8 Preparatory Steps Homeowners Need to Take for Roof Installation

Your roofing is one of the best investments you can make for long-term maintenance and building protection. Before you get it installed, make sure you prepare well for the project. 

Wondering what you should be doing to get ready? No matter your reason for roof replacement – whether it’s cosmetic to make your home look great or structural to prevent leaks and other damage – you can get ready by reviewing these considerations and choosing the best roofing contractor near you.

8 Steps to Prepare for Roof Replacement

Ready to begin preparing for your roof replacement project? Here’s how to prepare your home, family and neighbors for the project.

1. Protect Vehicles

If you park your vehicles in your driveway normally, you should try to move the vehicles into the garage or park them on a street. You don’t want to leave your vehicles near the area where roofers will be removing roofing materials from your home and tossing them into a dumpster below.

More than likely, your contractors will use your driveway to park the dumpster. So if you need access to your vehicles over the next couple of days, move them to a safe area on the street.

2. Secure Objects in Your Home

Although the work will take place outside, roofing can impact the indoors too. Objects on the walls can fall and get damaged due to the vibrations from the roofing work. So if you have precious memories or antiques hanging on your walls or sitting on shelves connected to walls, you should remove those before your roofing project begins.

The second floor will likely have more impact on wall hangings than the first floor. But if you have a one-story house, you might want to remove everything from the walls just to be safe. That way you don’t lose any fragile items during your roof replacement project.

3. Protect Young Children and Pets

Young children and pets will likely feel scared by all the noise. There will be constant movement on the roof and the loud sounds of hammers and other equipment. Your children or pets might act up during this time.

Not to mention, young children will also likely be fascinated by the construction project. Keep them safe by ensuring they do not go outside where there are ladders and debris. In a few days, you won’t even know that a whole construction crew was on your property. But while the project is ongoing, there can be a great deal of danger outside for young children and pets who don’t know how to be careful on a worksite.

If you can, remove children and pets from the home throughout the project. Invite children to do a playdate at a friend’s house during the day and send your pet to stay with a neighbor. Start preparing for this process well in advance so that the child or pet is familiar with the person who you are sending them to stay with. 

When children and pets return for the night, lock all the doors to ensure they don’t wander outside where there could be hazards. Have serious discussions with children about how serious it is that they don’t go outside without you because of the work that the construction crew is doing. 

4. Protect Your Outdoor Spaces

A good contractor will be careful with your outdoor spaces. But accidents can still happen. To prevent accidents, you should move items inside or into your garage. Some examples of items you’ll want to protect include:

• Patio furniture
• Children’s toys
• Grills or outdoor barbeque equipment
• Plotted plants
• Pools or other water toys
• Lawn or garden ornaments

If there is anything that you can’t move to a safe place, discuss the matter with your roofing team. Pointing out items you care about and want to protect will help keep them aware and ensure they do their best work to avoid them.

5. Trim Trees with Branches Hanging Over Your Roof

You should work to keep your trees trimmed at all times. But home maintenance is a big job so perhaps you haven’t considered this in some time. Walk outside and do a stroll around your home looking for tree branches that are near your roof.

Trim the tree branches back to protect your roof in case of a storm. Plus, having these branches trimmed will help your roofing team navigate your roof safely and easily. Removing major obstacles like branches can ensure a safe and high-quality roofing experience.

Don’t want to use tall ladders and trim those branches yourself? Washington has some outstanding tree trimming companies that can help and ensure you’ve considered what might happen in case of a big storm.

6. Clean Up and Cover Attic Storage

You probably don’t think about your attic very often. But if you have things stored up there or you have a home with an attic bedroom or recreational room, be sure to spend some time cleaning and covering items there.

During roof replacement, your attic will undergo serious dust disruption. It’s normal to have dust in these areas, so don’t sweat it. But if you want to avoid having dust all over these items in storage, head up and cover important items with sheets and tarps. Alternatively, you can move the items to a different room during the work so that you can just vacuum the space and return the items once your roofing job is complete.

7. If You Have a Roof-mounted Satellite Dish, Get In Touch with Your Provider

You’ll likely need to have your satellite dish removed and then reinstalled once your roofing project is complete. Get in touch with your satellite provider to discuss the matter with them. Roof replacement is not uncommon so they should be able to explain the process and help you prepare.

Homes with rooftop solar panels will also need to contact their solar panel provider to have these expertly removed and then reinstalled once the project is complete.

8. Warn Your Neighbors

You might be prepared for the noise and commotion, but your neighbors may not be. Hence, before you start with the roofing project, it will be great to take the initiative to notify your neighbors in advance. You can politely inform them that the approaching project will lead to a temporary increase in noise and traffic. 

This can also help your neighbors stay safe during the project because your roofing team might have extension cords or other hazards on the property. And although the project won’t extend to your neighbor’s property, making neighbors who have young children aware of the project will help protect their children who might wander over to your house out of curiosity.

What Are the 3 Materials You Need to Replace a Roof?

There are dozens of materials you’ll need to replace a roof. That’s why it is best to allow roofing professionals to do the work for you. This ensures that you don’t spend thousands of dollars investing in tools and materials you won’t use again.

What Are the 4 Main Types of Residential Roofing?

The four main types of residential roofing include asphalt shingles, metal, clay and slate.

What Are 5 Common Roofing Systems?

There are six common roof classifications, including built-up roofing membrane, metal roofing, modified bitumen roofing, thermoset roof membrane, thermoplastic roof membrane, garden green roofing system.

If you’re considering roof replacement near Seattle and Spokane, 2FL Windows, Siding and Roofing offers outstanding workmanship with high-quality materials. Schedule your free estimate now.

Further Reading:

• How Do You Make a Window Garden?
• Roofing Repair Tips for the Average Homeowner
• How to Create a Shiplap Look with Dolly Varden Siding