Why We Quote
Malarkey
Regular asphalt shingles have one enemy out here: heat. Season after season of sun bakes the asphalt until it dries out, goes brittle, and starts shedding granules. Malarkey attacks that problem at the recipe level. Their shingles are made with polymer-modified asphalt, basically rubberized asphalt, so the shingle stays flexible and holds onto its granules longer.
Malarkey also puts smog-reducing granules on these shingles. The granule surface helps break down airborne pollutants the way some office buildings use coated glass. I'm not going to pretend that's why you buy a roof, but it's a real feature and it says something about how the company builds their product.
The Malarkey shingle we install is Highlander Cool, their rubberized asphalt architectural shingle with cool-rated granules. Its CRRC-rated colors (Burlwood, Moonlit Black, Riverstone Grey and Willow Wood) can be used to meet California’s Title 24 cool roof requirement where a reroof calls for one, and it carries a Class 3 impact rating and a Class A fire rating.
We are a Malarkey Certified Contractor, which means Malarkey checked the license, the insurance, and the track record and trained us on their products before putting us on their list. It's one of the brands I quote most for homeowners who want a serious architectural shingle at a fair number. When I'm at your kitchen table, I'll have the actual sample boards with me so you can feel the difference in the material, not just take my word for it.
The honest version: the brand on the wrapper matters less than what goes under it. A Malarkey shingle over bad decking and old felt is still a bad roof. That's why every install we do includes the deck inspection, the underlayment, and the ventilation work, in writing.
What Every Shingle Install Includes
- Full tear-off of existing material
- Deck inspection with damaged wood repaired or replaced
- Modern synthetic or peel and stick underlayment, never old-style felt
- New drip edge and flashings
- Ridge cap shingles, not rolled roofing
- Permit and city inspection
- Cleanup and magnet sweep
- Drone photo documentation of the finished roof
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Their polymer-modified asphalt stays flexible in heat and holds granules longer than standard asphalt, which is exactly the failure mode we see most in the Inland Empire. It's one of the three brands we're certified to install, alongside Owens Corning and GAF.
Malarkey's architectural lines carry strong manufacturer warranties, and the exact coverage depends on the product, the components, and registration. Because we are a Malarkey Certified Contractor, a full Malarkey Secure Choice system from us qualifies for the enhanced system warranty Malarkey only extends through certified contractors. We go over the real warranty document at your estimate, on paper, instead of quoting you a number from a billboard.
Both are quality shingles we install regularly. The right pick comes down to your budget, the look you want, and which warranty structure fits you. We bring samples of both to the estimate and give you the same answer we'd give a family member.