One of the common questions that homeowners ask when they are getting ready to sign a contract for their roof replacement is how long the work will take.
Roofing work is noisy as well as messy and having roof contractors working on the house for days on end requires some forward planning.
How do roof companies come up with their time estimates?
These points can help homeowners understand why their roof replacement will take as long as it does and the factors that go into coming up with an accurate time estimate.
- Roof Size - A basic and obvious factor that contributes to the amount of time it takes for roof contractors to install a new roof is the size of the roof. The bigger the roof, the longer it will take to do a new roof replacement.
- Roof Architecture - In addition to roof size, the complexity of the roof also contributes to the time an installation will take with roofs that have multiple pitches and slopes, extreme pitches, and areas that must be accessed using scaffolding requiring more work time than those with a more common architecture and average pitches.
- Tear-Off Time - Before a new roof can go on, a roof company must tear off the old one. Though tear-offs are much quicker than installation, the time to get all the old materials off will still be directly related to the size and complexity of the roof.
- Type of Material Being Installed - Different roofing materials require different installation processes that might take more or less time. Asphalt shingles are the most common roof replacements chosen by homeowners, so most roof contractors are quick with them. Metal panel roofing can also be installed quickly, but more complicated installations like tile, wood shingles, slate, and other materials all involve different processes and can take longer.
- Number of Workers - Roof companies that have multiple laborers working together can complete a new roof installation in a fraction of the time that it would take one or two people to do it.
Since every home and roof replacement is different, homeowners should get a time estimate from their roof contractor at the same time that they get their cost estimate.
Based on the points mentioned above, homeowners can therefore expect their new roof installation to take anywhere from a few days to a week or two depending on these variables.
Inquire when scheduling roofing work so that planning ahead is possible!