A Complete Guide To Conducting A Roof Replacement On Your Rental Property

A roof plays an important role in any property, especially with rental properties. It protects a building, along with its occupants, from the tough rigors of nature. Yet damage can hamper a roof’s overall performance. In fact, roof replacement is necessary if your rental property’s roof is damaged beyond repair.

Do you need a roof replacement yet have no idea of how to execute this project? Worry not. Here’s a guide to conducting a roof replacement:

Contact A Roof Replacement Professional

A contractor will replace the roof for you. For a functioning and efficient roof, it’s important to choose a professional contractor, preferably one specializing in roofs. The following link showcases an experienced roofer in action:

This roofing contractor should also have experience in such rental property. Besides general expertise, they should have experience installing your chosen roofing material. Different materials require different expertise; shingles and metal roofing installation differ. It’d help to confirm they’ve handled such a project previously; a portfolio will come in handy.

With the portfolio, compare the before and after pictures of their previous projects. The ideal professional is one whose work you like. It increases the chances of them executing your roof replacement project as you desire.

A company like Arrowhead roofing’s expertise should also extend to the project scale. A large roof has more workload than a small one. The contractor should be able to replace your large roof without getting tired and compromising the quality of work. They should also do this within the agreed timeframe, factoring in their resources, specifically workers.

Plus, the ideal contractor should have insurance. It’ll protect you from liabilities that might arise during the project execution. For instance, your property could get damaged, or one of the workers could fall and get injured. General liability and workman’s compensation covers are the best insurance coverage for these incidences.

As you look for an ideal contractor, the process might be lengthy. Time isn’t on your side; a delay could worsen your roof condition. It’d help to seek referrals from friends and family. Your neighbors could also assist you in finding an ideal contractor.

Referrals increase the chances of getting a suitable roofing contractor. You’ll be getting suggestions of contractors known for their good work, reducing the burden of searching the internet for one. But after getting the list of referrals, be sure to do more vetting based on your needs. You want to acknowledge that your friends and family had different roofing needs as they sought the contractor, and so do you. Be sure to choose the contractor best suited for your roof replacement project.

Choose A Suitable Roofing Material

There are many roofing materials from which you can choose. You’ll find tile, asphalt, slate, and metal roofing materials, among others. Various factors should depict your choice: climate, maintenance, cost, and preference.

With climate, it’s advisable to choose a roofing material that will thrive in the climate of your location. For instance, where there’s constant wet weather like rain or snow, wood shingles shouldn’t be your choice. These are likely to rot and wear and tear within a short period.

For maintenance, choose a material you can keep up with the maintenance needs. You don’t want to invest in a roofing material that adds to your daily stress. You’ll likely forget to maintain it as needed, reducing the roof’s lifespan.

Cost is a factor you should always consider when making any purchase. The purchase should be within your budget to avoid future financial strain. In this case, choose a roofing material you can afford at ease.

Lastly, each of the available roofing materials depicts a given style. Some portray a traditional look, others a modern one. They also come in colors, where you’ll choose your preferred color to cover your rental property.

All in all, factor in functionality, finances, and aesthetics when choosing your ideal roofing material.

Make The Necessary Preparations

If you’re going to pursue a roof replacement project in your rental property, you need to make s number of preparations. They generally encompass the following:

• Tenants

Inform your tenants of the roof replacement project the soonest. Take a step further and advise them on how best to protect their belongings. If your rental property operates as an accommodation facility like a short-term rental, inform your clients of closure for the project duration.

• Permits

As part of the preparations, you should get the necessary permits in relation to the roof replacement. This depends from state to state.

Before starting the project, inquire about any regulations you must adhere to. A visit to your municipal council or other regulating body offices will come in handy. Alternatively, your chosen roofing contractor can help you find this information. Some will take a step further and get the permits for you as part of their contract services.

It’s also important to inquire if there are any codes to adhere to in your neighborhood. Some will require a given roofing material and color for uniformity. It’s important to adhere to such guidelines to prevent attracting fines and penalties.

• Roof

Prior to the roof replacement project, it’s crucial to prepare the roof.

The first thing to do is to clean the area around the roof. Cut away any tree branches that hang over the roof. Eliminating these parts increases the lifespan of your new roof. Pull away the overhangs if cutting isn’t an option. Doing so gives the contractor adequate room to work on your roof without any distractions.

Cleaning your roof involves removing any attachments to it too, such as satellite dishes and others.

Monitor The Project

Monitoring the roof replacement is important. You want to make sure that everything goes according to your plan. It’d help to monitor the process: right from the removal of the old roof down to the inspection of the decking and underlayment.

Ensure the contractor removes the old roof in a manner that doesn’t interfere with the installation of the new roof. A roof’s decking is its foundation; hence, plays an important role. It seals your home, protecting it from external weather. The roof’s deck can be made of wood, concrete, or even steel. During its inspection, look out for cracks if it’s made of concrete, softness or rot if it’s made of wood, and rust if it’s steel. Should you find any of these aspects, repair them before installing your roof.

The roof’s underlayment prevents water from leaking into your home. Before installing the new roof, ensure it’s in a good state. Its inspection involves checking the metal flashing, which keeps water away from your roof. Ensure the flashing is well positioned against the fascia without any space in between.

With the roof components in check, proceed with the roof installation. The technique the contractor will use depends on your chosen roofing material.

Suppose you prefer shingles. The contractor will lay and nail down the starter shingles at the edges of your roof. They’ll follow this with laying the first row of shingles, ensuring they hang over your roof’s edge. Follow this row with subsequent ones, ensuring the shingle pieces overlap each other. As the contractor does this, it’s important to ensure they cover the nails they’ll use for jointing. After laying and nailing a shingle, they should lay the next shingle ensuring it covers the nails. Doing so prevents possible leaks in the future.

It’ll be an added advantage to learn about the roof replacement project beforehand. It’s the only way to know if the contractor is executing the project correctly. Further, it ensures proper project monitoring.

Carry Out The Final Inspection

After the installation, it’s important to inspect the finished roof. Nonetheless, be sure to start this process by cleaning the roof. Remove any debris, nails, and other materials on your roof that’d interfere with the inspection.

You and the contractor should inspect the work, square footage per square footage. The aim is to ensure the installation is up to par and there are no errors. If there are any holes that could lead to unwanted leaks, the contractor will rectify them before handing over the project to you. The contractor will ensure that your roof adheres to any standard to prevent legal consequences as well.

Suppose your state requires you to adhere to certain codes and standards when replacing your roof. You should request an inspection from the necessary officials after doing your internal inspection. These officials approving your roof means you can proceed to use your rental property as you did before without fearing being on the wrong side of the law. Should these officials identify aspects not adhering to a given code, rectify them as soon as possible to avoid hitches.

Conclusion

Roof replacement might have seemed daunting, but the notion is more or less gone, thanks to the post above. It has shown how easy the process is. All you must do is prepare the surface before the roof and install the roof according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This complete guide is one you should consider adopting in your project. Doing so makes the process faster and more manageable.

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