Full Roof Tear-Off and Replacement Brings New Life to a Historic Janesville, WI Farmhouse

Old farmhouses have character, but that character comes with decades of wear — and this two-story home in Janesville, WI was overdue for a new roof. The original shingles had reached the end of their service life, so AR Exteriors brought in a full crew for a complete tear-off and replacement, stripping the roof down to bare decking before building it back up right.

The Challenge: Decades of Wear on an Older Roof

A roof this age often hides problems that only show up once the old shingles come off — soft decking, old flashing, and years of exposure that a simple overlay or spot repair can't fix. Rather than layer new shingles over old problems, the homeowners chose a full residential roofing replacement to start clean and get a roof built to last another few decades.

The Solution: A Full Tear-Off Down to the Decking

Our crew worked section by section, stripping the old shingles off the main roof and porch roofline down to the plywood decking so every square foot could be inspected and prepped before anything new went on. That's the difference between a true replacement and a quick cover-up: a tear-off lets us catch and address any decking or structural issues before they're sealed under a new roof for the next 20-plus years.

With the decking prepped, our team moved into installing new shingle roofing using quality materials built to handle Wisconsin's temperature swings, wind, and snow load. On a farmhouse roofline like this one, with multiple gables and a wraparound porch roof, getting clean tie-ins and consistent coverage across every plane takes real experience — not just speed.

Why a Full Tear-Off Matters for Older Homes

For homes with an original or aging roof, skipping the tear-off step might save time up front, but it also means burying whatever damage is hiding underneath. We see this a lot on older Rock County homes, and it's part of why we recommend a full inspection before deciding between a repair and a replacement — our post on why regular roof inspections matter in Rock County covers what to look for. And if your roof took a hit from a recent storm rather than just age, our guide on protecting against hail damage walks through inspection and repair options.

Serving Janesville and Southern Wisconsin

AR Exteriors has been giving Janesville-area homes new roofs, siding, gutters, and more for years — no project too old or too weathered. If your roof is showing its age, contact us today for a free inspection and estimate.