A roofing order can look ready at first. The contractor has a date in mind, the homeowner has picked a colour, and someone has the measurements.
Then the rest of the questions come up. What about the starter shingles? Are the ridge caps included? How much underlayment is needed? Will the whole order be available when the crew is ready?
That is where a little planning helps. If your roofing project is already moving forward, here is what to sort out before ordering the roofing shingles and the rest of the materials.
Start With What the Installer Actually Needs
Before placing the order, make sure the product choice and material list line up with the contractor's plan.
Ask which shingle they intend to use, what supporting products they have specified and when everything needs to be on-site. If you are managing a smaller project yourself, the same rule applies: settle the roof details and product requirements before buying based on a rough count.
The installation date and material order should be planned together. A preferred colour may be available, but perhaps not in the full quantity needed on short notice. Checking early leaves room to adjust without moving the entire job.
Bring Roof Measurements, Not Just the Size of the House
The square footage of the home is not enough to calculate the roof.
A 1,500-square-foot home may have a much larger roof once you account for the pitch, overhangs, garage, porch or additions. Hips, valleys and dormers also affect the number of cuts and the amount of material needed.
Roofers commonly measure shingles using a roofing square, which represents 100 square feet of roof surface. The number of bundles needed for each square depends on the specific product.
A contractor's takeoff or professional roof measurement is the best starting point. It should account for the actual roof shape, not just the home's footprint.
It should also include an allowance for cuts and waste. A simple gable roof and a roof with several hips and valleys will not use material in the same way, so there is no single waste percentage that suits every job.
Choose the Exact Shingle and Colour
Once the measurements are in place, narrow down the shingle itself.
Handley Lumber carries GAF asphalt shingles, including Timberline HDZ architectural shingles in a range of colours. These layered shingles create more depth across the roof than a flat three-tab style.
Online photos are useful for making a shortlist. Before settling on the final colour, look at a physical sample outside if possible. A shade can look different across a full roof than it does on a phone screen or a small printed swatch.
Write down the complete product and colour name. "Dark grey" may make sense in conversation, but it is not enough information for an order.
The exact choice matters for availability. It also helps make sure the starter and ridge cap products are compatible with the selected shingle and that the visible pieces work together.
Check the Whole Roofing Materials List
The shingles cover most of the roof, but they are only one part of the order.
Before calling the list complete, check these main groups:
- Field shingles: The main shingles covering the roof surface. Confirm the product, colour and number of bundles.
- Starter shingles: These run along the eaves and rake edges beneath the first course. Handley carries GAF WeatherBlocker starter shingles alongside the Timberline HDZ line.
- Ridge cap shingles: These finish the hips and ridges where roof planes meet. GAF TimberTex caps are available in colours made to complement Timberline HDZ shingles, and their quantity is calculated separately from the field shingles.
- Roof underlayment and leak protection: These products sit beneath the shingles and add protection over the roof deck and in vulnerable areas.
- Roof flashing, vents and related accessories: Flashing is used around walls, chimneys, valleys, pipes and other transitions. The list may also include vents, fasteners and compatible sealants.
Sometimes damaged plywood or OSB is only discovered after the old roof comes off. Ask the contractor how replacement sheathing will be handled if they uncover soft or deteriorated areas.
Not every component needs to be replaced on every project. The point is to ask before the order is placed, rather than find out what is missing after the work has started.
You can view the main product categories in Handley's roofing materials collection.
Check Availability as One Complete Order
When you ask about availability, check more than the main shingle colour.
Make sure the required quantity, starter shingles, matching ridge caps, underlayment and other accessories can all be coordinated with the installation date. One missing component can still hold up the job even when the field shingles are ready.
Then decide whether the order will be picked up or delivered.
For delivery, share anything that may affect access to the property. A narrow cottage lane, tight driveway, soft ground or limited turning space can change where the materials can be dropped.
Handley Lumber offers local delivery across Fenelon Falls, Kawartha Lakes and surrounding areas. Giving the team the site details ahead of time makes it easier to plan the delivery around the property and the contractor's schedule.
Bring Us the Details You Have
You do not need a perfectly prepared file before speaking with the Handley team.
Bring your contractor's material list or roof measurements, the preferred shingle and colour, the expected installation date and the delivery address if needed. A marked-up sketch, a roof report or a clear set of project notes can all give us a useful place to start.
Planning roofing work in Fenelon Falls, Bobcaygeon, Lindsay, Kinmount or elsewhere in Kawartha Lakes? Bring your project details to Handley Lumber. We can help you check product availability and arrange pickup or local delivery before the work begins.
Browse Roofing Materials or contact Handley Lumber to start planning your order.
— The Handley Lumber Team
