So, you’ve researched and interviewed many local roofing contractors. You’ve checked their reviews and references and like their company and the way they work. You are confident you’ve chosen the best professional for your job. You’ve scheduled the date, and the roofers are coming. What’s next?
Even though roofers complete most jobs in a day or two it is still important to be prepared for your local roofing contractor and the time spent on your property. Roofers do everything in their power to keep you and your belongings safe and comfortable during the installation, but some of the work is up to you.. Doing the following will help prepare your property and your family for a positive experience during your roofing installation.
Begin with Your Local Roofing Contractor
Your local roofing contractor is the best source for precautions you should take on the day of your installation. That’s because every property and every roofing job has specific requirements. Your contractor should be able to give you basic guidelines on how to prepare your home for their arrival best. Your preparation may vary from the usual based on the equipment they need to use, the size of the team necessary for the job, and the time the job will take, among other factors.
Your local roofing contractor is also responsible for the safety of your home while the job is in progress. Hopefully, you have already vetted them for their safety procedures, but if not, now is the time. Ask about their safety processes so you understand each other’s responsibiities when it comes to keeping everyone safe during the installation. For example, you could ask them:
- How do you help your crew prevent falls and injuries?
- Does your crew undergo safety training?
- Are you OSHA-certified?
- What other safety precautions do you take for homeowners while on the job?
- What do you do to protect homeowner property and landscaping while on-site?
Then, after you fully understand what the roofer does, you can do your part to help them do the best job possible while keeping your home and loved ones secure.
Protect Your Exterior
Clear the Driveway. Be sure to move all vehicles off the driveway, not only to allow room for construction vehicles but also to prevent any accidental vehicle damage. The local roofing contractor will need to park a trailer or bin near your home to collect and dispose of the old roofing materials.
Trim landscaping. You may not realize how your overgrown trees and branches can interfere with your roofer’s ability to do their job well. Take a close look at your property’s trees and tall shrubs and consider how they could interfere with your local roofing contractor’s efforts. If you trim them, they will stay out of the way or be easier to work around. If you mow your lawn right before the roofers arrive, it will also be easier to see and retrieve any loose nails when the job ends.
Protect your outdoor possessions. Ask your local roofing contractor how they generally protect your landscaping. Most will use strategically placed tarps, but you should also take your own precautions to protect outdoor furniture and fragile landscaping. Clear away all patio accoutrtments like grills, potted plants, children’s toys and playhouses, etc.
Provide power. Local roofing contractors need electricity to power their tools. Be prepared to show them the exterior outlets they can use. If your exterior outlets are in use, free them up for the day the local roofing contractor is on site. If your home does not have exterior outlets, provide power from inside via extension cords.
Protect Your Interior
Protect Valuables from Vibrations. The work of a local roofing contractor can cause vibrations and shake walls. Consider securing any fragile items on upper floors that could be unseated by heavy vibrations. Likewise, if your top floor has breakable, valuable hanging decorations that vibrations could shake loose. Ttake them down and store them before the job begins.
Cover Attic Belongings. Since attics are adjacent to the actual roofing work, the items you store there may be the most vulnerable to falling dust or debris. If you store irreplaceable, fragile items in your attic, you may consider covering them with plastic sheeting or tarp to keep them clean and safe.
During the Job
Prepare For Noise. Roofing is a noisy business for a limited amount of time. If you work from home and are noise-sensitive, you may want to keep the day clear of meetings or consider working offsite. Keep your children and pets away from the local roofing contractor and their team. If the noise or the roofer’s presence disturbs them, keep them offsite as much as possible for the project’s duration.
Monitor the Roofers. Most local roofing contractors will have a designated crew lead to act as your on-site contact during the job. They may check in with you on progress, and you may check in with them if you have any questions or if you will need to leave the property during installation.
After the Job
Your local roofing contractor will request that you do a final walkthrough of their work before they leave. It’s a crucial step to ensure that you are satisfied with their work. What should you look for? Here are some pointers.
Assess Roof Appearance and Installation Quality. Your roof should show a marked improvement, but take a close look for loose shingles, uneven sections, or sagging rooflines. Look for exposed nails, misaligned flashing, or forgotten materials or tools on the roof. Carefully evaluate the special parts of your roof, like the caps and valleys, to ensure they look secure.
Test Drains and gutters. Your downspouts and gutters should be clear when the roofer leaves. Water should flow unencumbered through the gutters and away from the home. The local roofing contractor should be sure they have removed all debris from the gutter. Test with the hose.
Check for thorough cleanup. It’s common for the yard to look disheveled after a roofing installation. However, your local roofing contractor should respect your property and leave it in the same condition they found it. The contractor should remove all old shingles and debris from the yard, walkways, and driveways and leave no trace of their appearance at your home. Take a walk around the house to make sure the roofers have retrieved all ladders against the house or tools on the ground.
Demand a magnetic sweep of the yard. Any local roofing contractor worth his salt will use a magnetic sweeper throughout your yard to catch stray nails.
Check ventilation and attic. If your roofing job included installing an attic fan or ventilation, check that the work has been done and that all equipment is working as promised.
Review the warranty. Hopefully,you will never need to invoke the warranty that the local roofing contractor gives you, but make sure you understand it before their team leaves the property. This includes the warranty on materials as well as installation.
Pro-Home Services works as your partner and local roofing contractor to ensure a high-quality roofing installation, complete with the most sought-after roofing materials and a separate worksmanship guarantee on installation. Customer satisfaction is our goal, and it’s one that we’ve taken seriously for more than 20 years, as testified by our outstanding reviews. Can we help with your new roofing installation or replacement? Contact us today for a free estimate at 630-790-0800