Home › Learn From The Pros › How Should You Prepare Your Home for a Roof Replacement? How Should You Prepare Your Home for a Roof Replacement? July 30, 2021 As you plan out your roof replacement project, there are several things you need to take care of to ensure its success. Apart from doing your research and finding a suitable contractor who can build your roof based on your needs and preferences, you still have to decide the best bid that fits your budget. You may get several bids from prospects that have similar prices, making it hard to determine if the cheapest bid should really be avoided or the most expensive one can provide the best service and quality materials. Of course, you also have to prepare your home for the upcoming project. Depending on the size of your roof, it may take one to two days on average, so expect to have a lot of workers coming in and out of your property while the project is ongoing. The noise can also be a bit distracting if you work at home or watch over the project’s progress, and may bother your neighbors as well! So, it’s important to take some steps before work begins. Warn Your Neighbors Most roofing projects only last for a few days, so you’re probably able to tolerate the noise and commotion. But it’s a different story for your neighbors, so make sure to warn them about your upcoming roof replacement project. Doing this can help them understand why they’re hearing all that banging, sawing and hammering next door as well as avoid any unruly confrontations by angry neighbors during the replacement process! Of course, the noise that comes with the construction is usually beyond your control. If you think that the noise from the roofing project may become disruptive to your work, consider staying at a different place instead, such as a family friend’s home or a motel during the day until the project is completed. Watch Over Your Children A lot can happen during a roof replacement project. All the equipment and people working in your home can make your children anxious or excited. If they run around unsupervised and become curious over a dangerous power tool, it can result in serious injury or worse. To avoid this, be sure to watch over them to prevent unwanted accidents. If there are workers and equipment outside on your property, your children should stay away from them as well. Other work-related materials, such as nails, screws and flashing, can also be scattered around the work area and can be hazardous to those who are unaware. For instance, if you have a cover over your pool that’s meant to prevent dust and debris from falling over, it can still be a hazard to children running around your backyard. It doesn’t hurt to keep your children safe, which is why professional roofing contractors recommend that you watch out for them properly. Hold Onto Your Pets as Well If you have pets, then it may be likely that they’ll get either excited about the commotion or anxious with the roofers who are working on your project. They may even find the ongoing noise unpleasant and disruptive, making them more hostile to unfamiliar people because of the noise. If your pet tends to become anxious around strangers and/or has difficulty adjusting during the roofing process, it may be wise to have them stay in another home with people they know. It may be even better to have a friend or neighbor watch over them until your roof replacement project is completed. Give Enough Home Access You need to expect that part of your driveway, attic and garage will be occupied by workers during your roof replacement project. They’ll need full access to these crucial areas as these are where they’ll place the roofing materials and their equipment. Make sure that they’re cleared of any obstructions if you want your roof to be installed without delays. That also means leaving your gates unlocked throughout the roofing process! Typically, your hired roof repair and replacement contractor will use your driveway for collecting old roofing materials, so it should be cleared of your vehicles or any other obstructions. And, with the gate unlocked, the workers will have full access to your yard. This makes it more efficient for them to clean up their equipment and any other debris after its completion. Check Your Electrical System Since your hired contractor uses several power tools and air compressors throughout the roof replacement process, they’ll likely use your electrical outlets. Make sure to check your electrical system beforehand and that they’re easily accessible. It’s often better that they use a separate circuit to prevent overloading while using sustained power tools and other electrical equipment, which means they’ll only plug into the garage circuits to be safe. This is to prevent unwanted damage to your appliances and other electrical equipment, especially if your garage shares the same circuit with your main electrical system. Protect Your Vehicles, Landscaping and Outdoor Furniture It’s also important to protect your landscape from dust and debris during your roof replacement process. Experienced roofing contractors will usually implement protective measures by covering your plants, spas, hot tubs and swimming pools with a tarp before the construction commences. They’ll also take steps to protect your garden, outdoor furniture and other water features, and minimize dust and debris. Of course, small amounts of debris like sawdust can still make their way through, but this is expected especially during windy days. It’s still recommended that you turn off your water pumps and sprinklers during the renovation process. This is because the lawn near and around your roof can also get affected by workers constantly walking around your property. It helps to mow the lawn before the work starts so that the workers can clean up the materials and debris more quickly after your roof has been installed. By preparing your home for your upcoming roofing project, you’ll make it easier to bear with the temporary inconveniences. You’ll also make it more efficient for the roofers to get the job done smoothly! So, when it comes to reliable roof repair and replacement services, you can count on Neumann Construction to get the job done efficiently! Call us now at (218) 270-0009, or you can fill out our convenient form online. We serve Brainerd and nearby areas.