Hiring a roofing contractor can be a challenging and stressful time. Home improvements are required to maintain the integrity of the home and to improve the resale value. You may not be ready to sell today or tomorrow, but when you do decide to sell the house and move, you will not have a laundry list of “honey-do” projects if you start early and maintain the house.
Roofing contractors do not come cheaply. Your roof is an important structural factor in your home and in your safety. Roofing contractors should be bonded and insured so that you do not assume any liability for damages to Flat Roof Designing Buildings your property or to the workers if someone should happen to fall or get injured. Contractors should also provide you with a written guarantee of their work and references which you can check before the work is started.
Working with a contractor is also a perfect opportunity to consider one or two other smaller jobs on the roof that will also enhance the appearance of the home, increase the curb appeal, decrease problems with leakage down the road and increase the life of your roof.
When installing a new roof, it is a good opportunity to also replace the valley and eaves flashing. Your contractor may quote these replacements with the new roof, but some do not if they think you want to do the job as cheaply as possible. Replacing the flashing when the new roof is installed is the easiest and the cheapest way of doing it, however. Flashing is material, usually galvanized steel or aluminum, that is used over the joints and the wall in the roof to prevent leakage and damage. Most roofers will cut their own flashing on the job but preformed and cut flashing is also available at home improvement stores.
While the contractor is on the roof ask them to direct the pipe boots or the water jack away from the gas vents or pipes protrude from the roof. Attic ventilation is another important aspect of keeping a roof in good repair. Poor air flow in the attic can heat the air in the summer to over 130 degrees F. The alteration between the summer heat and the moist air in the winter will cause condensation on the underside the roof sheathing and start a rotting process.
As the sheathing rots it reduces the integrity of the roof and weakens the structure. Ask the contractor to install ridge and soffit vents to allow for circulation of air through the attic and to alleviate these issues.
The installation of a new roof can be a costly investment in your home. Ensure that you receive your money’s worth from the roofing contractor and that the investment Roofer Job Description Workable in your home is well protected. You can do that by educating yourself about what should and should not be performed when your roof is replaced or repaired.
