Lessons Learned from a Replacement Roof Install
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A replacement roof install is a major home purchase most homeowners will have to make, unlike remodels and upgrades, which are optional. It also does not happen that often, which means, as consumers we are generally at a disadvantage. Here is our lessons learned from our experiences to help you prepare for yours–and for us to refresh our memory before our next one.
Consider your pet’s needs.
Think about moving them for the day. Board your dog. Take your cat to a friend’s house. Even the nicest quiet dog will go nuts with all the noise.
Take interior damage control seriously.
With tear off and pounding the new roof materials your walls will shake. Take down items hanging off the walls and valuables off unsecured surfaces. If your house has full sheathing and is on a slab foundation the shaking is minimal, but if there are any irreplaceable items consider moving them anyway as a precaution.
We even had some crown molding pop off the walls.
Expect dirt and debris.
A secondary effect of the pounding is dust and debris coming out of vents, fans, lighting, or anything above the floor. Plan on some serious cleaning inside your home after the fact.
Consider upgrades for a higher quality roof.
Don’t leave it to a roofing company to upsell you on finishes. We requested the following two upgrades during the bidding process.
Ice and water barrier is a peel and stick underlayment that attaches directly to the decking surface. If shingles are ripped off during a windstorm, peel and stick stays on the roof. It is cheap physical insurance (in our case $300 for an entire 1,200 square foot house). I call it peace of mind.
Do you have a crappy old opaque plastic dome skylight Not only does it leak energy like a sieve, but it also looks terrible. There are some amazing glass skylights that not only look great, but also have much better insulating properties. Why would you want a 1971 flame throwing Ford Pinto when you can have the latest Lamborghini for just a little more (totally ignoring the difference in insurance between those vehicles)? Check out Velux skylights.
I’d call this an upgrade.
Scheduling may change.
Be ready for a sudden change in plans. During my first roof replacement there was an unexpected rainstorm the night after tearoff. The decking needed an extra day to dry. In our second roofing experience, the roofers were delayed a day due to rain. However, they ended up showing up a day early due to another project moving later in the week.
Another reason for delay is if you find a lot of damage underneath the shingles and tar paper. What if the shingles are hiding a massive problem and all the decking needs to get replaced? You’re definitely looking at an additional day of work. If the crew themselves do not do that kind of work you have to wait for a carpenter to show up on the scene. That could take any number of days if it’s the busy season and their schedule is already full.
Get all measurements and agreements set during the bidding process.
If you are in charge of buying something, such as a skylight, have the estimating roofer state exactly what is needed during the bidding process, have the size and kind of skylight measured DURING the estimate visit. That way you don’t have to worry about a follow up. You just order the skylight right away and have it on hand when they show up, even if it is a day or even a week early.
Do not leave.
If any issues come up you should be on site to see them for yourself.
Maybe you don’t want to go on the roof. Have a friend go up in your place. Buy them a pack of beer for every trip up the ladder–it’s worth it!
Pick up a hammer and get involved.
#1 You intimately know what’s going on up there.
#2 Respect. You get the crew on your side.
#3 They know you give a shit and work harder for you on this roof.
If there are issues do you think you’ll get as much pushback? No. Your butt is out there working alongside making it happen (and getting smaller).
Now you are better prepared.
Use these key points and get the most from your replacement roof install BEFORE the first old shingle is ripped off.
Good luck!
Knowledge is power. Check out the following two posts for to amp up your roofing knowledge:
