In July 2026, Prime Roofing & Restoration replaced a hail-damaged roof on a brick home in the Ballantrae neighborhood of Pelham, Shelby County, Alabama. A May 2026 inspection documented the damage with chalk-marked hail hits and a test square, and the new roof went on July 23.
Project at a glance
- Location: Ballantrae, Pelham, Shelby County, AL
- Inspection: May 18, 2026
- Installed: July 23, 2026
- Home: Two-story brick home
- Service: storm damage roof repair
- Roof: New architectural shingles over synthetic underlayment
About Ballantrae
Ballantrae is a master-planned neighborhood in Pelham built around Ballantrae Golf Club, which is owned by the City of Pelham and opened in 2004. Shelby County tax maps show more than 900 parcels recorded under Ballantrae plat names.
About Pelham
Pelham is a city of about 24,000 people in Shelby County, on the edge of Oak Mountain. See our Pelham roofing page.
Before: what the inspection found
The challenge: proving the hail damage
Hail damage on a dark shingle can be hard to see. The inspector marked a 10 by 10 foot test square on the roof, counted the hits inside it, and circled each one in chalk. Dented roof vents backed up what the shingles showed.
With that evidence the claim moved forward, and the crew replaced the whole roof in one day in July.
What we did
- Inspected the roof and marked a hail test square on the slopes.
- Circled and photographed each hail hit and the dented vents.
- Supported the homeowner through the insurance claim.
- Tore off the old roof and checked the decking.
- Installed synthetic underlayment.
- Installed new architectural shingles and new vents.
- Cleaned up and photographed the finished roof.
During the job
The finished roof
Why these materials
Architectural (dimensional) shingles are made from two laminated layers, so they are thicker and heavier than the old flat 3-tab shingles many Birmingham-area homes started with. Prime Roofing is an Owens Corning Preferred Contractor and also installs other major brands; see our asphalt shingle roofs page for the options.
Synthetic underlayment goes over the whole deck under the shingles. It is lighter and more tear-resistant than old felt paper, it lies flat in the heat, and it gives the roof a second layer of water protection if a shingle is ever damaged.
Keeping your roof in good shape
- Check the roof from the ground after every hailstorm or strong wind. The National Weather Service office in Birmingham, which is based at the Shelby County Airport in Calera, issues the severe thunderstorm and hail warnings for this part of central Alabama.
- Keep gutters and downspouts clear, especially in fall, so water does not back up under the first row of shingles.
- Trim tree limbs back at least 6 to 10 feet from the roof. Limbs that rub the shingles wear off the granules that protect them.
- Look at pipe boots and roof vents once a year. Rubber pipe boots dry out in the Alabama sun long before the shingles do.
- If you see a ceiling stain, call right away. A small leak at a flashing is a quick fix, while wet decking left for months is not.
Frequently asked questions
It is a 10 by 10 foot area marked on each slope of the roof. The inspector counts the hail hits inside it. Insurance adjusters use the count to decide whether a slope, or the whole roof, needs replacing.
We walk the roof and circle each hail hit in chalk, usually on a 10 by 10 foot test square on every slope, and photograph the dents in vents and metal flashing. Those photos are what the insurance adjuster sees, so we take them before anything is touched.
It depends on your policy and on how much damage the adjuster finds. Prime Roofing documents the damage with photos, meets the adjuster at the house and walks the roof with them, but the decision is your insurance company’s.
Yes. Ballantrae is about 10 minutes from our Alabaster office. See our Pelham roofing services.
Planning a roof replacement in Pelham?
See our Pelham roofing services, read about storm damage roof repair, or book a free roof inspection.