Preparing Your Home for a Roof Replacement

Early planning is vital to keeping your roofing replacement project on track. Aside from the basics (preparing a roof replacement budget, vetting contractors, and doing your research on roofing materials suited to the local climate) what are the things you need to do before construction starts?

Kingdom Roofing, your trusted roofer, lists them below:

Protecting Your Lawn and Exterior

Your roofing contractor will take all the necessary precautions to protect your lawn. But there are several other things you can do to protect your lawn.

These are:

• Clearing your driveway – Park your vehicles away from your home to free up space for contractors’ equipment and keep them from getting damaged by falling construction debris.

• Removing outdoor furniture from your lawn- Store outdoor furniture in a shed to protect them from falling nails and shingles.

• Trim your lawn – Tall grass might hide some of the nails that fell onto your lawn. Trimming your lawn before the start of roof replacement project will help contractors quickly find and remove construction debris hidden behind the grass.

• Cover flowerbeds with a tarp – Cover your flowerbeds with a tarp to protect them from falling construction debris.

• Mark fragile trees and sprinklers – If you have fragile trees or plants in your garden, mark them with orange tape. This is to indicate to contractors that these plants need extra care and that they need to be careful when working near them. We also recommend marking sprinklers to make sure your roofers don’t trip over them.

• Secure your windows – Falling debris can scratch the window panes. However, you shouldn’t worry too much about your windows getting damaged. That’s because it’s usually standard practice for contractors to place wooden boards over your windows to protect them.

Protecting Your Belongings

• Remove picture frames and other wall decors – Expect your walls to shake a lot during the roof installation. To prevent picture frames and wall decor from getting damaged, store them in a safe place away from your walls.

• Cover furniture in your attic with a tarp – If you’re going to store your valuables in your attic, make sure to cover them with a tarp. The attic usually collects a lot of dust during a roof replacement.

Minimizing Disruption

• Have your pets stay in alternative accommodation – Construction noise is stressful for pets. That’s why it would be best if they stayed at a friend’s place until your roofing project is finished.

• Set ground rules with your children – Equipment and construction debris pose a significant safety risk. That’s why it’s important to set some ground rules with your kids before the start of your roofing project. Designate certain areas around your home as off-limits and remind them to avoid playing until after the roofing project is done. However, it would be best if your kids stayed at grandma’s or a friend’s house for the entire duration of the roofing project.

• Inform your neighbors about your roof replacement project – Construction may also disrupt your neighbor’s routine. According to a study, 29 percent of Americans cite noise—which is an inevitability if you’re renovating your home—as the biggest pain point with neighbors. That’s why you should give them a heads-up about your roofing project.

Keeping Your Neighbors Happy During a Roof Replacement

Here are some tips on minimizing disruptions to your neighbors’ routines:

• Share details about your project timeline – These details are the start date for and the duration of your roofing replacement project and the contractors’ work schedule.

• Keep them updated about your roofing project’s progress – Keep your neighbors updated about the progress of your roofing project as well as any developments that may affect them.

• Inform your neighbors about any weekend work. If weekend work can’t be avoided, it would be a good idea to send your neighbors a note apologizing for the disruption and explaining why  construction work on a weekend is necessary.

Clarify the Scope of Your Roofer’s Responsibilities

Don’t forget to clarify the scope of your roofer’s responsibilities during your initial consultation. Here are some of the things you should discuss with your roofer:

• Required work permits – In addition to the clean-up of construction debris, it’s usually standard practice for contractors to handle the work permits. However, it would still be a good idea to clarify this crucial detail with your roofer.

Here’s a pro-tip: To learn more about the different work permit requirements, it’s best to consult a local roofing contractor. Since they’re more familiar with local building codes, they can make better recommendations.

• Project timeline and deadlines for the deliverables – Keep in mind that, at this stage, this is just a projected timeline.

• Contingency plans – The Sunshine State is known for its sunny, tropical climate, but you can never rule out the risk of weather-related delays. That’s why it’s important to discuss your contingency plans with your roofer. For instance, a standard contingency plan for rain would be to cover the exposed roof sheathing with a tarp and wait for the weather to clear up. This is to keep rain from drenching your new roof’s decking, barriers, OSB boards, and felt—all of which are susceptible to moisture damage—and prevent accidental slips on the roof’s wet surface. In general, however, you shouldn’t worry too much about weather-related delays if you vetted your contractor. A professional contractor should know what to do in the event of weather-related delays.

• Roofing materials to be used – No matter how durable your new roof is, it won’t last long if it’s made of roofing materials that aren’t suited to your local climate. Remember: There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach in home improvement projects, and roof replacement projects are no exception.

 

Vetting Contractors

One more thing: Always vet a roofer before hiring them to make sure they’re qualified for the job. Here are some vetting tips:

• Hire local – To quickly narrow down your options, focus your search on contractors near your area.

• Check their online reviews – Online reviews should give you an idea of the level of service you can expect from a contractor. However, keep in mind that a few negative reviews aren’t necessarily a red flag. Miscommunication happens sometimes, after all. In cases such as these, what you need to focus on is the company’s response to online complaints. Did they take the time to respond to customers’ online complaints? And if so, did they do it in a professional manner?

• Check their certifications – Certifications are proof a roof repair services contractor has undergone vetting and professional training. They’re essentially a vote of confidence from the manufacturer or independent non-profit that issued them.

Why Hire GAF® Master Elite® Contractors?  

GAF®—one of the most trusted names in the roofing industry—offers the Master Elite® certification to contractors who are properly licensed, adequately insured, committed to ongoing professional training, and have a solid business reputation in their local community. The requirements are so stringent that only two percent of contractors in the entire country qualify. And based on a survey of over 28,000 property owners in the U.S. served by GAF factory-certified contractors, an overwhelming 93% of the property owners surveyed said they would recommend their GAF Master Elite Contractor to others. As such, you can rest easy knowing you can always expect a high level of service from a Master Elite roofer.

Looking for roofers near you?

Kingdom Roofing, a GAF Master Elite contractor, offers a wide range of professional services, including roof repair services. To get a free inspection and estimate, call us at (941) 217-2411 or fill out this form.