- Complimentary Inspections
- Family Owned and Operated
- 20+ Years Experience
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New roofs for Columbia homes
Replacing a roof is a big decision, and most homeowners make it only once or twice. Lake Murray Construction is a family owned roofer based at 230 Joe Free Rd in Chapin, with more than 20 years on Midlands roofs, and new roofs for Columbia homes are a large part of our work. Before anything is decided, you get a complimentary roof inspection, photos of what we found and a written estimate.
Not every tired roof needs replacing. If a repair will keep yours in service for years, we say so and explain why. When a new roof is the right call, we install asphalt shingle roofs only, and there is more about the work on our roof replacement service page. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, at (803) 708-6628.
- Complimentary roof inspection with photos
- Written estimate before any work begins
- Full tear off down to the roof deck
- Asphalt shingle roofs only
- Storm damage documented for your insurer
- Yard cleaned and swept for nails
Get a fast, no obligation estimate from our team.
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What Our Customers Say
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Get a Free EstimateWhy Columbia homeowners pick Lake Murray Construction for a new roof
Family Owned, 20+ Years
A family owned company based in Chapin, with more than 20 years of new roofs in Columbia and across the Midlands.
Down to the Deck
We strip the old roofing to the deck, so the new shingles go on a clean, sound surface instead of over hidden problems.
Built for Midlands Weather
Asphalt shingle roofs in a wide range of colors and profiles, installed to stand up to Columbia heat and summer storms.
Ready for the Insurance Claim
When a storm is behind the replacement, we photograph and write up the damage for your insurer and replace the roof once the claim is settled.
How a Columbia roof replacement works
- 1
Schedule the Inspection
Call or send the form, and we set a time for your complimentary inspection and estimate.
- 2
Inspect the Roof
We look over the roof closely for cracked or missing shingles, failed seals and the other surface problems that turn into bigger ones.
- 3
Report and Recommendation
You get a report covering what we found, the condition of the roof and the work we recommend.
- 4
Replace the Roof
Once you approve the plan, our crew does the work quickly and keeps the disruption to your home as small as we can.
- 5
Final Walk Through
We walk the finished job for a final inspection and make sure you are satisfied before it is closed.
Signs a Columbia roof needs replacing
A repair fixes one spot. These signs point to a roof that is wearing out as a whole.
Patches that keep coming
New leaks or failures keep turning up in new places, which means the shingles themselves are worn.
Curled or cracked shingles
Edges curling up or surfaces cracking across large areas show shingles that have lost their flexibility.
Grit in the gutters
Granules washing into the gutters, and shingles that look smooth and dark, mean the protective layer has worn away.
Several leaks at once
A single leak can be repaired. Leaks in several places at once usually mean the roof is failing.
A soft or sagging deck
A dip in the roofline or a spongy step underfoot means water has reached the wood.
Light in the attic
If you can see daylight through the roof boards, rain can come through too.
Wide storm damage
When wind or fallen limbs damage several slopes, a new roof is often the sounder choice.
Around 20 years old
Most asphalt shingle roofs in our climate near the end of their service life after about 20 years.
Permits for a new roof in Columbia
Inside the city
A City of Columbia roofing permit application goes to Planning and Development Services at the Development Center, 1136 Washington Street.
What the city form asks
It asks for the contractor's South Carolina license number, the value of the job and whether the home sits in a flood hazard area, and it lists tear off and reroof as a job type of its own.
Richland County permits
Richland County Building Permitting and Inspections issues permits for repair, reconstruction and alteration work, and owners can call (803) 576-2140 to find out whether a project needs one.
Contractor applications
Licensed contractors apply for county permits through the county's online contractor program.
Next day inspections
Richland County residential inspections take place the business day after they are scheduled.
Check the license
South Carolina's Residential Builders Commission licenses residential builders and specialty contractors, and its licensee lookup lets you search by name, license number, city or company.
The building code for a new roof in Columbia
Which code applies
South Carolina's cities and counties all enforce the codes adopted by the Building Codes Council. For houses that means the 2021 South Carolina Residential Code, in effect since January 1, 2023, with the 2024 edition set to replace it on January 1, 2027.
Two layers at most
Under Chapter 9, a replacement strips the existing roofing down to the deck, and no new layer may go on a roof that already carries two.
Slope and underlayment
Asphalt shingles are allowed only on slopes of 2 in 12 or steeper, and from 2 in 12 up to 4 in 12 the underlayment must be doubled.
Fastening and edges
Every strip shingle gets at least four nails, a drip edge is required along the eaves and rakes, and the shingles must pass the ASTM D7158 wind test.
Columbia heat, rain and storms
Columbia summers are rough on shingles. The National Weather Service office in Columbia records about 81 days a year at 90 degrees or hotter at Columbia Metropolitan Airport, and its 1991 to 2020 normals put yearly rainfall at 45.24 inches, with June, July and August the wettest months. Strong sun dries shingles and loosens their granules, and the humid summers feed the dark algae streaks seen on so many Midlands roofs.
Storms add wind on top of that. The office issues most of its severe weather warnings between April and July, and a microburst on August 15, 2023 produced an 88 mph gust at the airport, its highest on record. On March 15, 2008, storms across the Midlands brought several reports of golf ball size hail. Gusts like those lift shingles and pull flashing loose, which is why the quality of the installation matters more here than the brand of shingle.
Replacement day and storm claims
On most single family homes, the old roof comes off and the new one goes on in one or two days, weather permitting. Bigger or steeper roofs take longer, and you have the schedule before we start. You are welcome to stay home. Expect noise, and take fragile things off the walls and shelves upstairs, because the hammering carries. When the shingles are on, the crew cleans up, runs a magnet over the yard for nails and walks the job for a final inspection.
If a storm caused the damage, good records make the claim easier. Our report includes photos and a written description of the damage, the two things insurers ask for. The South Carolina Department of Insurance claims guide expects temporary repairs that prevent more damage, so keep every receipt, and it warns against signing a repair or replacement contract before your adjuster agrees on the scope.
Serving Columbia and the Midlands
We repair and replace roofs across the area, including
Every job starts with a complimentary roof inspection.
Columbia roof replacement questions
How long will my roof replacement take?
One to two days for most single family homes, weather permitting. Large, steep or complex roofs take longer, and rain can push the schedule.
Do I need a permit for a new roof in Columbia?
Inside city limits, the City of Columbia has its own roofing permit application, filed at the Development Center on Washington Street. In Richland County, call Building Permitting and Inspections at (803) 576-2140 to ask whether your project needs one. We can tell you what applies to your address at the estimate.
Is a repair enough, or do I need a new roof?
If the damage is limited to one area and the roof still has life in it, a repair usually makes sense. If the roof is near the end of its life, the damage is spread out or the same spots keep failing, replacement is the sounder choice. The inspection photos show you the reason either way.
What drives the price of a new roof?
The size and steepness of the roof, how high it is, the shingle you choose, how many old layers come off, any decking that needs replacing and how easy the roof is to reach. Your written estimate is complimentary and yours to keep.
Does homeowners insurance cover a new roof?
That depends on your policy and on the cause. Sudden damage from wind or a falling limb is often covered, while a roof that has simply aged out usually is not. Your insurer decides, and our photos and report give you what the claim needs.
What kind of roof do you install?
Asphalt shingle roofs only, in a range of colors and profiles.
Is the roof inspection free?
Yes. Every replacement starts with a complimentary inspection, photos of what we found and a written estimate.
Still have questions? Call (803) 708-6628 or request your complimentary estimate.
Ready for a Roof You Can Count On?
Reach out today for a complimentary roof inspection and estimate.