So, the day of your new roof installation is coming up. While there’s nothing you can do about the actual installation, you can do things to make it go smoothly.
To do this, you have to prepare yourself, your home, and your property for a roof installation. But how is it even possible to prepare for a new roof installation?
For over 30 years, the team at Bill Ragan Roofing has helped homeowners understand the entire roof installation process. Now we want to help you and your home ready for a smooth install day.
Let’s get to what you need to do to prepare for a new roof installation.
Decide if you and your pets are staying home during your new roof installation
Installing a new roof is loud on the outside, but it’s even louder inside your home. Unfortunately, some homeowners don’t realize this until it’s too late.
That’s why the first thing you need to do to prepare for a new roof installation is to decide if you want to stay home. You should definitely find somewhere else to go if you work from home.
However, it’s completely up to you if you want to stay home during your new roof installation. If you can handle the noise and want to stay home to keep an eye on things, that’s your prerogative.
But make sure your decision is made before the installation day, especially if you didn’t move your vehicles (more on that in a second). While you need to think about how you’ll handle the noise, you also need to consider how it’ll impact your pets.
If your dog is scared of storms or fireworks, I guarantee they’ll have a rough time with a new roof installation. I’ve even had a customer say their cat didn’t come out from under the bed for a week after their roof was installed.
As I said, it’s completely up to you to decide if you and/or your pets stay during your new roof installation. However, I always recommend finding somewhere for you and your pets to go on the big day.
Take anything valuable off your walls
When your new roof is installed, it causes vibrations throughout your home. This is especially true if you decide to go with hand-nailing as the installation method.
So, you’ll need to decide what you’ll do about the things on your walls before the day of your roof installation. The vibrations aren’t guaranteed to knock things off your walls.
But to be safe, take down anything valuable, important, or irreplaceable. This is a must if the roofing contractor has a clause in their contract that they’re not liable for damages during installation.
I’m not saying you have to take everything off your walls. However, the last thing you want is something important to you to be broken because of the vibrations of a new roof installation.
Turn off your irrigation system or any other automatic lawn watering system
All vehicles will remain off your lawn during your new roof installation. However, your roofing contractor and installers will be walking in your yard while working.
Well, walking on the wet grass will damage the lawn you’re proud of if it’s freshly watered. That’s why I recommend shutting off your irrigation system or any other law watering system a day or two before installation.
This isn’t something you would normally think about when getting a new roof, and some homeowners don’t care about how nice their lawn is. But a reputable roofing contractor will always do what it takes to take proper precautions to protect your property.
So, help them out and save yourself some stress by turning off your irrigation system before your new roof’s installation.
Move your vehicles to avoid being blocked in
On the day of your new roof installation, your driveway will have a dump truck/trailer and your roofing contractor’s vehicles. If you plan on leaving during the installation process, you need to move your vehicles before anyone shows up to avoid being blocked in.
If you get blocked in, the entire installation process has to stop and clear everything so you can leave. You also need to consider where your car is in your driveway.
If it’s near the roof line, you’ll definitely need to move it to avoid damage from falling debris. A reputable roofing contractor will always recommend moving your vehicles.
However, it’s up to you to move them out of the way the night before to avoid being blocked in when the work starts.
Walk around and inspect your property
The day before your new roof’s installation, you need to go around the outside of your home and inspect your property. Look for torn window screens, dented gutters, damaged light fixtures, or any other damage that is already there.
Whether you find damage or not, take pictures of everything before your new roof installation begins. That way, you’ll know any damage found afterward was caused by the roofing contractor.
Just know that most roofing contractors also take pictures of any noticeable damages before the job starts. This is because many homeowners don’t notice damages near the roof line until they get a new roof and try to blame it on the installers.
A reputable roofing contractor always does everything in their power to protect your property. But if they do cause damage, they should own up to it and take care of the issue at no additional cost.
Just like things on the walls, some contractors sneak into the fine print of the quote that they’re not responsible for any damage. So, make sure to go over your estimate carefully before signing it.
Don’t set your alarm on the day of your new roof installation
It’s understandable to want your home protected if you decide to leave during your new roof installation. So, of course, you should always lock your doors and windows.
But whatever you do, do not set your home’s alarm system. Remember, installing a new roof causes vibrations in your home.
These vibrations and noise could possibly set your alarm system off. The last thing you want is to come home to turn it off and (possibly) bother your local police.
This isn’t guaranteed to happen to all alarm systems. However, just be safe and don’t set your alarm to ensure everything goes smoothly.
What actually happens on the day of your new roof’s installation?
Now you know what you can do to prepare for a new roof installation. By doing the things in this article, you can be confident you did everything needed to make the big day go smoothly.
But now that you know what you can do, you need to know what actually happens on the big day. This ensures you know what should happen when your new roof is installed.
The last thing you want is to be shocked when you see the job site. That’s why I wrote another article breaking down the roof replacement process.
The team at Bill Ragan Roofing has provided high-quality roof installations in Nashville and surrounding Middle Tennessee areas since 1990. We take extreme pride in our work and offer a lifetime workmanship warranty to back it up.
To learn what happens on the day of your new roof installation, check out this article on the 8-Step Process to Replace Your Roof.
