It’s unimaginable to picture yourself living in a home without a roof, mainly because it plays such a major role in keeping your family safe and warm.
Although people agree with the above fact, many dislike bearing the expenses of a roof replacement which costs around $8000-$20000 depending on the job. Due to the high costs, customers go a long way to prevent additional expenses, harshly demanding quality work from their roofers even before the job begins thus putting a lot of pressure on the roofing personnel.
If you are someone looking to spend right and get a quality job done without much fuss, here are some tips to guide you:
- Shop around for information
This is the first step to undertake before you can hire anyone. You can ask your neighbors, lumberyards, or tradespeople for information, and you could also visit roof manufacturers' websites and look at their accredited installers. Doing this will help you keep away from roofers with poor customer satisfaction.
- Get rid of the old
Adding another layer of asphalt shingles on your current roof is quite ok. It is legal to have two asphalt shingles layers. In fact, it saves you approximately $1000 and a bit of the mess. The only downside to it is that it will hinder the roofer from making inspections and repairs under the layers.
As in the case of those residing in cold areas, getting an ice and water protector is the best thing you can do. It will require you to get rid of the present roof and replace it with a rubber membrane which stops leakages at the eaves during times of ice accumulation.
- Go top shelf
Make sure you go for high-quality products as this will help keep your roof worries away for a long time. This involves purchasing shingles with a lengthy warranty (50 years) and an architectural look. In addition, get copper flashing rather than the aluminum one to seal the joints where a roof or a wall conjoins. Note that all this will come at an added cost but they are steps that are very beneficial to anyone looking to replace a roof.
- Be keen on the paperwork
A roof replacement job is one that is doable in two to five days depending on the style and size of your roof. Despite the short time taken, it can be an involving and expensive job. To ensure that the work flows smoothly, it is necessary to have these three documents:
- Building permit: Many towns expect you to have one in order to carry on with the project. It also helps in making sure the contractor is following the construction codes.
- Written contract: This document highlights all the products, the project’s cost, and agreement details.
- A letter from the contractor’s insurance carrier: It confirms covering for your project in relation to the roofer’s worker’s liability and compensation plan.
- Pay only after you’ve seen the magnet
As your old roof gets off, many nails drop to the ground. These nails can be very dangerous if they are in the driveway, lawn, or mulch. That is why you need your roofer to come with ‘the magnet.’ It is a big magnet on wheels used to catch all fasteners dropped on the ground. This guarantees safety and confirms a job well done.
