Building Regulations, Codes and Permits
There are totally different building regulations, depending on where the project will be done. Any roofing project has to conform to the building codes and regulations of the respective jurisdiction.
Before starting any building project, including roofing jobs, it is essential to obtain the relevant building codes. Failing to do so can cost you a lot of time and money in terms of penalties and other forms of economic loss.
Recycling and the Disposal of Waste
To save time and money, a key step to prepare the roof for recycling is to sort materials early as they come off the roof. Shingles, asphaltic underlayment and nails can be recycled. These materials must be gathered into a separate heap or container to make the job of the recycler easier.
Wood and other mixed material should be put into a distinct heap. Recyclers have different methods and procedures and one has to check with them early and plan in advance. Some recyclers allow one sort of material to be placed on top of another one, if they are separated by a proper sheet or something alike. In any case, it is paramount that different types of material is easily separable for them, otherwise they won’t accept to recycle it.
There are many waste transfer stations that offer recycling services. Call them in advance to see if there are any special requirements.
You Have to Choose the Colors and Styles
You should choose the style and color of the shingles in advance and check whether they fit to the overall look of your house or not. There are many retailers that offer catalogues of their materials with different styles and colors. Ask a salesman for help and make sure you have studied all the available options, colors and styles before committing yourself and starting the roofing project.
Have an Estimation about How Much Material You Need
First you need to calculate the roofs slope. The slope is the rise over the run. To measure the slope, you need to set a tool called an inclinometer on the top of the ridge. After the slope of the roof is determined, you have to calculate the total square footage of the roof. Make sure you don’t oversee any area or section of the roof, including the hips, valleys, eaves, overhangs, ridges and rakes.
After you have gathered all the necessary data, use them with a free online calculator or with a pitch factor chart to figure out the real area of your roof. Using the results, you can estimate the amount of tear off debris you have to handle, and the amount of roofing material, including shingles, you will need. Keep in mind that there are different free calculators online, which will make your life a lot easier, when calculating the amount of roofing materials you need.
Should You Tear Off Your Old Roofing or Overlay It?
There are some top contractors that feel old roofing should be removed on every project. But this is not necessarily true. There are situations where keeping the old roofing and overlaying is perfectly fine. When there hasn’t been any previous leak problems, and when flashing and roof deck protection are still good and capable of doing their job, you can avoid tearing off the old roofing.