As a new homeowner, you might be fired up to get your new home in tip-top shape. You’re probably looking around and making lists of all the home improvement projects you want to tackle.
Sure, you can paint and clean up the yard easily enough yourself. But when it comes to high price home improvements you might be wondering if you can delay them. If you need a new furnace, windows or roof, for example.
It’s the same reason having those new is a selling point for a house. Replacing a roof can be expensive and you might not realize how important the roof is until it’s too late.
Read on to learn about some roof replacement mistakes new homeowners can make so you can avoid making those same mistakes.
1. Hiring Inexperienced Roofers
This is one time you want to hire the best. You don’t want to hire the guy your sister knows who does some roofing on the side. Inexperience can lead to costly mistakes in the long term.
You want to hire a roofer who has been in the business successfully for a number of years. You should also check to make sure your roofer is insured and licensed. Ask to make sure the roofer also covers all workers with insurance to protect yourself in case of an accident.
2. Hiring for the Wrong Reasons
Like hiring someone who is experienced, you also want to be sure you are hiring your roofers for the right reasons.
You might be anxious to get your roof done once you decide you want to do it. But hiring the roofer because they are available is not a smart move. Roofers who are busy and booked are that way because they are good at what they do.
It’s also a terrible idea to hire a roofing contractor because they are the cheapest. Cheaper doesn’t mean better. This is one time to pay for the best and most experienced.
3. Attempting a DIY
While there are plenty of projects you might be able to DIY on your home, replacing the roof is not one of them. There is a reason roofers are called professionals.
Pulling a DIY painting job and doing an okay job is really not a big deal. If you DIY your roof and make some mistakes, it can lead to costly damages and problems down the road.
Replacing a roof is one time to hire the pros.
4. Waiting Too Long
When your roof is old and needs to be replaced, it shows. The roof gives you signs. Maybe you have a leak or your shingles are curling, the roof is telling you it’s time to be replaced.
Sure, a roof replacement is not an inexpensive home repair. Yet, if you wait too long, it’s only going to get worse. If you are already seeing the signs, it’s only a matter of time before you have a huge leak or the roof gives out.
Then you have damages on the inside of your house and still have to replace the roof.
5. Not Removing Old Roof
Some roofers might suggest in an effort to save some labor costs, you can leave your old roof shingles in place and put the new shingles right over the top. Sure, this saves you some money in labor costs at the time.
The truth is that it’s a bad idea. You want your roofer to remove the old shingles for a few reasons. First. it eliminates unnecessary weight on your roof and foundation. Second, it also allows the roofer to see what’s going on under the shingles.
Are their boards that are rotting and need replacing? Is there a spot where water is collecting that needs to be addressed? Removing the old shingles allows the roofer to see if there are issues to address before the new roof gets installed.
6. Using Shoddy Materials
Again, because this is a significant home repair, you want to make sure you are doing it right. Inexperienced or amateur roofers might not have access to the best roofing materials.
You want to make sure that all the shingles come from the same supplier so the roof has a consistent look.
Your roof is what keeps your family safe and dry, you want to use quality materials that will last over a long period of time.
7. Not Reading Contract
Read the fine print. You will certainly meet with your roofing contractor. You’ll discuss the job, materials, and get an estimate. They will likely provide you with a contract and expect a deposit.
You want to make sure the contract spells out the timeline for payments and exactly what is included in the price listed. You don’t want to have any surprise fees once they are done that you weren’t anticipating.
8. Look In Attic and Under Gutters
You should expect your roofer to look at the areas around and under your roof. If there’s a possibility of a leak, you want them to look inside in the attic to figure out the issue.
Likewise, if you have water backing up under shingles or have problems with gutters and drains, these too can impact the effectiveness of your roof. You want to hire a roofer who looks at the big picture not only at the replacing shingles.
Are there other repairs that need to be done to be certain the roof can do its job well.
Don’t Make These Roof Replacement Mistakes
Roof replacement mistakes can be costly ones. You want to make sure you have a roof on your house that’s going to protect your home and keep you dry and safe for the long term.
If you need help with your roof or have questions about whether it’s time to replace your roof, we can help. Contact us today near Danville, IL and we’ll come to take a look, give you an expert opinion on your roofing needs.
