The situation
The homeowner saw a water stain spreading on the ceiling. The stain, as usual, was nowhere near the actual problem. Our inspection traced the water to the roof-to-wall intersections, where the original builder-grade step flashing was underbuilt and sections of shingle had never properly sealed. This is one of the most common failure patterns we see in Columbia's newer neighborhoods: homes hitting the age where the corners the original builder cut start showing up on the ceiling.
What we did
- Full inspection, attic side included, to trace the stain back to its true entry points
- Opened the roof-to-wall intersections and pulled the failed flashing
- Rebuilt the step flashing and kick-out detail properly, with new underlayment behind it
- Re-shingled the repaired sections in matched shingles, sealed and nailed to spec
The result
The leak is solved at its source, not painted over, for about $3,700, a fraction of what this becomes if it runs another year and takes decking and drywall with it. This job is a textbook case of what our repair cost guide means when it says the visible drip is rarely the real problem, and why leak tracing is a skill worth paying for. If there's a stain growing on your ceiling, the smart money is an inspection this week, not this quarter.
The job, in photos
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