homes. Every skylight got custom step flashing integrated with the new shingles for a completely watertight seal.

The homeowner went from worrying about three leaks to having a brand new roof with three skylights flooding their home with natural light. The old roof was hiding damage that would have gotten much worse with each rain. Catching it when we did saved significant structural repair costs down the road.