Launching into a roofing project brings up loads of questions. It’s a process that can be very disruptive on the day it happens, and can be pretty messy. After all, it does require tearing up a significant portion of your home.
The project is also pretty expensive, so it’s something that you’re going to want done right, the first time.
Our team at On Tops Roofing has been helping homeowners in Raleigh, North Carolina through this roof replacement process since we opened up in 1991. We know just how stressful the whole thing is, and we want to make sure you feel as prepared as you possibly can be going into the day of the roof replacement.
With the right preparation, you can minimize the impact the project has on your daily life, and ensure that it goes as smooth as possible.
So, in this blog, we’re going to be going over how you can prepare for your roof replacement, including:
Alright, let’s get started!
Inside the house, there are several steps that you can take before the roofers arrive and get to work.
We recommend that you remove pictures, paintings, and other decorations hanging on your walls. Roofing involves a lot of hammering, scraping, and nailing, which causes a ton of vibrations throughout the house. That can make anything hanging shake, and potentially fall down, if it’s not on tight enough. So if you’ve got decorations on your walls that you don’t want to come crashing to the ground, it’s best to take them down ahead of time.
Similarly, if you’ve got breakable things in your cabinets, it might be smart to make sure they aren’t able to bump into each other and break as well. Things like fine china, vases, and glassware are all at risk for this sort of thing. Take stock of what you have and try to either protect it by wrapping it, putting it in a safer place, or both!
Up in your attic, you may want to cover up your belongings that aren’t already sealed up in boxes. The nailing on the roof will kick up a ton of dust, which could be a pain to clean off everything you’ve got up there. A tarp will make that process a lot easier. You’ll also want to do this for things in your garage, if there is a roof that will be replaced directly over it.
Speaking of your garage, we HIGHLY recommend moving out any vehicles that you have in there, especially if it’s a garage like we talked about above. The dust and granules that may fall on the vehicle can be difficult to clean, and can potentially scratch up the paint. If you’ll need a car at any point during the day of your roof replacement, move the car out of your garage and driveway the night before.
The materials and dumpster to be used on the job will be delivered to your house early in the morning, and the roofers will get even earlier to avoid working as much in the heat of the day. These things won’t be able to be moved once they are placed. That’s why it’s especially important to have your vehicle out of the way the night before. You don’t want to get trapped in, and don’t want to risk it being damaged by the debris or other roofing material.
Similar to moving your car out of the way, you should do the same with any outdoor furniture, equipment, or decorations that you have around the yard. Debris is going to be falling down from the roof during the tear off, and will cause damage to anything not moved out of the way or protected.
So to avoid that, take anything that could be damaged outside of the area that would be affected, including garden ornaments or tools like hoses and sprinklers. You’ll also want to point out any areas that are especially sensitive, like gardens. If you’re working with a high quality roofing company, they will do their best to take care around those areas, and may even be able to build a makeshift shelter around the plants to prevent debris from hitting them.
There are also a few things that you can do to make your life, and the roofers’ lives easier on the replacement day. Leading up the replacement, mowing your grass can be a huge help for everyone involved. Not only will it make it easier for roofers to walk through the yard, and spot obstacles, but it will also help their ability to spot any fallen debris, and help their magnets pick up old nails. And lastly, making sure to unlock any gates that they’ll need access to, and pointing out electrical outlets can be a big help. The crew will likely require those outlets for equipment like nailers and elevator ladders.
Even though you’ll be fully aware of what’s happening during your roof replacement, if you have kids or pets, they won’t have quite the same level of understanding. Like we talked about earlier, roofing projects involve a lot of vibrations and noise, which can be unfamiliar and pretty scary for small children or pets. If you’re able to, we’d recommend taking your kids and pets for a day out, or letting them stay at their grandparent’s house, day care, or the kennel.
If you can’t, try to communicate and keep them calm as best you can. Keep your animals in the most quiet, comfortable part of your house, only taking them out on leash during down time in the roofing process, and in areas away from the house where roof work isn’t happening. As for any small children, keep an eye on them in the days following the roof replacement, and make sure everyone is wearing shoes when going outside. Your roofing company should do their best to make sure all the nails are cleaned up, but they are small and may be missed, so always keep a look out and be safe.
Now that we’re talking about the roofing company’s obligation to protect your property, let’s talk about what should be done before everything gets started.
They should bring with them materials that can be used to protect your driveway, windows, and porches. They’ll bring tarps that can hang over the house in the places where they will be scraping debris, and should put up wood boards over things like the air conditioning unit, and windows. It’s also common practice to lay down something like a spare shingle in the driveway, which will protect it from scrapes from the dumpster.
If you’re interested in learning more about the roof replacement process, check out our blog on the 9 Steps to Replace Your Roof!
Our company, On Tops Roofing has been walking Raleigh-area homeowners through the roof replacement process since we get our start in 1991! Whatever your roofing project requires, we’ve got the experience to get the job done right!
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