Few repair jobs are as necessary or as stressful for a homeowner as the roof replacement process.
Getting a new residential roof replacements can be complicated, time-consuming, and expensive if you do not have the right roofing contractor and insurance.
In Texas, extreme weather conditions, such as storms, hail, and strong winds, often cause a lot of damage to roofing material, especially in poor roof maintenance and installation of the existing roof. After a severe storm, your roof must be checked out for damage to your shingles, tile, metal, and fascia. If you don’t want to hire our roofer, you can always DIY.
Find a reliable local roofing contractor to replace the entire roof system.
Water Damage and Roofing of Cedar Park has been helping the people of Cedar Park and surrounding areas with their residential roofing needs for many years.
If you need to have part or all of your roof replaced, call Water Damage and Roofing of Cedar Park right now and ask for a free consultation.
The Complete Roof Replacement Checklist
Depending on the level of damage that your roofing materials have suffered, you may need either minor repairs or a complete roof replacement.
In either case, if you will have your roof replaced most efficiently and cheaply possible, you need to make a roof replacement checklist.
This is a simple list of essential things that will help you with the following:
- Mapping out the roofing process
- Having the roof inspected
- Knowing what needs to be inspected, for example, the roofing deck
- Listing the vital roofing components, such as roof vents and shingles
- Finding the right roofing experts to install the new roof
With this roof replacement checklist in hand, and an experienced roofer to assist with an estimate, you will be ready to go through the entire process of getting a new roof by taking the following steps:
Tear off Roofing Materials
When looking at the damage caused by the weather to the existing shingles, slate roofing, or some other type of roofing material, the first thing your roofing contractor needs to decide is whether to tear off the old roof or overlay it with a new layer of roofing materials.
With a roof tear-off, the roofing contractor will go over the entire shingle roof, removing the roofing material one section at a time until the roof deck and other components are exposed in preparation for the new roof.
While a roof overlay is the cheaper and more accessible of the two when conducting a complete replacement, a tear-off of the old roof has the following benefits:
- When the old roof is torn off, the roofing tradesperson will be able to identify and fix any high-risk issues, such as water damage in the attic space
- A brand-new roof will last much longer than an overlay, meaning it is the best option if you need a complete roof replacement.
- The resale value of your home will go up drastically if you have a new roof installed rather than simply overlaying an old shingle roof with new asphalt shingles.
- A roof overlay has the disadvantage of doubling the weight of the roof, which can be a big risk to the structural integrity of the roof when dealing with heavy roofs of composition-slate
Roof Replacement Estimate
Costs of roof replacement vary depending on many different factors that apply to each particular roof replacement job.
The following are some of the things your roof contractors will consider when drafting an estimate:
- Cost of all the roofing materials included in the replacement
- The complexity of the job
- The time required for the complete roof replacement
- Any warranty and insurance that is required
Your roof estimate will also address critical areas of replacing a roof, such as a complete description of the work to be done and details of the payment process and due dates.
In most cases, different contractors can quote very different figures for the same job, which you must consider before signing the contract, especially when paying all the costs out of pocket.
The general rule of thumb is to get different estimates from at least three or more reliable contractors and compare the costs of each.
However, you need to know that a cheaper roof estimate isn’t always the better option because it may come with poor-quality materials and unreliable workmanship that may cost you much more money.
Deck Inspection
One of the main things that a reliable and experienced roofer will always insist on doing is a deck inspection.
Your decking is like the backbone of your roofing system; if this is not inspected when your roof is replaced, you cannot guarantee the structural integrity of the roof.
Typically, the deck will comprise flat boards attached to joists or trusses that support the tab shingles, slate, or other roofing components.
If a new roof is placed over a damaged deck, it will not only affect the roof’s longevity but will also pose a significant risk to the safety of the house’s occupants.
Drip Edge, Underlayment, and Flashing Installation
Installing a new roof is a stepwise process that needs to be carefully handled if the results are satisfactory. The following are three critical features of roof replacement:
- Drip Edge
Minor issues, such as water running down the sides of your house, can cause significant damage and result in unattractive water stains. This is why installing a drip edge along the roof’s perimeter, such as metal drip edging to act as an umbrella, is very important.
- Underlayment
One of the most crucial things your contractor needs to do is install ice dam protection for your roofing system. The best way to do this is by directly adding a layer of roofing paper, underlayment, to the roof deck.
Underlayment can be described as your roof’s raincoat as it prevents any water slipping through the shingle roof from reaching the deck.
- Flashing
The most vulnerable areas of your roof include the chimney or skylights. In these areas, flashing redirects water toward the roof’s edges.
Flashing is also done in the areas where two slopes of the roof come together, called valley flashing.
Asphalt Shingles and Vents Installed
The next part of the re-roofing process is the installation of the shingles and roof vents. Roof shingles will form the top layer of the roof, while the roof vents will provide the necessary air circulation.
There are many types of ventilation options that you can choose from, such as:
- Ridge Vents
Installed at the roof’s peak, ridge vents act as the ultimate exhaust system for your house, allowing it to “breathe” while preventing water from passing through even during heavy, wind-driven rain.
Gable Vents
Gable vents provide more than just a way to release pressure but also add a bit of architectural design to the house by being placed in areas where they can be easily seen.
- Stack Vents
Just like the roof, the plumbing system needs to breathe too, and one way to ensure this is by using a stack vent.
- Mechanical Vents
It is an example of a mechanical vent if you have ever seen a whirlybird sticking out of a roof. It uses the power of the wind to spin and draw out warm air from the interior of the building.
The Cleanup Process
When the new roof replacement has been completed, you will need to deal with all the debris left behind when the old roof was torn off.
Roof debris is very unsightly to look at lying in your yard, posing a significant health fire danger. Properly disposing of damaged roof shingles and hazardous material, such as asbestos, is something a good contractor will know how to do.
What Should I Watch Out for in a Roofing Contract?
The replacement of roofs requires the signing of a contract between the homeowner and the contractor. The following are some of the crucial aspects to consider:
- Important business details, such as the address of the company and phone number
- A detailed description of all the work to be done
- Materials required and expected duration of the project
- Payment process and cost
- Warranties and insurance policy
How Messy Is a Roof Replacement?
In many cases, roof replacement can leave behind a lot of debris, depending on the scope of the repair work. You should expect much plywood, shingles, drip edge material, roofing paper, slate, and even asbestos, sometimes lying around the yard.
What Are the 3 Main Components of a Roof?
A roof consists of the following main components:
- The covering, such as a slate or shingle roof
- The Roof deck consists of things such as underlayment
- Other roofing components, such as the drip edge
Water Damage and Roofing of Cedar Park – Reliable Roofing Contractors
Are you wondering what is included in a roof replacement? The best way to get the answers you want is to hire an experienced contractor, such as Water Damage and Roofing Cedar Park, today and let the experts care for all your roofing needs.