Roofline detail on a new home in Yarmouth, Maine by Cardinal Exteriors

Roof Replacement in Cumberland County, Maine

Roof replacement in Cumberland County, Maine: full tear-off, deck repair, ice and water protection, new flashing and ventilation. Free on-site estimates.

Get a Free Estimate Call (207) 408-5388

Google reviews
Fully licensed & insured
Free estimates
20+ years combined experience

How roof replacement actually goes together

Every roof replacement job is built in a specific order, and the layers you never see once the job is finished are what actually keep water out of the wall or roof. The diagram walks through it step by step.

Before and after roof replacement on a home near the Eastern Prom

How an Asphalt Shingle Roof System Works

Roof deck — plywood or OSB sheathing the whole system is fastened to
Ice-and-water shield — a self-sealing membrane at the eave, the spot most likely to see an ice dam
Synthetic underlayment — a water-resistant layer under the shingles across the rest of the field
Shingles — the visible, weather-facing layer, lapped to shed water down the slope
Ridge vent — exhausts warm, moist attic air while a soffit vent below draws in fresh air

About roof replacement

A roof replacement strips the old roofing down to the deck, repairs what is underneath, and rebuilds the whole system: underlayment, ice and water protection at the eaves and valleys, flashing at chimneys and walls, ventilation, and the new roofing itself. Maine roofs carry snow for months and see ice dams at the eaves, so the parts you never see do most of the work. The site covers architectural asphalt shingles, metal, cedar shake and flat or low-slope roofing.

This page is part of our roofing work, which lists typical price ranges and materials. Other related services: architectural asphalt shingle roofing, metal roofing, siding replacement, window replacement.

What the job involves

Old roofing is torn off to the deck and hauled away, with the yard and plantings protected.
Soft or delaminated sheathing is replaced before anything new goes down.
Ice and water shield goes at the eaves, valleys and penetrations; synthetic underlayment covers the rest.
Drip edge, step and counter flashing, and pipe boots are installed new.
Ridge and soffit venting are balanced, then the new roofing is installed and the site cleaned with magnets.

Signs it is time

Curling, cracked, or missing shingles and granules in the gutters
Ice dams along the eaves or water stains on ceilings after thaws
Daylight or damp sheathing visible in the attic
Sagging roof lines or spongy spots underfoot
A roof at or past the age its material was made for

What affects the price

Roof area, pitch and complexity: valleys, dormers, skylights, chimneys
Number of existing layers to remove
Sheathing repair found after tear-off
Material: asphalt, metal, cedar or low-slope membrane
Ventilation and flashing upgrades

Every job is priced from a free on-site estimate, with a fixed-price written proposal before work starts.

Homeowner Guide

Roof Replacement in Maine: Ice Dams, Ventilation, and What's Under the Shingles

A roof replacement is really three decisions layered on top of each other: what protects the deck at the eave where ice dams form, how the attic breathes once the new roof is on, and which finish material goes on top. Get the first two wrong and the third one — asphalt, metal, or otherwise — won't matter nearly as much as it should.

Ice Dams and Ice-and-Water Shield

An ice dam forms when heat escaping through the attic melts snow on the upper roof while the eave stays cold enough to refreeze that meltwater into a ridge of ice. Water backs up behind that ridge and can work its way under the shingles and into the house. Building codes in cold climates like Maine's require a self-adhering ice-and-water shield membrane at the eave, extending up the roof past the interior wall line, specifically because that's the zone most exposed to this backup.

The membrane is cheap insurance installed once, at the start of the job, directly on the deck before anything else goes on.

Roofline and trim detail after roof replacement on a Back Cove home

Ridge and Soffit Ventilation

A balanced ventilation system takes in cool air at the soffit (the underside of the eave) and exhausts warm, moist attic air at the ridge — moving air through the attic space rather than trapping it.
Balanced intake and exhaust matters more than either vent alone; a ridge vent with blocked or missing soffit intake can actually pull conditioned air out of the living space instead of venting the attic.
Good attic ventilation reduces the heat loss that drives ice-dam formation in the first place, on top of protecting the roof deck and insulation from trapped moisture year-round.

Asphalt Shingle vs. Metal: Lifespan and Snow Shedding

The two roofing materials we install most often in Cumberland County
Material	Typical lifespan	Snow behavior
Asphalt shingle (architectural)	Roughly 25-30 years	Holds snow on the roof through most of a storm; less sudden slide-off risk over entries
Standing-seam metal	Roughly 40-70 years depending on gauge and coating	Sheds snow and ice fast off the smooth panel surface; snow guards are typically needed over entries and walkways

CertainTeed Landmark Shingles

CertainTeed's Landmark line is one of the architectural asphalt shingles we install regularly — a dimensional, laminated shingle with algae-resistant granules and a wind and limited-lifetime warranty backing it, per CertainTeed's published product specs.

Sources: CertainTeed Landmark shingles

Brand names and logos are trademarks of their respective owners, shown only to identify the products discussed. Cardinal Exteriors is an independent contractor and is not affiliated with or endorsed by these manufacturers.

Roof Replacement: frequently asked questions

Roof Replacement by town

All 38 towns we serve

Each town page covers how that town's houses, weather and permitting shape the job. See every town on our service areas page.

Google reviews

What Greater Portland homeowners say

John Nueslein
December 2025 · Google
CARDINAL EXTERIORS re-shingled my roof. Bob Proved to be Knowledgeable and Trustworthy. He was responsive to my questions and took the time to explain the materials being used and the steps they were taking to weatherproof the roof of my home. The work crew was polite and they cleaned up the job site at the end of each work day.
Andrew Mountcastle
May 2026 · Google
We hired Cardinal Exteriors to reside our house and install all new windows, and it was a terrific experience from start to finish! Bob was one of the very best contractors we've ever worked with (and we've worked with many over the years). He was extremely responsive, helpful, respectful of wishes and concerns, and never pressured us in any way.
Steve Kelley
October 2025 · Google
Bob @ Cardinal Exteriors replace 26 windows and resided our office building in Westbrook in 2025. Being in the construction business, we understand how proposals sometimes come with change orders and surprises if not outlined up front. Bob and his team finished our job on schedule and actually below budget.

Get a free roof replacement estimate

Tell us about the house and what you want changed. One of the owners will call to set up a visit, measure, and write a fixed-price proposal. No pressure, no obligation.

Need it today?Call Mike (207) 408-5388

or Bob at (207) 252-0759

More ways we can help

Google reviews

Service Areas

We bring the same fixed-price estimates to nearby towns, such as…

Company

You can also visit…

All Services Service Areas Projects Blog About Us Contact

Services

Cardinal Exteriors handles the full range of exterior work, including…

Siding Overview Windows Overview Roofing Overview Decks Overview Siding Replacement Vinyl Siding Fiber Cement Siding Cedar Siding Window Replacement Bay & Picture Windows Asphalt Shingle Roofing Metal Roofing Deck Builder Composite Decks Deck Replacement