Roof repair and replacement in Ankeny, IA

Roofing in Ankeny

Ankeny is a young city on the roof. Uptown Ankeny and the streets around Ankeny High School are the old core — 1950s–70s ranches and split-levels, mature trees, some on their third roof. Everything else is newer. The 1990s–2000s neighborhoods along Delaware Avenue and Oralabor Road — Briarwood, the Deer Creek area, the streets off Northeast 36th — have builder-grade architectural roofs that are 15–25 years old and at the end. Prairie Trail and the subdivisions west of I-35 are 2008–2020s: newer, but the roofs were installed at volume, often with four nails per shingle and no membrane in the valleys, and they have had no shade or windbreak since the day they went on.

Roof repair Ankeny homeowners need most often is really a storm question. The city sits at the northern edge of the metro with farmland to the north and west, so it sees the leading edge of every hail core and thunderstorm complex that crosses Polk County. The derecho crossed here with gusts that lifted seal strips across whole subdivisions.

What we see most here

• Hail bruising across west- and south-facing slopes on the 2000s roofs. If a 10x10 test square shows enough hits, the slope is a claim; if three slopes do, the roof is.
• Lifted seal strips from the derecho on roofs that otherwise look fine. Lift a shingle by hand on a windy day and it comes right up. That's a roof waiting for the next storm.
• Valley leaks on the cut-up two-stories, where the valley was laid closed-cut without membrane. Re-lay is $500–$1,200.
• Pipe boots cracked at 12–15 years on the 2005–2012 houses. $250–$450.
• Ice dams on the great-room cathedral ceilings and over garages with bonus rooms above. See ice dam repair.
• Nail pops and blistering on the roofs installed in a hurry during the building boom.

What we do here

• Roof repair — most Ankeny repairs are $300–$1,200
• Roof replacement — a typical Briarwood or Prairie Trail two-story with 24–30 squares runs $11,000–$20,000; we recommend Class 4 impact-rated shingles out here and most insurers discount for them
• Storm damage and claims — chalked test squares, a scope for your adjuster, and no deductible games
• Roof inspection — reports for the many buyers and sellers in a city that turns over this fast

Storm chasers and Ankeny

Because so many Ankeny roofs are the same age on the same streets, the city is the first stop for out-of-state crews after every hail storm. Door-knockers with a "free inspection" and a contingency agreement are not doing you a favor. Check that any roofer is registered with the Iowa Division of Labor, has a local address, and will give you a written scope before you sign. Our guide on how to tell if a roofer is legitimate in Iowa covers it.

HOAs and permits

Most Ankeny subdivisions built after 2000 have covenants on shingle color; Prairie Trail's are stricter than most. The City of Ankeny building department handles roofing permits, and we include them in our price.

Nearby

Bondurant, Polk City, Johnston, Grimes and the north side of Des Moines from the same crews. Roof repair Johnston Iowa homeowners call about is similar 2000s stock with more tree cover; Grimes is newer still. Pricing is the same as Des Moines; see the cost page.