I know that being a home owner involves maintaining your homes appearance and making occasional repairs. Patching and painting some drywall where the doorknob put a hole through the wall can be a repair that most homeowners can accomplish by following a simple YouTube video. It doesn’t cost much to do the repair compared to having a professional painter come and do the work. You might even be up to patching and sealing your asphalt driveway. However, when it comes to repairing or replacing your roof, there are a few things to consider.
Skill Level
Honestly assess your skill level. Do I physically have the necessary skills to perform the work?
Going up and down a ladder can be tiring. Carrying bundles of shingles and other materials can become exhausting and can wear a person down before work has begun. Being in good physical health and condition should be a high consideration.
Equipment
Do I have or can I affordably get the safety equipment I need?
Is my ladder rated for a person my weight plus the equipment and materials I will be hauling up and down the ladder? Is my roof too steep to comfortably walk on? Will I need and do I know how to use safety harnesses and/or roof jacks and boards? No amount of money savings is worth a serious fall. One good source for roof safety products is Modern Building Supply in Jackson.
Difficulty Level
How difficult is the work I am about to undertake?
Will the work be simply to replace a shingle that the wind has blown off, or is it a more complicated roof repair or roof replacement with lots of valleys, flashings, counter flashings, or protrusions such as skylights?
What options do I have if I start this project and then find out it is more difficult than I first predicted?
Do I have a tarp I can cover the area with? Do I have the knowledge and ability to properly tarp the roof so that winds will not remove it before I can get a professional’s help?
Am I Saving $$
What is my time worth? How long will this take me?
What seems like a simple fix, many times becomes more involved than first anticipated. Wood damage under shingles, missing flashings, ant or termite infestations from wet wood. We come up against daily. These unforeseen obstacles can be a huge problem if you are not prepared for them.
Should I Contact A Professional?
A roof repair that may take a professional a few hours to complete, may take a novice homeowner a day or two.
If you feel that you can overcome these items, then you may be able to repair/replace you roof yourself.
Be aware though that over 90% of the roofs that I look at are improperly installed. Many of these are even installed by so called professionals (but that’s a topic for another time). If you feel comfortable doing the work, at least consider having a professional come inspect your work when you are done.
If you are not sure whether you can complete the work yourself, contact us via our contact form or call 517-425-5056 for your free estimate.
