When you’re planning to replace a roof, you have a lot of things to consider from the amount of money it’s going to cost to finding the right contractor to do the work. This is not an area of the home where you want to skimp or pinch pennies, after all, this is the roof of your house. It’s what keeps you and your family safe and secure from the elements outside.
The old cliché of keeping a roof over your head should weigh heavily on your mind as you prep to have a new one installed. But as you do this work, there are four things in particular that you should be careful to avoid so as to ensure that the job is done properly, promptly, and within budget, courtesy of your friends at KTM Roofing.
1. Fail to Shop Around
Price is important, of course, but using that as your main determination behind the contractor you plan to hire is just a recipe for disaster. This is not to suggest you should throw the consideration of cost to the wind but make it one of many deciding factors for your choice of roofing contractors.
There are some roofers out there who lack the professional integrity to ensure they are running a reliable business since they don’t usually rely on repeat customers to return for more work on a job that needs to only be done once every 20 to 30 years. Keeping that in mind, you don’t want to hire two roofers, one to botch the job, one to fix the mistakes that were done, so shop around and take your time identifying the best possible roofer for your needs.
2. Using Low-Quality Materials
Again, price can creep into the decision with a little too much authority here as well. The result can be a roof that needs to be worked on again much sooner than expected. That could put a crimp in your resale plans later on the down the line or your checkbook if you remain in the house for the long term.
So when your new roof is being installed, always opt for shingles that are built to last and go with copper flashing for sealing the joints on the roof. These both may cost more, but you can trust that you’re buying peace of mind knowing you won’t need to be doing this again for a long while.
3. Get the Right Paperwork
Roofing is a big job, one that can cost a significant amount of money and presents a myriad of potential liability issues should something go wrong. That’s why you want to make sure you have all of the right documents to ensure everything goes smoothly, and if not, you’re covered.
These include, a building permit if your local laws dictate, a written agreement between you and your contractor detailing every aspect of the job in writing, and some proof of insurance that protects the project and you in the event of an accident or some other unexpected set back. All of these are vital to keep you fully protected and without them, you could find yourself involved in a lawsuit.
4. Don’t Forget about Other Possible Improvements
A new roof is great but if there are other improvements needed up there as well, you could be asking for problems later on down the line. So be sure to assess the condition of things like your gutters, attic ventilation, and the current state of any skylights that are up there as well. It doesn’t make much sense to have the roof replaced and leave those items in disrepair. Discuss this with your roofing contractor to see if they have suggestions as to what needs to be done.
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