If your existing roof is starting to show signs of aging, it’s likely that a replacement is in your near future. As you start to do some research on planning your next roof replacement, there are many questions that you’ll want to answer. One of the most common is how long the replacement process will take. The reality is that there are many factors that can influence the overall timeframe for your replacement.
Size of Your Roof
Probably the most obvious factor that will influence how long it takes to replace your roof is how big your roof is. A roofer is going to be able to replace a roof on a 1,000-square-foot home much quicker than on a 3,000-square-foot home, assuming both homes have a similar design. If you plan on having your garage roof redone at the same time as your main home’s roof, you want to add that square footage to this total number.
Roof Slope and Complexities
How steep your roof is will play a large role in how long it takes to replace. It’s much quicker to replace a roof with only a slight slope to it. The gentle slope makes it easier for roofers to move around and transport materials. Apart from the steepness of your roof, its overall complexity is also going to play a role in its total replacement time. If you have dormers or multiple valleys, it’s going to take longer to roof those areas than less complex roofs.
Environmental Factors
Environmental factors can play a big role in determining the replacement timeframe for your roof. If you opt to have your roof replaced during the summer months, it’s likely that your roofers are only going to be able to work for the first half of the day. During the second half, your roof is going to get too hot for them to work on. Weather conditions like strong winds and rain can also play a big role in how long it takes to replace your roof.
Roof Accessibility
For a perfect roof replacement, a home would be situated out in the open without any obstructions. However, that’s not the way that most roofs typically are. Some roofs can have accessibility issues that can make the replacement process take longer. For example, let’s say that you’re home is on a block where it’s surrounded on both sides by other homes and there’s only a distance of a couple feet between each home. This is going to make accessibility for getting materials on the roof as well as taking the old roofing materials off more challenging. The more challenging the accessibility of your roof is, the longer the replacement is going to take.
Roofing Material
One of the most significant factors that’s going to influence how long it takes your roofer to replace your roof is the type of material you choose to go with. It’s important to remember that some roofing materials take longer to install than others just due to how they go together. For example, asphalt shingles are one of the quickest materials to install as they only need a couple of roofing nails per shingle. However, wood shakes are going to take much longer to install due to their smaller size and intricate placement.
Existing Roof Material
While you might not give it much thought, the existing material on your roof is going to play a role in the overall timing of the replacement process. Materials like asphalt shingles are going to be super easy to remove as they can just be torn off in sections. Materials like metal roofing require the roofer to back out all of the roofing screws to remove each sheet. Some materials, like clay tiles, require a lot of care during the removal process to avoid breaking all the tiles into smaller pieces.
Roofing Contractor
One factor you might not think to take into account is the roofing contractor that you hire. Roofers who have more experience and larger crews are going to be able to replace your roof much faster than roofers who are new to the business and have smaller crews. Additionally, roofers who have a lot of experience dealing with a particular material, such as clay tiles, are going to be more proficient throughout the installation process than roofers who don’t have a lot of experience with that particular material.
Sheathing Replacement
One of the most important parts of your roof is its sheathing. This comprises wooden panels that adhere to your roofing structure. These panels provide a flat surface where your roofing underlayment and shingles, or other roofing material, gets adhered to. Whether or not your sheathing needs to be replaced will highly depend on its age and overall condition. If it’s determined that your sheathing does need to be replaced, the process is going to increase the overall replacement time for your new roof.
Unexpected Damage
While it’s very common for your roofer to try and assess your roof from its underside, that’s not always possible depending on the design of your home. As they’re ripping off the old roofing material, they may discover unexpected damage. Unfortunately, this can extend the overall replacement time of your roof as they will have to go get materials to fix the issue before proceeding forward.
Permitting and Inspections
One lesser-known factor that can affect the overall replacement time of your roof is your local permitting requirements. In general, most homes only require your roofer to get one permit prior to doing the replacement. However, if you live in a home that is deemed to be historical, the permitting process is likely more involved. They may require sending out a code enforcement professional to inspect the roof sheathing after the existing roofing material has been ripped off before they will allow the new material to be put down. Furthermore, if you live in a location with an HOA, they may have similar requirements.
General Guidelines on Replacement Times
It likely has become overly clear by now, that the total time to replace your roof is going to vary depending on numerous factors. However, we’re going to provide you with some general estimates to help you get a better idea of how long the replacement process may take. For most average-sized homes with few complexities, you can expect it to take around one day to replace your roof with shingles. It will take between two and five days to replace it with metal roofing or wood shakes. If you opt to go with the heavier slate material, it can take anywhere between five and 14 days for the installation to take place.
Expert Roof Installation Service
KPost Company offers expert roof installation services for the entire Dallas, TX community. Our roofers can assist with all your roof repair, inspection, maintenance, emergency service, storm damage, gutter installation, and solar needs. Call our office today to book your next roofing consultation with one of our roofing professionals.
