Your home’s roof has an important role in the overall structural stability of your home. Without a sturdy, weather-resistant roof, your home will undoubtedly suffer from water damage and be exposed to the elements. Not to mention, a home’s roof generally represents about 40% of the visual exterior of a typical home, so it is important to invest in a good roof for many different reasons.
However, before you call up those residential roofing contractors to your home, there are a few things you should know:
Figure out what to do with the existing layer of shingles – Generally speaking, home insurance companies only allow you to have two laywers of shingles on your roof. So before installing a new roof, you need to know what will be happening to the existing layer. Will the roofers layer over it or will you need to scrape everything off and start fresh? This one factor will go on to determine your price and the length of the project, so make sure to determine this beforehand!
Understand that plywood is involved – Many homeowners don’t understand that if they are stripping their roof down to the bare bones, they may have to replace the plywood that serves as an extra barrier against water damage. There isn’t a way to know exactly how much you have to replace beforehand, but know that new plywood sheets are a sound investment in the stability of your home!
Know that there are plenty of different shingle looks available – Depending on the look you are going for, there is most likely a shingle that can make your dreams come true. However, there is an extra cost for this, so if you are preparing to go with anything besides the standard asphalt shingle — i.e thicker shingles, metal sealing, or copper flashing — be forewarned.
Don’t forget your paperwork – Many towns require that you have the proper paperwork filled out before you can have a new roof installed, as this is a way to ensure the roofing companies will be following your home’s building code. These permits are typically easy to obtain, and your residential roofing contractor will be able to help you out if you have any questions.
In our next blog post, we will go over some more things you need to know before investing in a full roof replacement!
