A roof is one of the most important parts of a house, as it saves you from the adverse effects of bad weather. Hot sun, severe rain, strongest winds and even hailstorms don’t affect you just because you are under the roof. Such an important part does need to be given utmost importance when going to be constructed afresh. The durability of a roof depends upon the materials used and the mode of construction applied. The more strongly it is built, the more durable it proves.
However strong a roof may have been built, it must get worn out with the passage of time. Various types of issues arise which need to be settled down at the earliest. A time comes when the only solution left is the instant replacement of the old roof. This is not an easy task which always gets accomplished without a fuss. It always requires your full concentration and involvement to get your old roof replaced. Followings are the most important things you must consider before getting it replaced.
Get your roof inspected
The best first step will be to get it inspected thoroughly by some professional roofing company like Roofing replacement Dearborn MI, etc. They people will guide you technically if a partial or full roof replacement is required. Do ponder upon their analysis and the final advice and manage the things accordingly. Ignoring the advice of the professionals or trying to apply your own mumbo jumbo ideas will do you no good.
Determine your actual target
Before you proceed any further, you must decide within yourself what style of a roof you actually want to see prepared. The final shape and the colour are the chief-most areas to be decided so that you may consult with the contractor and buy the materials accordingly. It will also guide you a lot about the final cost of your project.
Choose the right contractor
This is the second most crucial decision you will have to make to get the job rightly done. Only the right kind of contractor with his positive experience can guide you through every step. He has the right kind of skills to accomplish the task up to the mark. The best way to find such a contractor is to visit round your locality and see which roofs you like best. Then try to approach the contractors who built them and negotiate with them about your requirements. Another clicking way to find the right contractor is to check out a variety of online resources. Yelp, Google, etc. may guide you a lot in this regard. But, be sure not to compromise with any sub-standard company or contractor without any license, insurance and accreditations.
Decide about the material
Constructing or replacing a roof is a task to be undertaken once in decades. It shows two facts. You may not be aware of the current trends in roofing, as they must have changed over the years now. Second, the selected material must have to last for decades at least. So, you must be well vigilant regarding the stylish latest trends and the material you want to finalize. The standard asphalt roof or clay tiles have got replaced by the composite roofing materials. These are available in three main styles: Shake, Slate or Spanish Tiles. The most satisfactory aspect regarding this is that the synthetic materials last longer than the traditional ones. Moreover, warranties lasting up to 50 years are also offered along with as a plus point.
Calculate the estimated cost
This is never going to be a cheap project. The overall cost can be broken down into three categories which can go up and down depending upon your choices.
- Materials: Shingles, underlayment, drip edge, flashing, protective coatings, etc.
- Labour: Skilled workers who tear off your old roof and install the new one.
- Disposal: Recycling or trashing of roofing materials after they are removed.
The traditional asphalt material costs you around $5.0 per square foot whereas metals, tiles, slate, etc. cost you around $10 per square foot. Roofing materials are, undoubtedly, very expensive but what really raises the cost is the professional installation. The more complicated a roof is, the more it costs on both the material and the labour.
You can reduce the cost by:
- Doing your homework.
- Getting quotes from several roofers and deciding after a wise comparative analysis.
- Timing it right.
- Using your insurance.
- Doing some of the work yourself.
- Considering an overlay.
Decide between layering VS stripping old material
Layering goes well if there are only a few damaged spots on your roof. Otherwise, it is safer to strip the old roof if it is exposed to major rain, hail or ice. Stripping the old material is preferable, as it fixes all problematic areas in the roof before they get covered once again.
Always think long term
Asphalt or traditional materials may cost you cheaper, but they last for 20 years at the maximum. Roofs built from the tiles made of synthetic materials may prove costlier but last for about 50+ years. So, the composite materials are the best choice to go with if they are within your affordability.
Do consider the types of warranties
Usually, two types of warranties are offered: a 20-year warranty for the traditional roofs whereas a 50-year warrantee for the ones made of synthetic or composite materials. If affordable, you must go for the longer warranty so that you may live in your house quite fearless of repairing your roof time and again.
Pay full attention to the paperwork
Before starting to replace the old roof, you must have the following three documents.
- A building permits for a roofing project.
- A written contract showing all details including the cost of the project.
- A letter from the contractor’s insurance company confirming that this project is well- covered legally.
Ensure the disposal of all the trash including the removal of the nails by using a strong magnet.
Thus, you can see that the above mentioned things may help you a lot before you replace your old roof.