Project Spotlight
Mobile Home Roof Rebuild in Harlingen, Texas
Richard H. had been living with small leaks in his Harlingen mobile home for years. Other contractors had patched it. None of them found the real problem. Here is what Texas Contractors, Inc. found, and how it was fixed for good.
- Customer
- Richard H.
- Location
- Harlingen, Texas
- Home
- 1980s single wide mobile home
- Work
- Roof structure rebuild, pitch raised from 2 on 12 to 4 on 12, new CertainTeed roof system, new interior ceilings, new trim
- Time
- About 8 working days
- Permit
- City of Harlingen, plus engineer inspection
- Completed
- 2026
The Problem
Richard noticed water spots running down his bathroom walls, and over time the ceiling in his kitchen and living room sank in. Outside, the roofline sagged, with deep dips along both sides of the home. There was no way for him to get on the roof and see what was going on, and the leaks were slow enough that it took years for the damage to show.
Why the Patches Never Worked
Richard had already paid others to patch the roof and look at it. The trouble was that the real problem was not on the surface. It was just below it, along all the edges of the home, where a roof put on a few years earlier had been installed wrong. Patching the top could never fix what was happening underneath.
What the Crew Found
To find the cause, the crew tore the roof down to the bare framing. Once it was open, the damage was clear. There was rotted wood throughout, mold, and soaked insulation and drywall. The original roof was a very flat 2 on 12 pitch, too flat to shed the heavy Valley rains, so water sat and worked its way into the home from the top down.
The Fix
The crew removed all the rotted material and rebuilt the roof structure. Instead of putting back the same flat roof, we built a new 2x8 ridge header and braced the new framing with 2x6 lumber, using the Simpson Strong Tie metal connectors the job required. That doubled the pitch, from 2 on 12 to 4 on 12, so rain runs off the way it should.
The new roof is a complete CertainTeed system. The underlayment, starter strip, Landmark shingles and ridge cap all came from CertainTeed, so the roof could be registered for a CertainTeed SureStart PLUS 3 Star warranty. Richard has that warranty registered in his name.
Inside, the old mobile home ceiling panels came down and were replaced with new drywall, painted and finished. Outside, the worn aluminum soffit and fascia were replaced with durable smart trim and painted to match.
Permits, the Engineer and the Insurance
Harlingen requires a permit for this kind of work, and Richard's insurance needed an engineer to inspect and certify the roof. Skip either step and a homeowner can run into serious trouble with their insurance company later. We did the legwork, pulled the permit through the City of Harlingen, and connected Richard with the engineer. Richard paid the city and the engineer directly, so every fee was out in the open.
The Result
The job took about two weeks on the calendar, with a few days lost to bad weather, and about 8 solid working days. Since then the roof has been through more than a week of steady rain without a leak. And as with every job we do, Richard paid nothing until the work was complete.
Why Richard Chose Us
Richard got estimates from four contractors. He told us it was not the cheapest. He chose us because we were the only ones who showed him, layer by layer, with drawings, exactly how the roof would be torn down and rebuilt and what materials would be used. We were also the only ones who told him up front that the city requires a permit and that his insurance would need an engineer's certification. In his words, it was the most thorough, and the job shows it.
Seeing the Same Signs in Your Mobile Home?
- Water spots on walls or ceilings
- A ceiling that sags or feels soft
- A roofline that dips along the edges
- Leaks that come back after a patch
These are often signs of trouble under the surface. We inspect mobile home roofs across the Valley and show you exactly what is going on. Learn more about mobile home roofing, or see the Harlingen service area.
Se habla español.
Mobile Home Roof Questions
Why raise the pitch on a mobile home roof?
Many older mobile homes have very flat roofs, like the 2 on 12 pitch on this home. Water drains slowly off a flat roof and has more time to sit and find its way in. Raising this roof to 4 on 12 helps rain run off faster, which is what stopped the leaks.
Does a mobile home roof rebuild need a permit in Harlingen?
On this project, yes. The City of Harlingen required a permit, and the homeowner's insurance needed an engineer to inspect and certify the roof. Requirements depend on the job, so we check them before any work starts.
What is included in a CertainTeed roof system?
On this project, every layer came from CertainTeed, including the underlayment, the starter strip, the Landmark shingles and the ridge cap. Using a full system of matching CertainTeed parts allowed the roof to be registered for a CertainTeed SureStart PLUS 3 Star warranty. Coverage and terms are set by CertainTeed, and restrictions apply.
How long did this mobile home roof rebuild take?
About 8 working days, or roughly two weeks on the calendar, with a few days lost to bad weather. Every home is different, and the time depends on how much damage is found once the roof is opened up. We give you a time estimate before work starts.
Do you offer financing?
Yes. We offer financing through third party lenders, HFS Financial and Synchrony. Checking if you prequalify is free, takes a couple of minutes, and uses a soft credit check, so it does not affect your credit score. Financing is subject to credit approval. The lender decides approval, rates, and terms based on your credit and other factors, and we do not set or guarantee them. Cash or financed, no deposit is needed, and you pay nothing until the job is done and you are satisfied.
Do you accept credit cards?
Yes. We accept all major credit cards. A flat 1.75% card fee is added to credit card payments to cover processing costs. There is no fee for cash, check, or debit card. Card payments are made when the job is done, and no deposit is needed.
No deposit. You pay when the job is done.
Plenty of contractors want a deposit before the first shingle goes on. We don't. The job gets done first, and you pay when it is finished.