Major home renovation projects are hard to pull off. With so many things that can go wrong, and so much money on the table, it’s important to approach them with careful planning and attention to detail.
In this context, we’re referring to roof-related projects that, although not as exciting or ROI-heavy as bathroom and kitchen upgrades, do have a tremendous impact on your house’s structural integrity and living conditions.
Let’s try to right these wrongs with these six steps that will make sure your next renovation project goes without any hiccups and your roof is ready to deal with challenges for many years.
Set up a well-thought-out budget and stick to it
Roof repairs can result in substantial costs, including labor expenses, disposal fees, as well as costs associated with licenses, inspections, and permits. These expenses can add up quickly and can put a significant strain on your finances.
When you carefully document all your expenses, you can also assess the overall cost of roof replacement. If the total cost is approaching that of extensive repairs, opting for the latter option might be a better choice, as it offers more long-term security.
Pick only the best materials
You can look at the roof materials as a foundation for everything you are going to pull off later – if the materials don’t meet the required quality standards, it’s unlikely that any subsequent work will be successful.
High-quality materials will also make your property look more appealing, improve the roof’s structural integrity, and ensure proper insulation. So, where to start? Here are some of the top picks to get you started:
- Asphalt shingles – cost-effective and durable but prone to damage from hail
- Wood shingles – organic and energy-efficient but not suitable for all climates
- Slate tiles – Look good and last up to 100 years but they are also very pricy
- Metal roofs – Excellent lifespan and safe choice for cold climates but noisy and expensive.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. There are a lot of other options to choose from, so find what works for your property the best.
Perform several renovations in the same run
As we’ve mentioned in the introduction, roof renovation projects are complicated and challenging. So, it would be a good idea to use the opportunity when the work is already in progress to take care of as many associated tasks as possible. Let’s say you are living in a windy part of Australia where gutters tend to take a lot of damage.
In that case, services of gutter replacement from Brisbane or some other nearby place seem like a great opportunity to hit two proverbial birds with one stone. Well, this is only one of the many chores to think about. The fewer upgrades you need to handle later, the better.
Use high-quality insulation materials
We could easily wrap this under the previous topic since roof remodeling offers an excellent opportunity to include insulation as part of the project. But, as time goes by, insulation becomes a requirement rather than an option. If we, this time, go back to the USA for an example we will see that recent estimates by the EPA say that insulating the roof saves you 15% of energy spent on heating and cooling.
Keeping in mind the current energy prices and their long-term trends, this is something you should take into account. Therefore, try building this project into the very core of your next roof remodeling.
Get in touch with local authorities
Roof renovations, regardless of their size and scope, are subject to strict regulation by local building codes. Before you start any sort of work, you need to get in touch with local authorities and get the licenses and permits required for work. Pay close attention to requirements that can easily go unnoticed.
For instance, in some cases, there’s a strict limitation that permits only two layers of roofing material. Installing new layers may necessitate stronger construction, additional work, and additional permits.
Use available online resources
Last but not least, we’d like to emphasize the importance of doing thorough research on these topics before making any final decisions.
Fortunately, no matter whether we are talking about roof materials reviews, national registries of reliable roof remodeling vendors, or impact of the weather on the roof, the internet is a gold mine of information you can use to your advantage.
You can even find a lot of useful, non-specific tools like budget calculators and so on. The more time you put into research, the stronger results you’ll get.
As we wrap up, we hope these examples have given you a better understanding of the essential steps required for a successful roof renovation project. The roof plays a vital role in keeping your home protected from the elements, providing shelter, and maintaining a comfortable and secure living environment for you and your family.
It’s one area where cutting corners is a bad idea. So, take all our advice to heart and get that roof back in tip-top shape!
Authored By Mike Johnston
Images-rawpixel.com, Raze Solar on Unsplash, Peggy from Pixabay,