Tear off and decking
Every layer of old shingle comes off before anything new goes down. Once the deck is exposed, each sheet of plywood or OSB gets checked by hand for soft spots, delamination and old nail holes that need to be addressed before new underlayment goes on.
Richmond's older neighborhoods, particularly around the Fan and Church Hill, often have roof decking that has been recovered more than once. It is common to find skip sheathing under multiple shingle layers on a house built before World War Two, which changes both the decking plan and the nailing pattern for the new roof.
Underlayment and ice barrier
A self adhering ice and water barrier goes down at the eaves, in every valley, and around penetrations, extending at least 24 inches past the interior wall line. Virginia's winters are mild compared to New England, but the freeze thaw cycles that do happen are enough to back water up under an unprotected eave.
A synthetic underlayment goes over the remaining field of the deck rather than old style felt paper, since it stands up to foot traffic during a multi day tear off and does not tear as easily if a stray nail catches it before the shingles go on.
Shingle choice for Richmond's climate
Architectural shingles rated for high wind are the standard recommendation, since Richmond sees straight line wind events from summer thunderstorms most years. A shingle rated for 110 to 130 mile an hour gusts, nailed six per shingle rather than four, holds up meaningfully better in those events.
Ridge vents paired with soffit intake vents keep the attic moving air in both directions. An attic that runs hot in a Richmond summer shortens shingle life from the underside, which is a failure mode a lot of homeowners never think to check.
Color choice on a replacement often comes down to the neighborhood as much as personal taste. Newer subdivisions around Glen Allen and Short Pump tend toward a narrower range of approved shades under HOA guidelines, while older city neighborhoods have more flexibility but face their own review process where applicable.
What happens on the day of the job
A crew typically completes a full residential tear off and replacement in one to two days depending on the size and pitch of the roof, weather allowing. Landscaping and siding get protected with tarps before the tear off starts, and a magnetic sweep of the yard happens at the end of each day to pick up stray nails before anyone or any pet walks the grass.
A final walk through covers the finished roof, the gutters if they were part of the job, and the yard, so a homeowner can see the completed work and ask questions before the crew leaves for good.