A roof replacement is not as simple as most other types of renovation. It is a tricky spot to access for any kind of repair, let alone an entire replacement. So, naturally, there are certain things to keep in mind when doing it – ways to approach the problem and concrete steps you should take to maximize the efficiency and safety of the process. To help you get a firm grasp of these, we present our list of ways to prepare your home for a re-roofing.
Figure out whether you will be staying
Once you know it’s time to replace your roof, before even considering the hunt for the right contractors, step one is figuring out the logistics of the process. Namely, whether you want to stay at home or move out for the duration of the re-roofing, please do not take this decision lightly because it is an essential part of preparing your household. Quite honestly, it is not easy to live in a house undergoing any renovation work. And a roof replacement is among the hardest to live alongside with. Know that it will be loud. It will be messy. You will have dust and debris making literal clouds for the entire duration of knocking down your old roof. And it will likely linger for a while afterwards! Think about whether you and your family can stand that, and plan accordingly.
Consider warning the neighbourhood
Think about your neighbours before you can capitalize on the chance of picking the right roof colour for your home that re-roofing provides you. As we have already mentioned, replacing your roof is a rough business. So much so, in fact, that if any of the neighbouring houses are close to yours, they will likely be affected. Before you send plumes of dust and incessant noise their way, it is only right to warn them! This way, other households would be able to prepare themselves as well! And you would not end up upsetting anyone or getting on the wrong side of any of your neighbours.
Clean out your attic
One of the critical ways to prepare your home for re-roofing is making sure your attic is empty and ready for the roofing company! The reasons why you need to empty are twofold. Firstly, you do not want your contractors tripping all over the place. Their job is difficult enough as is. Secondly, some of your items or furniture could end up damaged during the work. They will be completely covered in dust and debris, at the very least.
Therefore, the best course of action would be to rent a storage unit where you will keep your belongings for the time being. Just keep in mind there are things to remember when renting a unit because there are mistakes you can make! Some are minor, of course. But if you need a climate-controlled storage unit for any of your belongings, they could end up ruined by the time your roof replacement is over. Temperatures in standard storage units can get rather extreme. So, if you want to avoid making mistakes, make sure to figure out what type of storage unit you need and how to prepare items for it.
Keep your children inside
As there is the best time to insulate your house, there is also a preferred time for re-roofing. Unfortunately, that happens to be summer. As such, this is also likely the time when your kids will be out of school. If you decide to move away for the duration of the construction work, then this will not bother you. However, if you choose to stay, keep in mind that re-roofing can sometimes be dangerous! A shingle or a tool could tumble off the roof, or debris or splinters may shower down. As such, you want to make sure you can keep your kids inside during the process! There is too much risk for them to be running outside. So make sure to think of ways to encourage them to play inside as part of your prep work!
Avoid parking too close to your home
Another one of the ways to prepare your home for re-roofing is scouting out a good parking spot nearby! We have mentioned already that it is very likely that debris or even more dangerous items might fall from your roof. If you park your car near your home, such hazards could land on it. This would mean potentially costly repairs at a time when you are already investing heavily into your home. So, the best solution would be finding a place not too far away from your home for you to park your car!
Remember to clear out your yard beforehand as well
Your roofing contractors will require as much access to your roof as possible. It means that they might need to park their trucks almost right next to your house. Or they could be planning to use some construction equipment to help the process along. Either way, this means that you need to clear out your yard of anything that might get in the way. Gardening equipment, chairs, and tables, or anything similar will need to be away. It would be best if you also considered mowing your grass as short as possible. There will be a lot of debris, and much of it is, realistically speaking, going to end up on your lawn. It won’t be easy to clean up if your grass is tall. Not to mention the danger of trying to mow it with debris mixed in.
Trim any tree branches that could get in the way
If you live in a wooded area, this is one of the key ways to prepare your home for a re-roofing. Branches of nearby trees can get in the way of your roof replacement, especially if they are scraping against the roof. This means you will need to, at the very least, trim the trees down and remove any of the branches that could get in the way. If the tree is in a bad position, you might need to cut it down entirely if it looks like it might be blocking access to the house.
Final Advice
With our list of ways to prepare your home for a re-roofing coming to a conclusion, it should be evident that all of our advice is aimed at a single thing. That is, making it more convenient for the roofers to do their job more efficiently while ensuring your family’s safety! So, as long as you pursue that as your end goal, we are sure that you will be fine.
