Yeah, learned the hard way about mixing brands when I replaced part of my roof last year. Saved maybe a couple hundred bucks, but when I had a minor leak, the warranty was pretty much useless. Also underestimated the cost of all that “small stuff”—paid extra later to redo some flashing that wasn’t up to code. The starter strip thing is real too… wind peeled off a whole section after a storm and it was a mess. At this point, I’d rather pay a bit more upfront than deal with headaches later. Still can’t believe how fast those little corners add up on the bill, though.
Mixing brands bit me too—thought I was being clever saving a few bucks, but when the inspector flagged my mismatched underlayment and shingles, it turned into a “fun” afternoon of redoing half the work. If you’re budgeting for CertainTeed, here’s what I wish I’d known:
1. Don’t skimp on the starter strip. I figured “how important could that be?” Turns out, very. Wind got under mine and I spent a Saturday chasing shingles down the street.
2. Flashing and drip edge—those little metal bits are sneaky expensive, and if you try to reuse old ones, you’ll probably regret it. Ask me how I know.
3. Nails, sealant, ridge cap, even those plastic roof vents... they all add up. I swear my receipts looked like a CVS printout by the end.
4. Warranty only counts if you use their whole “system.” Mixing in off-brand felt or nails? They’ll find it if you ever need to file a claim.
If I did it again, I’d just budget an extra 15% for “surprises.” It’s never just shingles and labor, unfortunately.
Warranty only counts if you use their whole “system.” Mixing in off-brand felt or nails? They’ll find it if you ever need to file a claim.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually seen CertainTeed honor claims even when the underlayment wasn’t their brand—as long as it met code and was installed right. Inspectors can be picky, but sometimes it’s more about the install than the label. That said, I wouldn’t risk it with fasteners or starter strips. Those seem to be the first things they check after a storm rolls through.
That’s been my experience too—CertainTeed can be reasonable if the install is solid and you’re not cutting corners on the important stuff. I get nervous about swapping out their starter strips or fasteners, though. A neighbor of mine tried to save a few bucks with generic nails and ended up in a mess after a hailstorm. The inspector zeroed in on that right away.
For underlayment, I’ve used synthetic (not their brand) on one section and it passed inspection just fine, but I made sure it was up to code and installed by the book. It’s tempting to shave costs here and there, but with warranties, they’ll always look for an “out” if something goes wrong. My two cents: splurge on the parts they’re picky about, especially anything that’s visible or critical for wind resistance.
Budgeting this stuff is tough—I thought I’d save more by mixing brands, but in the end, peace of mind was worth a little extra. At least you won’t be second-guessing every time there’s a storm warning...
I get where you’re coming from about sticking with CertainTeed-branded parts, but I’ll admit I’ve mixed and matched more than once—especially with underlayment and fasteners. On my last project, I used a generic synthetic underlayment (just made sure it met ASTM standards) and stainless nails from the local hardware store. Passed inspection, and after two Midwest windstorms, nothing’s budged. I do think CertainTeed likes to make folks nervous about their warranty, but if you follow code and document what you use, it’s not always a dealbreaker. Just my take—sometimes the “approved” stuff is marked up way more than it’s worth.
