Madison roofing that stops ice dams at the source.
Madison winters pile snow on the roof, and older homes on the Isthmus and the near west side lose enough attic heat to melt it from below, so the water refreezes at the eaves and backs up under the shingles. Buckshot is headquartered right here on North Sherman Avenue, and our own crews fix the cause, from ice barrier and ventilation to full replacement, storm claims, siding, and gutters.
Book a free Madison roof check
Ice dam, leak and storm check with a written report. Free.
Got it. We will call you.
A Buckshot project manager will reach out shortly to set your free inspection. Storm emergency? Call (608) 909-9109 now.
From ice-dam leaks to full tear-offs on Madison roofs.
Roof Replacement
Tear-off to the boards, ice barrier well past the heated wall line, and GAF Timberline HDZ or UHDZ, with most Madison homes finished in a day.
Get a quoteRoof Repair
Ice-dam leaks along outside walls, chimney and step flashing, and worn shingles. We follow the water to where it enters and fix that point.
Get a quoteHail & Storm Damage
Hail and wind damage documented for your carrier and coordinated through the claim, so covered repairs usually come down to the deductible.
Get a quoteSiding
Vinyl, insulated vinyl, and James Hardie fiber cement, from hail repairs to full upgrades on older Madison homes.
Get a quoteSeamless Gutters
Seamless 5 and 6 inch aluminum with guards and heat cable options for the icy eaves that Madison winters create.
Get a quoteAttic Ventilation
The most important ice dam fix. Air sealing plus balanced intake and exhaust keeps the roof deck cold and the snow from melting early.
Get a quoteMadison's roofer, based on the north side.
Buckshot has been roofing Madison homes since 1979, and our shop is still here on North Sherman Avenue. The people who inspect your roof live through the same winters you do. We know which older homes near downtown and in Maple Bluff tend to leak at the dormers, which newer houses out toward Middleton and Verona were built with too little attic ventilation, and what a snowy winter followed by a spring hailstorm does to a roof that was not built for either. When water starts coming in, we are a short drive away, not a call center in another state.
- GAF Master Elite certified. GAF awards it to about 2% of US roofers, and it is what allows us to register the 50-year System Plus warranty.
- Crews that work for us. The person who measures your Madison roof is the person responsible for installing it.
- Insurance, handled with you. Five carrier programs trust our documentation, and we attend the adjuster inspection in person, which many roofers skip.
- FORTIFIED, BBB A+, NRCA, WRCA, UASRC, InterNACHI, IICRC. Credentials you can look up for yourself.
- Project managers who live here. Ryan, Jayce, Jeremy, and Chad run Madison jobs, and they answer their own phones.
A warranty that survives Dane County freeze-thaw.
| Warranty | Covers | Term | Who can offer it |
|---|---|---|---|
| GAF Golden PledgeBest | Materials plus workmanship | 50 yrs materials, non-prorated | Master Elite contractors |
| GAF Standard | Manufacturing defects | 30 yrs, prorated | Most contractors |
| Buckshot Workmanship | Installation labor | In writing | Buckshot |
| Typical competitor | Labor only, varies | 5 to 10 yrs | Varies |
What a Madison roof actually costs.
When east side hail hits, from inspection to paid claim.
Roof and attic inspection
Every hit on the shingles, vents, and gutters is photographed, and we check the attic for water before a claim is opened.
Open the claim together
We organize the photos and measurements and help you start the claim with your carrier.
Adjuster meeting
We are on your Madison roof when the adjuster arrives, walking every slope so nothing is left off the scope.
ACV and RCV, explained
You will know what the carrier pays now and what it releases after the work is done.
Install, then recover depreciation
Once the roof is on, we send the final invoice so the held-back depreciation can be paid.
Two claim terms in plain English
Actual Cash Value
Your roof's value today after depreciation. It is usually the first check you receive.
Replacement Cost Value
The full cost of a comparable new roof, usually paid in two parts, with the ACV up front and the held-back depreciation after the work is invoiced.
Madison claims we handle through these carrier programs
Ice dams every winter? Let's find the cause.
Free, no-pressure inspection with photos and a written report. We will show you where heat is escaping and whether the fix is ventilation, a repair, or a new roof.
Book your free inspection
A Madison project manager will call you back.
Got it. We will call you.
A Buckshot project manager will reach out shortly to set your free inspection.
Built for Dane County winters, layer by layer.
A roof is a system, not just shingles, and Madison's freeze-thaw winters test every layer of it. Wisconsin's code (SPS 321.28) requires ice-dam protection on low-slope shingled roofs over heated space, carried at least 30 inches up from the roof edge and at least 12 inches past the inner face of the exterior wall. On Dane County tear-offs we run it to that line or past it, and the rest of the assembly goes down in the right order so snowmelt, ice, and wind have nowhere to get in.
- GAF Timberline HDZ & UHDZ with StainGuard algae resistance and LayerLock high-wind nailing. Camelot II for designer slate looks.
- Ice & water shield at eaves and valleys, the line of defense against Wisconsin ice dams.
- Synthetic underlayment, ridge cap, drip edge, and pipe boot flashing, the details that decide whether a roof lasts 12 years or 25.
- Decking inspected on bare wood before anything new goes on, so soft or rotted sheathing is caught, not buried.
Asphalt or metal in Madison?
| Factor | Architectural asphalt | Standing seam metal |
|---|---|---|
| Up-front cost | Lower | Higher (2 to 3x) |
| Real WI lifespan | 18 to 22 years | 40 to 50 years |
| Snow & ice | Good with ventilation | Excellent, sheds snow |
| Hail performance | Good, Class 4 available | Excellent, can dent cosmetically |
| Best for | Most homes, fast turnaround | Long-term owners, steep or shaded lots |
Madison and all of Dane County.
Madison neighborhoods
Dane County communities
Snow load, ice dams, hail.
Asphalt shingles sold as 25 to 30 year products usually last 18 to 22 years on a Madison house. Months of snow sit on the roof, thaw and refreeze cycles loosen fasteners, ice builds at the eaves, and summer hail bruises the mat.
Better shingles alone do not fix that. Ice barrier to code, a cold and well-vented attic, and tight flashing do, and that is the system we put on every Madison roof.
Meltwater through a Madison ceiling? We answer 24/7.
Water dripping from a frozen eave, shingles lifted after a storm, or hail overnight. A person picks up, and a crew can tarp the roof and record the damage before your claim starts.
4.7★ across 200++ reviews.
"We used Buckshot for a new roof. Very responsive, communicated well, and did a phenomenal job. You could not even tell they had been there, except that I had a new roof."
"Jeremy was great to work with. His crew did an excellent job and finished in one day. The entire team was professional and always willing to answer questions."
"My contact Steve fixed an error a previous contractor made on my soffit, and he did not charge extra. Made the whole project run quickly and smoothly. Thank you, Buckshot team."
Repair, or replace after 18 to 22 Madison winters?
- One ice-dam area or a few damaged shingles
- Roof under roughly 15 years old
- Leak traced to one chimney, boot, or valley
- Shingles still flexible in cold weather
- Decking dry at the eaves
- Hail or wind damage on several slopes
- Roof at 18 to 22 years, typical for Madison asphalt
- Ice-dam leaks returning every winter
- Soft decking along the eaves
- You want a Golden Pledge warranty on a new system
Six warning signs on a Madison roof
Heavy icicles at the eaves
Long icicles and ice ridges mean attic heat is melting snow on the roof.
Dented vents and gutters
Soft metal shows hail impacts that shingles can hide.
Missing shingles after a storm
Wind breaks the seal strip, and tabs lift or blow off.
Stains along outside walls
Ceiling stains near exterior walls after a thaw point to ice-dam backup.
Grit in the downspouts
Granules washing out mean the shingle surface is wearing thin.
Sagging soffit or fascia
Rot at the roof edge often follows years of meltwater and poor ventilation.
Our Madison shop.
Ice dams, claims & Madison roofs.
Call the Madison shop.
Ryan, Jayce, Jeremy, and Chad run jobs from North Sherman Avenue and pick up their own calls.
Call (608) 909-9109Q.01Why do I get ice dams on my Madison house every winter?
Q.02What does Wisconsin code require for ice barrier?
Q.03Do you work in my part of Madison?
Q.04How much does a new roof cost in Madison?
Q.05Is metal roofing worth it in Madison?
Q.06Will insurance pay for hail damage on my Madison roof?
Q.07What warranty can you offer?
Q.08How fast can you respond to a leak?
Q.09Do you do siding and gutters too?
Q.10How long does a Madison reroof take?
Services, credentials & nearby areas.
Services
Roof ReplacementTear-off with ice barrier to code Roof Repair
Ice-dam and flashing leaks Hail & Storm Damage
Hail claims on the east side and beyond Siding
Siding for older Madison homes Seamless Gutters
Gutters for icy eaves
Get your free Madison inspection.
A written report, photos, and a straight answer on whether your roof needs ventilation work, a repair, or replacement. Free, from a GAF Master Elite contractor based in Madison.
Buckshot General Contracting (BGC) · 621 N Sherman Ave, Suite B5, Madison, WI 53704 · WI Lic. DC-080900045 · GAF Master Elite Certified · Family-Owned Since 1979 · Mon to Sat 8AM to 5PM, Emergency 24/7 · (608) 909-9109. Pricing ranges are estimates and vary by roof size, pitch, access, material selection, and decking condition; your written estimate governs. Insurance coverage, deductibles, ACV and RCV settlements, and recoverable depreciation are determined solely by your carrier and policy; we do not guarantee any claim outcome. Material lifespans are typical ranges for the local climate, not warranties. Repair and replacement guidance for Madison homes on this page is general and is not a coverage determination. Financing provided through Service Finance Company, LLC, subject to credit approval. GAF System Plus and manufacturer warranty terms are governed by GAF's published documents and require a registered, qualifying installation.