About a year ago, I could tell that our home project was a little delayed. Our team of contractors had been struggling to work with some of their providers, so I decided to work with another team altogether. It was really frustrating, but I could tell that it was the right call to make. After we made the transition, the new staff got right to work addressing some of the most serious concerns. I wanted to create a blog all about understanding construction delays so that other people could see how difficult it can be to resolve them on your own. Check it out!
Gina Hawkins
When a roof gets to a certain point, the main question about what to do with it is whether to repair or replace it. There isn't always a perfect answer, but a roofing contractor will check for these four indicators of whether repairs or replacement might be the best option.
Age
Generally, the older a roof is, the more likely the smart move is going to be to fully replace it. If there are already three layers of shingles on the roof when a tree branch punches a hole in it, you're probably going to be further ahead to perform a full roof replacement. The inverse is also usually true. If you put a fresh roof on a house two years ago and there's a hole from storm damage, repairs are probably the way to go.
Time of Year
Even if you're sure you need to do a roof replacement, there are times of the year when it might not be feasible. This is especially true in regions with extreme seasonal weather. If it's the depths of winter in a snowy area, the smaller and faster solution may be necessary while you wait for better weather to solve the problem more fully. In many cases, a roofer repair can keep things together long enough to get to better conditions.
Extent of Damage
The extent of the damage involved with a project is a major factor. If a few shingles tore off in a wind storm, it would border on ridiculous to replace the roof. Simply replacing the shingles and perhaps sealing a few things at the boundary should be more than sufficient.
Conversely, an extensive sag in a roof from a prolonged and undiscovered leak could justify a roof replacement. If the damage affects a quarter of the top of the house, you probably aren't going to want to do a roof repair. A roofing contractor will probably want to see how deep the damage goes, and the best way to just that is to strip the roof at least on the affected side. Once you do that much work, it typically makes more sense to just go for it.
Required Speed
Roof repair projects usually go faster. If you need to get the work done right away so you can use the house, you may lead toward repairs for the sake of simplicity and speed. Bear in mind, though, that some kinds of damage are too extensive for this to be an option.
For more information, contact a roofing contractor near you.