What To Expect During a Roof Replacement

A roof replacement starts before the first shingle comes off.  Once work starts, expect some moderate noise, workers around the house, roofing debris, and limited access to parts of your driveway or yard. Most residential roof replacements are completed quickly (1-3 days), but the schedule depends on the size and shape of the roof, the roofing material, weather, and what the crew finds after removing the old roof.

Knowing the roof replacement process ahead of time makes the project easier to plan around. Here is what homeowners should expect from the days leading up to installation through the final walkthrough.

How To Prepare Your Home for Roof Replacement

The crew handles the roof. Homeowners still have a few things to take care of before work starts.

Move Vehicles Away From the House

Move cars out of the driveway before the roofing crew arrives unless your IBC Roofing project manager or roofing contractor gives you different instructions. Roofing crews need room for trucks, trailers, material deliveries, ladders, and debris removal. Keeping vehicles away from the house also reduces the risk of damage from falling roofing debris. If you need to leave during the day, park somewhere you can get out without crossing the work area.

Clear the Area Around Your House

Move patio furniture, grills, toys, potted plants, decorations, hoses, and other movable items away from the house. The crew needs space to work around the roof perimeter. Shingles, nails, underlayment, and pieces of old flashing will come off the roof during tear-off. If you have plants or landscaping close to the house, ask how those areas will be protected before work begins.

Remove Fragile Items From Walls and Shelves

Roof replacement creates vibration. Workers will be walking across the roof and using nail guns, hammers, pry bars, and other tools throughout the project. Vibrations travel through rafters and framing into the rooms below. Take down fragile wall decorations and move breakable items away from the edges of shelves, especially on the upper floor.

Protect Items Stored in the Attic

Small amounts of dust and debris often fall into an attic during tear-off. Cover stored boxes, furniture, holiday decorations, and other belongings with plastic or a drop cloth before installation begins. This is especially useful in unfinished attics where the underside of the roof deck is exposed.

Make Plans for Pets and Young Children

A house under roof replacement is a noisy place. Dogs and other pets often react to the hammering and movement overhead. Workers also need gates and access points to remain available throughout the day. Keep pets indoors and away from exterior work areas. If your pet is sensitive to loud noise, arranging for them to stay elsewhere during the busiest part of the project will make the day easier. Children should also stay away from the work zone, dumpsters, ladders, and roofing materials.

Recommended: Tell Your Neighbors

Your neighbors will hear the project too. Giving them advance notice is courteous, especially when homes are close together. Let them know which day the work is scheduled to begin so they know what the noise is.

What Happens on the First Day of Roof Replacement?

The crew starts by preparing the property. They establish work areas, position ladders, set up safety equipment, and place the dumpster or debris trailer. Protection is also installed where needed around siding, windows, landscaping, porches, decks, and other areas below the roof. Then tear-off begins.

The Old Roof Comes Off

For a full roof replacement, the existing roofing material is removed so the contractor can inspect what is underneath. On an asphalt shingle roof, crews remove the shingles along with the old underlayment and other components being replaced. Materials are moved off the roof and placed into the dumpster or debris trailer as work progresses. This is usually the loudest part of the roof replacement process. Expect scraping, hammering, footsteps, and debris moving across the roof. If you work from home and spend much of the day on calls, plan around the noise.

The Roof Deck Is Inspected

Once an area of roofing has been removed, the crew gets its first clear look at the roof deck. The deck is the wood surface that the roofing system attaches to. Depending on the age and construction of the house, it is commonly plywood, OSB, or boards. The crew checks for areas that are rotten, soft, deteriorated, or damaged by past leaks. They also look for previous repairs that are no longer suitable for the new roofing system.

What Happens If Damaged Decking Is Found?

Damaged decking has to be replaced before new roofing is installed over that area. Roofing materials need a solid surface for proper attachment. Installing new shingles over rotten or badly deteriorated wood leaves the underlying problem in place. This is also one reason the final roof replacement cost sometimes changes after tear-off begins. Our roofing inspectors can evaluate visible conditions before the project, but hidden wood damage does not become fully apparent until the old roofing is removed. Your detailed IBC Roofing proposal explains how unexpected decking replacement is handled and how the additional work is priced.

The New Roofing System Is Installed

Once the roof deck is ready, installation of the new roofing system begins. A roof is made up of more than the material you see from the street. The finished system also includes underlayment, flashing, edge components, ventilation, and materials installed around roof penetrations.

Drip Edge and Water Protection

Drip edge is installed along applicable roof edges to direct water away from the edge of the roof deck. Water-resistant membrane is also used in areas specified by the roofing system and local installation requirements. Valleys, eaves, roof transitions, and other areas that receive concentrated water need particular attention.

Roofing Underlayment

Underlayment covers the roof deck before the finished roofing material goes down.
It provides another layer between the decking and the exterior roofing material. The type used depends on the roofing system and project specifications. The underlayment should lie flat and be installed according to the manufacturer’s requirements before the crew moves on to the finished roof covering.

Flashing

Flashing directs water away from places where roof surfaces meet walls, chimneys, skylights, plumbing vents, and other roof penetrations. Some existing flashing is removed and replaced during a roof replacement. Other flashing details depend on the condition of the existing material and the design of the roof. These areas deserve careful work because many roof leaks start around penetrations and transitions rather than in the middle of an open roof slope.

Roof Ventilation

A roof replacement is also a good time to review attic ventilation. We identify the existing roof intake and exhaust ventilation and determine what is included in the new roofing system. Ridge vents, soffit intake, box vents, and other ventilation components differ from house to house. Ventilation work should be planned before the finished roofing material is installed.

New Roofing Material

After the underlying components are in place, the crew installs the finished roofing material. For asphalt shingles, installation generally works upward from the lower edge of each roof slope. Valleys, ridges, walls, vents, and other details receive the materials required for those locations. The manufacturer’s fastening and installation requirements matter here. They also affect eligibility for certain manufacturer warranties.

What Happens After the New Roof Is Installed?

Installation is not the last step. Our roofers still need to clean the property, inspect the completed work, remove equipment, and review the project with you.

Cleanup and Debris Removal

Roof replacement creates a large amount of debris. The crew removes old roofing materials, packaging, scraps, loose nails, and other project waste. Dumpsters or trailers are removed once they are no longer needed. Crews also inspect the ground around the house and use magnetic sweepers to collect roofing nails. Take a walk around your property after cleanup. If you see debris that was missed, point it out before the crew leaves.

Final Roof Inspection & Homeowner Walkthrough

The completed roof should receive a final review. The contractor checks roofing surfaces and installation details around ridges, edges, valleys, vents, flashing, walls, and other roof penetrations. Any remaining installation items should be addressed before the project is considered complete.

IBC Roofing Richmond reviews the completed work with the homeowner at the end of the project so there is a clear point to address final questions before the job is closed.

The final walkthrough gives you a chance to review the completed project with our team. Ask about anything you noticed during the installation. You should also receive information about the roofing materials, applicable warranties, and any maintenance instructions specific to your new roof.