Published on: October 24, 2024
Many households anticipate roofing day. It provides peace of mind knowing your home is protected and can work wonders for boosting curb appeal. However, those changes come at a small price in the form of inconvenience. Your home will transform into a work zone, which can cause you some stress. Learn more about how to prepare your home for a roofing installation.
Rest assured that if you’ve chosen quality contractors for the job, your property should be restored to its pre-project state before the contractors leave. Some inexperienced or poor-quality roofers might leave the property a mess with leftover materials and debris. That’s one thing to watch out for when asking for recommendations and reading online reviews in the roofing contractor selection process.
While you can resolve any broken or damaged goods with your contractor, it’s best to prepare your home for the project to prevent any damage in the first place. Learn the steps you should take to prepare for your project and protect your home.
Before roofing day, you should prepare your property for your project. While your roofers can move things out of the way and will use tarps to protect your siding and landscaping from getting damaged, you should walk around your property and complete these preparations for roofing day.
Because the roof extends over the home, when your contractors are working on it, your walls will vibrate a little. It could be enough to knock decorations and photos off the walls.
Two-story homes are more susceptible as the second story tends to experience more vibrations than the first story. But it’s wise just to remove everything from the walls to prevent damage.
Your contractors will use your driveway to park a dump truck or dumpster during the project. That can block your vehicles. Keeping your vehicle away from the work site will also prevent any stray debris from harming it or accidental scratches due to tools.
Your furry friends will likely not be happy at home during the roofing project. The noise from the project will be alarming to them. And you won’t be able to let them outside during construction.
Children might also not enjoy being at home during the pounding and scraping. It’s wise to make plans to be somewhere else during construction or to at least talk to your children about what to expect on roofing day.
To protect your belongings, move all outdoor furniture and patio materials into your yard or secure them in your garage or shed. Make a clear path for your contractors around the house by picking up all children’s toys. Potted plants are also at risk during the project so just move those out of the way.
This small step can help make the worksite safer for your contractors while also protecting your belongings from damage.
If your home has a finished attic or an area you use for storage, you might want to cover belongings stored there. The roofing project will displace dust and debris, as the roof sits just above the attic.
Review the materials stored there and consider whether they are fragile. Move anything fragile that is sitting on a table or shelf to the floor so it isn’t at risk of falling.
During roofing, the contractors will scrape off the old roofing materials and toss them to the dumpster below. They’ll do their best to aim and get everything in the trash bin, but inevitably, they’ll miss. That means there will be debris and roofing nails in your yard. Your roofing team will do their best to find those materials before leaving your property, but having short grass will make that process easier.
If your home has solar panels, you might need to do some additional coordination of contractors to complete your project. You’ll need to call the company that installed your solar panels to get them removed safely. This requires expertise so you should not attempt it on your own or you might void your warranty.
While you’re clearing your roof, you’ll also need to remove antennas and satellite dishes. If you aren’t comfortable doing this, you can contact your provider to get them to remove these apparatus.
If the equipment is not in use, your roofing team can remove them for you and dispose of them in most cases.
Your contractors may need power for their tools. Clear a path to outlets to make construction day easier. Many roofing teams have battery-operated machinery and won’t need to use your electricity. Ask your contractor about that during your initial meetings or in the days leading up to roofing day.
With all the debris flying, it’s wise to keep your windows closed on roofing day. That way, you know you won’t be inviting dust or roofing granules inside. And you’re less likely to encounter damaged screens because they’ll have the firm backing of your windows.
The sound of a new roof is just a part of living in a neighborhood. But it’s still nice to let your immediate neighbors know to expect some extra noise, especially since so many people work from home now. Those with pets will appreciate the heads up so their furry friends won’t be cowering in a corner all day due to the noise.
Once the project is complete, rest, relax and enjoy your new roof. You’ll have the peace of mind knowing that your home is protected no matter what it undergoes. The inconvenience of a new roof is temporary. Most projects only take a day or two depending on the size of your roof and its complexity. But the curb appeal will last for yours to come, as will the knowledge that you have quality materials protecting your home.
If it’s time to prepare your home for a roofing installation and reach out to the roofing experts at 2FL Windows, Siding and Roofing. We’ll get you scheduled for a time to meet with one of our team members to talk about your budget, needs and timeline for a new roof. We offer a free in-home estimate to get to know you and your project.
Further Reading:
Read the latest articles about roofing.
