A reliable roof protects you and your family from the elements and guards your home from water damage. Because of this, you probably don’t think about your roof very often—until something goes wrong.
We understand how stressful it can be to navigate a roof replacement on a time crunch. However, it is critical to act quickly when your roofing is damaged to prevent further costly destruction to your home’s interior.
If you need a roof replacement, you might be wondering what to do next. This list will help you to prepare for your upcoming roof replacement by explaining what you can do before your project begins, and what you should expect from your contractor during your roof replacement.
Choosing Your Roofing Materials
One of the first (and most exciting) parts of your roof replacement is choosing your roofing materials. Depending on your budget and personal style preferences, choose from these popular materials for your roof replacement:
- Asphalt shingles—Asphalt shingles are affordable, easy to install, and extremely versatile. Asphalt shingles are the most popular roofing option, especially among suburban-style homes.
- Wood shakes or shingles—Wood shingles are a superb roofing option but require regular upkeep since they are highly flammable and can easily mold or rot.
- Slate roofing—Slate roofing is elegant, durable, and recyclable, but expensive.
- Metal roofing—Metal roofing is long-lasting, and fireproof, but pricey and requires specialty installation.
Cost of Your Roof Replacement
The cost of your roof replacement is another crucial factor to consider before your roof installation.
Here is the average amount you can expect to pay for a roofing replacement for each material listed above.
- Asphalt shingles—$5,300–11,000
- Wood shakes or shingles—$10,000–20,000
- Slate roofing—$18,000–45,000
- Metal roofing—$5,000–12,000 (copper roofing costs $25,000+)
Remember, your roofing replacement cost can vary depending on the square footage and location of your home, the roofing contractor you hire to complete your project, and the time of year when you schedule your roof replacement.
The Roof Replacement Process
After choosing your roofing materials, hiring a reliable roofing contractor, and creating a budget for your project, it’s time for your roofing replacement!
Before your roofing crew arrives, remember to clear cars from your driveway, remove breakable items from the outer edges of your home, and keep pets and children safely inside away from the construction zone.
Here is what to expect during your roof replacement:
1. Remove Old Roofing System
The first step of your roof replacement is to remove your home’s previous roofing system. This includes shingles, old metal flashing and drip edging, the underlayment, and roofing nails or staples.
A responsible roofing contractor will use a tarp to protect debris from damaging your home’s exterior or littering your lawn.
2. Install Underlayment
After your old roofing system is removed, your roofing contractor will install the underlayment. The underlayment creates a barrier between your roofing material and decking material to prevent moisture damage.
There are two options for your home’s underlayment:
Felt underlayment: Traditional asphalt-saturated felt “roofing papers” are a reliable and affordable underlayment option.
Synthetic underlayment: Synthetic underlayment materials are more costly. However, this new technology will not rot, buckle or crack, and is an excellent underlayment option for metal roofing projects.
3. Apply Drip Edge and Valley Flashing
Your contractor will install the valley flashing and drip edge after the underlayment.
Valley Flashing: Valley flashing directs water away from critical areas of the roof and is usually nailed to the roofing deck before your contractor installs the shingles.
Drip Edge: Drip edging is a thin metal flashing nailed over the underlayment around the roof’s perimeter. The metal drip edge helps direct water off the roof to prevent roof leaks or damage to the home.
4. Install Roofing Material and Flashing
Next, your roofing contractor will install your shingles and metal flashing.
Shingles: Before hiring your contractor, ensure that they are familiar with and trained to follow the industry-leading best practices for installing your specific roofing product.
Metal Flashing: Your contactor will secure the metal flashing around the chimney, skylights, stack vents, and other areas prone to cause leaks inside your home as the shingles are installed.
5. Clean-Up
The last step of your roof installation is the clean-up process.
Your contractor should use professional magnets to pick up debris from your yard, roof, and driveway before hauling it away.
A project manager will come to inspect and approve the final installation before your contractor meets with you to finalize the job.
Roof Replacement with JD Hostetter
If it’s time for a roof replacement, we know that you want to choose a reliable contractor with trusted installation practices and quality products that you can count on.
For over 15 years, JD Hostetter has helped hundreds of clients in the Indianapolis area love coming home again. We treat your home with professional care and ensure you are delighted with your roof replacement, no matter what it takes.
Contact us for a free estimate to start your roof replacement process today!
