Residential Roof Replacement
Residential roof replacement is something that you will consider at some point if you are a homeowner. The way some people look at it, residential roof replacement is just a weekend project. Just rip off the roof that is there, and put the new one on. So they try to do it themselves, even though they don’t have the experience or knowledge (not to mention the proper tools to do the job). Usually they end up spending a lot more money than they expected to, and someone may even get injured. There’s also a good chance of doing damage to the home. The first thing you need to do is make sure you actually need a residential roof replacement, and not just a roof repair. Take a look at your asphalt shingles. Are several of them curling up? Are they showing stains from years (or decades) of service? If so, your roof may be in its last days. In Florida, an asphalt roof will last approximately 10 to 15 years, so use that as a guideline.
Here’s another indicator – when were the houses in your neighborhood built? If they all went up around the same time as a new subdivision, and you have seen several of your neighbors getting a residential roof replacement, it is probably time to start considering the same for your home.
Let’s assume you have determined that your home does need a new roof, and not just a roof repair. The next step is to get an estimate for the job (or better, several estimates). Only get estimates from contractors that have:
- A great reputation
- All the proper licensing/certification
- Adequate insurance
- A good list of reference from past jobs
One important thing to note: you can’t do an estimate accurately unless you go up on the roof and take the measurements from there. Be wary of roofers who just walk around and look up at the roof.
The estimate itself should be very detailed, and it should specifically itemize the actual work to be done, the total cost, when your payments are due, and all other details pertaining to your residential roof replacement. In other words, there should be no assumptions – it all needs to be in writing. If there are any problems after the job is finished, it all comes back to what was stated in the original contract/estimate. Clear up any confusion or questions before the work begins.
Really, you have to consider that you have been assigned the most important job in your residential roof replacement project: choosing the right roofing company. If you do that job deliberately and thoroughly, you will find that the rest of the work will be fine.
An important consideration in the beginning of this process is the type of roof you want to have installed. If you plan on another asphalt shingle roof, you should expect to replace it again in 10 to 15 years. Why go through all that again so soon? A lot of the people we talk to about residential roof replacement decide to go with a metal roof because of the long list of advantages over asphalt and other roofing materials. A metal roof provides great durability, and can handle hurricane-force winds. It’s also energy-efficient and can greatly reduce the temperature in your attic (by up to 65%), so your air conditioning system doesn’t work so hard. And unlike asphalt shingles, a metal roof requires zero maintenance (not to mention the fact that it is virtually fireproof).
If you are considering a residential roof replacement, we would love to show you how a metal roof would be a wonderful way to increase the value of your home.
We provide residential roof replacement in Tampa, St Petersburg, Clearwater, Bradenton, Sarasota, Orlando, Gainesville and Ocala.