Watkins worker in a yellow t-shirt replacing a roof

Now That You’ve Decided To Replace Your Roof, What’s Next?

Now that you’ve decided to replace your roof, what’s next? You’ve made a fantastic choice! Replacing an outdated or damaged roof is one of the most cost-effective ways to protect your home and its valuable contents. “What’s next?” is a prevalent concern among homeowners at this point. Is there anything I can do on my end to prepare?”

 The first and main step is to choose a reliable and local roofing contractor you can entrust with your roof. You’re ready to move forward once you’ve taken care of this critical initial step and scheduled your roof replacement.

How to Prepare for Your New Roof Replacement

Ask your roofing provider for their new roof readiness checklist

A qualified roofer should be able to give you their inventory of items to complete to prepare your home and property for the day of your planned roof installation. It’s usually a good idea to start there!

Meanwhile, here are some other things to think about while you move to that next roof:

Make plans for your children & pets.

On the installation day, the roofing construction zone is not safe for children or pets. Even if you can keep your children and pets inside, the noise of taking off an old roof and replacing it can cause tension and anxiety in both humans and animals. Decide how you want to prepare ahead of time; this could be a terrific opportunity for your children and dogs to spend the day with a family member, friend, or neighbor. If that isn’t possible, try to find the quietest and least stressful spot in your house where the kids and animals can hang out while your new roof is being installed.

Let your neighbors know ahead of time.

It would indeed be neighborly of you to inform your neighbors about your impending roof installation. Your neighbors may have children or pets for whom they will need to make their plans, and they will appreciate the advance notice. It’s preferable to communicate upfront rather than having to apologize later. Plus, your neighbors should be ecstatic that you’re getting a new roof because it will improve the entire neighborhood’s curb appeal!

Identify some accessible power outlets.

To use some of their specialized equipment, your roofers may want access to select electrical outlets. Exterior outlets are the best option, both for them and you. If you don’t have access to any outdoor outlets, consider which windows or doors you’d be willing to have extension cords installed. Understanding this ahead of time will help you relax on the day of installation.

Do your mowing and pruning beforehand.

Mow the day before the installation. Short grass will not cover falling nails and debris as well as tall grass, making cleanup easier once your roof is installed. Take note of any nearby trees or shrubs. Before the roofers arrive, make sure these are pruned or trimmed to have plenty of room to operate.

Clear the driveway

When it comes to having enough space to work, make sure your roofers have easy access to your home and roof. Make arrangements to relocate your vehicles out of the way on the day of the installation. For a variety of reasons, your roofers will want to park as near as feasible. They’ll need easy access to their tools, as well as space to gather old roof debris and load new roofing materials, among other things.

Prep your home exterior & property

Watkins Construction & Roofing, for example, will go to great pains to safeguard everything on the ground that could be damaged while replacing your roof with protective tarps. It will help if you go for a walk around to see what needs to be covered ahead of time. Anything that you can move or remove ahead of time (for example, hanging plants, toys, grills, patio furniture, etc.) can help things run more smoothly. If you have any external improvements to your roof, such as a satellite dish, you’ll want to contact your service provider for special instructions.

Cover your stuff in the attic

If you have precious objects stored in the attic, you may want to move them until the new roof is installed. Put a drop cloth, plastic sheet, or tarp over everything else once you’ve taken these items out. It’s almost unavoidable that a roof repair will result in more dust and debris in your attic, so plan accordingly.

Walk through your home’s interior.

Now, go over your home’s interior and remove everything vulnerable. The vibrations caused by having your old roof torn off and a new one installed might go down into your attic and walls. It’s always better to be safe! Remove items from the walls on the level of your home right beneath the roof. You might also consider removing objects from shelves or other places that aren’t securely fastened.

Choose Watkins Construction & Roofing to Handle Your Roof Replacement

As we mentioned previously, finding the proper local roofer is the first and most critical stage in the entire procedure. You want to work with someone well-known in your community who stands behind their products and services and is known for their meticulous attention to detail and individualized customer service. A roofer like that isn’t always easy to come by!

For more information, call Watkins Construction & Roofing in Jackson and Ridgeland, MS and Fairhope, AL at 601-966-8233.

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