Had a similar issue myself—looked fine until we pulled shingles near the chimney flashing, then found rot underneath. Did you check if your attic insulation was affected at all? Moisture loves to hide there too...
Ran into something similar a couple years back. Roof looked decent enough from the outside, but once we peeled back a few shingles near the vent pipe, it was a soggy mess underneath. Turned out moisture had seeped into the attic insulation too—didn't even realize until I noticed a musty smell up there. Ended up replacing a good chunk of insulation along with the damaged plywood. Definitely worth checking your attic carefully, especially around vents and flashing areas. Moisture damage can be sneaky, and catching it early saves a ton of headaches later on. Good luck with the repairs...roof issues are never fun.
Had a similar experience on a renovation project a while back. From street level, the roof looked perfectly fine—just some faded shingles and typical wear. But once we got up there and started pulling things apart, it was like opening Pandora's box. Found water damage around the chimney flashing that had quietly spread into the attic framing. Ended up having to replace rafters and even some drywall inside.
Funny thing is, we only caught it because someone accidentally stepped through a soft spot in the plywood (luckily no injuries, just bruised egos). It's crazy how hidden these issues can be until you dig deeper. Makes me wonder how many other houses out there have similar hidden surprises lurking beneath the surface... Have you checked around your chimney or skylights yet? Those spots seem especially prone to sneaky leaks in my experience.
Had something similar happen when we replaced our roof about five years ago. Thought it was going to be a straightforward job—just some worn shingles—but nope. Once we peeled back the layers, we discovered a slow leak around one of the vent pipes had been quietly rotting away the plywood underneath. It wasn't even obvious from inside the attic at first glance, because insulation covered it up. Only found it because my brother-in-law leaned on it and nearly went through—managed to catch himself but scared us all pretty good.
Ended up having to replace a decent chunk of sheathing and reinforce a couple rafters that had started to deteriorate. Definitely taught me to never underestimate those small, innocent-looking spots like vents and chimneys. Now I make it a habit to check those areas at least once a year, especially after heavy storms. Might seem tedious, but catching issues early has saved me some serious headaches (and money) down the road...
"Only found it because my brother-in-law leaned on it and nearly went through—managed to catch himself but scared us all pretty good."
Yikes, glad he caught himself! Quick question though—did you end up checking the interior ceilings for water stains afterward? I've had clients who didn't notice leaks until we started painting ceilings and saw those sneaky little discolorations. Might be worth a glance if you haven't already...just to avoid any more surprise gymnastics routines from family members.
