With so many people staying at home due to the pandemic, you may have noticed several projects around the house that needed your attention. You may have repaired the leaky toilet and painted the nursery. Once those little projects are out of the way, you may wonder if you can make good use of your time by repairing or replacing your roof yourself.
If you ask a seasoned roofer if having a homeowner on their roof is a good idea, the most likely answer is a resounding no. They would never want you to do more damage to your roof or injure yourself. And you may disagree because you have enough DIY experience to tackle this project.
Before you begin, however, ask yourself the following questions:
- Are you reasonably practical?
- Do you follow all safety precautions?
- Do you read and follow all package instructions?
And also:
- Does your roof have a steep slope?
- Do you have any special concerns about blinking?
- Does your roof have dormers? Pitch changes?
- Does your home have a chimney or two?
- If you're just doing a repair, can you customize your existing shingles or have they been discontinued?
- Are you trying to fix a leak? Do you know how much damage this leak caused inside your home?
- Do you know the existing ventilation and can you bypass it?
- Do you know how to properly flash chimneys, walls or valleys?
These and other questions require a clear answer on your part. You really don't want to make the situation worse.
Does your insurance cover the cost of the roof?
According to the website https://www.bigalsroofing.com/, the homeowner's insurance policies usually cover the cost of a new roof. Also, they may not pay a full claim unless you can show that you hired a qualified roofer to do the job. If that's your case, you might want to reconsider lugging those heavy bundles of shingles around and spending long hours under the hot sun doing so much hard work just to save your insurance company some money.
Think about it even though you might think it is a project to tackle. In the end, you could be doing more harm than good. And your home is your most valuable asset. You don't want to do anything that would end up costing you more money to have it in tip top shape.
Choose a contractor carefully
Do your research to find the right contractor to give you a new roof or repair the roof you have now. Get recommendations from neighbors or friends who have had their roofs replaced or repaired. Make sure you have someone who is licensed, insured and has the right experience to do a good job.
Remember, the roof is a very important part of any home. It offers you and your loved ones protection from the elements and provides you with a safe place to live. Your contractor can recommend the best material for your roof and give you peace of mind that the job is completely done.
