How To Prepare For Roof Replacement?
Replacing a roof can be an interesting yet frustrating process. While the kids may enjoy the workers tearing and building the roof all over again, you need to be prepared to keep the process going as smoothly as possible. Here are some important roof replacement tips you need to consider before the roofing contractor arrives.
Do Your Roofing Homework
Replacing your existing roof with a new one requires a significant investment. Once you are ready to splash the money, you will need to find a contractor who is not only licensed and certified but also understands your requirements and preferences.
However, before jumping into the market to hunt for the right individual, you will need to do your roofing homework. What this means is that you will be needing some measurements and sizes to share with the potential contractors. This is the only way the candidates will be able to offer you a quote.
Once you have interviewed and received a fair quote from one of the contractors, you should request to pay a visit to check out the roof. Having a clear idea of what may or may not be needed will help you determine your budget.
Seek Accommodation
Now that you are close to replacing your roof, you will need to move out of the house to another place for a while. Ask around your friends and family members if they can spare some space. If not, you can shift to a nearby motel or apartment.
Make sure that the location you shift to is near your house. This way, you can keep an eye on the project on a daily basis if required. At the same time, think about your pets and make specific arrangements for your family to rest in peace while your roof is replaced.
Make Sure The Roofers Have Access To Your Roof
You might think that tearing and replacing a new roof is just a few days’ work and requires little to no hassle. Instead, replacing the roof is a very tedious, demanding, and risky task. But you can make it easier for the roofers by ensuring they have easy and full access to the roof.
Keep in mind that tearing and replacing the roof takes up a lot of space around the perimeter of the house. This means that the roofers should not be facing any obstacles while working. So, make sure to clear the driveways and sidewalks before the crew arrives.
At the same time, shift the toys, bikes, and other important items to some other area of the house to keep them protected from falling dirt, dust, and debris. Plus, cover the furniture and wooden items with a plastic sheet.
Clear Valuables From The Attic
Experienced roofers Cuyahoga Falls will do everything in their power to keep the dust and dirt as low as possible but you cannot avoid it. There is surely going to be some dirt and dust since roofing is a messy job. So, if you have an attic and you store important stuff inside, make sure to clear it and move them to another room for some time. But if some items are too heavy to be moved, cover them with a plastic sheet for protection.
Be A Responsible Neighbor
Replacing the roof is not only going to affect you but also your neighbors. They might also have kids and elders living with them who might be disturbed by all the noise. So, you should act as a responsible neighbor and inform them about the process before the crew arrives.
This will help keep the kids away and allow the neighbors to make necessary arrangements while the roof is replaced. This small courtesy can go a long way especially if the neighbors have kids and pets that are disturbed by the roof installation process.
Prepare The Inside
Then again, professional roofers will do their best when it comes to preventing damage to the interior of the house. However, some unexpected things can occur and you will need to be prepared for that. Keep in mind that heavy construction can produce strong vibrations that may affect the items inside the house.
To reduce the risk of items falling from the shelves and walls, you need to temporarily remove all the fixtures, especially glass fixtures. If some items cannot be removed, you should communicate with the contractor so that they are mentally prepared as well.
Prune Trees And Cut Grass Before Construction Begins
As mentioned earlier, roofers need to have easy access to the house as well as the roof. If you love nature surrounding your house, you will need to prune the trees and other garden items to prevent accidents. Do not expect the roofers to do it for you, as they do not specialize in such tasks.
Plus, calling the gardening experts at the last time will only add to the time it will take to replace the roof. This means you will need to plan for the pruning and other relevant tasks at least a week before the construction begins.
Trees with huge and long branches may act as obstacles and cause injuries. Meanwhile, shattered or broken pieces landing on the ground will remain hidden in the grass if it is long. This is why you need to keep the grass short to make cleanup fast and thorough.
Beware Of The Surroundings
Construction of the new roof can create unexpected obstacles. Even if you have informed the neighbors, you still need to be aware of the surroundings and keep a close eye on the process to reduce the chances of damages and injuries. If kids are playing on the street, you should ask them to move away from the house.
At the same time, you should communicate with the roofing contractor and inform them of the risks. This will help them make necessary arrangements to keep external factors at bay. The reason is if the experts are mentally occupied, they will not be able to do the best job they could offer.
Remove Satellite Dishes Or Antennas
You might have satellite dishes or antennas installed on the roof for the TV and internet. Part of preparing for roof replacement requires you to remove such items as well. It might be time-consuming and require a lot of effort but is necessary.
The last thing you want is for your dishes or internet connections to be damaged during the process. Not only are these items expensive but also take a bit of time to restore or reinstall. So, there is a chance that you will be left without any signals or connections just when you want them.
Therefore, it is better to move them from harm’s way when you have the chance instead of feeling sorry later on. Usually, you have to remove everything that is on the roof and very near the roof.
Conclusion
Replacing the roof is all about making necessary arrangements, finding the right roofing companies Akron, and keeping a close eye on the process. However, it is equally important for you to determine your needs and preferences so that you get what you pay for. All this will help the process go smoothly and reduce any potential risks and injuries.