It is a common misunderstanding about roofing that it is no more than nailing down some shingles. But the truth is that a well-installed roof is a compound system of components that work together and if correctly done, keeps water (and the costly damage it can do) out of the home interior. In fact, a masterly done roof, can save you from expensive future repairs to all the interior and even exterior parts of the house. It takes years for expert roofing service providers to learn their craft. They spend hours to learn how to professionally handle and install roofing components, identify risk areas and hidden pitfalls, keep themselves sound and safe and respect mandatory building regulations in different states.
Roofing is Very Labor Intensive
Roofing is one of the more heavy weight forms of labor, especially if you intend to tear off the old roof before installing the new material. If you haven’t done it before, think twice before taking on the job. You should be comfortable with walking on a roof, considering its height and unsure footing. Carrying heavy weights up a ladder is also something that you need to do quite often in this job and if you don’t feel comfortable to do it frequently, maybe you aren’t fit for the job.
Safety
There are many important safety issues that you must take into account before jumping into a roofing project (Here you can check our Top 10 Safety Tips for Roofing). One of the more important safety issues is the proper tools and safety equipment and the necessary skills to use them correctly. Having an expert eye for a damaged roof, knowing common slippery areas and scenarios and an overall confidence drawn out of training and years of experience, are a must for the safe accomplishment of a roofing project. Disregarding any of these steps could result in serious accidents and injuries. Before jumping into any roofing adventure, gather as much information about it as you can, consider any potential pitfalls and risks and then act.
How Much Can I Save If I Do It Myself?
A professional cost estimate for a roofing project includes many factors. Do you need a tear off of the existing roof? Is there a need for installing new shingles? How about structural repair? Do the old materials need to be disposed of? Is any heavy equipment needed that should be rented? Other factors are the size of the roof, how steep the slope is, the amount of roofing materials that is needed, the time of the year, the weather conditions, the urgency of the project and the deadline for completing it. All of these and more need to be taken into account for a professional roofing estimate.
However, our advice is to carefully study if this savings are worth the risk. Roofing is a dangerous venture. If someone gets hurt, you may need to hire a professional to complete the job anyway. If the job isn’t done properly, say by making a mistake when installing roofing materials, water could leak into the house and create more damage then you have saved by doing the roofing yourself.