Picking The Best Roof Contractors

Roof Repair - Nov 25,2011 - No Comment

Having the best roof contractors work on your building is vitally important because the roof is your most important asset and important for the safety and security of the entire building. If you install the wrong roof or do it poorly, then that alone can ruin the entire construction, make it look ugly and be very expensive over time. Worst of all, you may need to replace the entire thing shortly.

Experienced roof contractors will bring to the table many years of experience and training. They will be able to save you from expensive mistakes and wrong judgments, and by following the appropriate installation techniques they will enhance the value of your building and save you money in the process. Be it installing flashing, drip edges or roofing shingles, good roof contractors are worth their weight in gold.

You must seek out roof contractors who have many years in the business, while accumulating many references. They are the professionals who work with quality materials without charging exorbitant rates for them. Ask your own friends and family for endorsements by roof contractors who have served them well. If they can’t help you, then ask national or state level agencies and trade associations for suggestions.

Once you get referrals, be sure to verify and validate them before hiring roof contractors. Try and visit the buildings where the recommended contractor has worked before. You’ll get some idea of what kind of work they deliver and you can check to see if the quality is really good.

You should aim to secure quotes and details from at least 3 competing roof contractors. Ask them to provide details including which materials they will be using. You should critically evaluate their suggestions about the type of roofing system they will install, and check if they are indeed experienced in working on that kind of roof. Do not make the mistake of picking the lowest quote without looking at other things. Poor quality labor that costs you less upfront may well end up costing you dear over the lifetime of your roof.

For more about roof contractors and things you should evaluate before work begins, be sure to read this full report.

Emergency Roof Repair – A Guide

Roof Shingles - Aug 01,2011 - No Comment

When you need emergency roof repair done, it can be scary to identify the right person and then hope you can come up with the cash needed. A short guide to help with this disaster…

“If emergency roof repair is warranted, the task should be left in the hands of experienced emergency repair roofing contractors or skilled roofers in order to appropriately address your roofing problems. In addition, it is well recommended to wane down first the extreme weather outside until the situation is perfect to initiate an emergency roof repair rather than fixing the damage right away, as you might be doing more damage and harm to the roof than repairing it. Likewise, the tendency to be swept away by the strong winds, slippage, or even being struck by lightning is great.

The installation or setting-up an emergency roof repair tarp will be your temporary measure in reducing or minimizing excessive rain water damage to your home’s interior, as placing an emergency tarp can help reduce rebuilding costs and overall recovery.”

Enjoy the entire report at the Roofing Shingles Prices blog.

Roof Repair Estimates – & How They Help You Cut Costs

Roof Repair - Jul 15,2011 - No Comment

So that leaky old roof finally needs to be replaced and you’re looking for roof repair estimates. This is a time many home owners fear and worry about, putting off the decision until it’s inevitable. No surprise there, because roof repair estimates are a challenge, and can become frustrating, uncertain and stressful.

Just think about it. You’ve got to make sure that the roofing materials you select are the best you can afford and necessary for the particular roof repair. At the same time, the expenses must be managed to stay within your budget. Getting roof repair estimates from a qualified pro is helpful in setting the ball rolling. But just having an estimate isn’t enough. To make the most of that analysis, you must learn more about the components of a roof repair estimate in order to analyze and understand the information provided by a roofing contractor.

How To Get Valuable Roof Repair Estimates

The kind of roof repair that you need done and the roof contractor whom you contact about a quote will have an effect upon the roof repair estimates you get. If the estimates range widely in pricing and nature, don’t be surprised. By their very nature, there is a certain variety and difference in the way roof repair estimates are made that makes it natural to have them fit within a rather loose range.

The roof repair estimates you finally receive may be simple and direct, which means you won’t need any special education or skills to understand. But if you’re contracting out more complicated jobs, then the chances are good that your estimate will be a complex report that’s made up of figures and facts, terms and lingo… and unless you are prepared, you won’t have a clue what they mean!

Assume that you’re planning roof repairs that include sealing off a hole in your roof as well as replacing some damaged shingles. In such a case, your roof repair estimate may be a straightforward proposition that you can accept or turn down instantly. But if you are seeking an estimate for a complete roof replacement, then many other factors are involved which makes the roof estimate that the contractor prepares for you a different kind of list. It will be more complicated, have more line items, and require more knowledge to understand.

Whenever you are asking different contractors for roof repair estimates, ensure that you are receiving quotes for similar jobs. A written statement listing out the various tasks involved and the start and finish dates is helpful when holding your final discussions before hiring a contractor. As roofing materials account for a large part of the cost, deciding specifically what will be used is an important part of the estimate. By having all of this in writing, you can avoid future wrangling and argument over what’s included and what’s not.

There’s more to learn about roof repair estimates in order to avoid getting caught in pitfalls and traps. You can learn about them in this short report here.

Basics of Roof Repair

Roof Repair - Jun 01,2011 - No Comment

Having your roof repaired can be an expensive affair. And it requires a certain degree of expertise – and comes with some risks and dangers. That’s the reason why many home owners hire a roofing contractor for maintenance and roof repair work.

Roofs start leaking sooner or later. If you’re a handyman and like doing things yourself, maybe you’ve thought of saving money by learning how to do a roof repair yourself. This short guide can show you how to fix some of the common leaks without having to seek professional help.

Many roof repair jobs can be handled with material that can be purchased at a local hardware store. It’s more important to take heed of a word of warning. Don’t proceed with any dangerous projects simply based on an article you read on the Web or on a popular blog (even this one). No general article can provide you with personal advice and guidance.

If you’re not a DIY kind of person, are afraid of climbing on a ladder, or are careless with handling heavy equipment and materials, trying to handle your roof repair can land you in a big mess. You may then be better off hiring a contractor and supervising their work.

So, with that warning out of the way, let’s talk about some common roof repair jobs you can manage.

Things To Do Before Laying Roof Shingles

Roof Shingles - Mar 15,2011 - No Comment

Roof shingles are important roofing materials as they form secure barriers against natural elements like rain, snow and moisture. Roof shingles guard your woodwork and roof frame against rot and damage. They protect dry walls and expensive interiors. And they prevent heat losses which minimizes energy consumption for air conditioning in summer and heating in winter.

Laying a shingle roof, or fixing a leaky one, is a priority for any home owner. But before jumping into laying roof shingles, there are some tasks to be managed first.

Understand that laying roof shingles is a painstaking and careful task that must be done by a well trained worker or a qualified prof. There are different types of shingles to pick from, the most popular being asphalt shingles. Their main attraction is longevity, with the typical roof lasting 20 years or longer.

A well done job of laying roof shingles will save you plenty of headache and worry over the years ahead. So take care about this while you’re building the house itself. You can learn more about the preparatory steps that will ensure you deliver a good result in this article here.

Roof Coatings – Who Needs Them, And Why?

Roof Repair - Mar 01,2011 - No Comment

There are many advantages to using roof coatings that can enhance the utility, efficiency and durability of your roof, especially if it is metal roofing.

Roof coatings serve to insulate and enhance heat efficiency of your home. Light colored roof coatings will have a higher reflectivity index, which means the larger part of sun’s heat and light that falls on it will get diffused away.

This leads to lesser heating up of homes, which in turn lowers the expenses from air conditioning.

Roof coatings also protect the roofing material like metal sheets from rusting and leaking water. While most metal sheets come pre-coated from the factory, this layer wears off in time. Coatings can help restore and replenish them so their durability increases.

Roof coatings further serve to protect the material of the roof from further corrosion induced damage. By preserving the roof material and also preventing seepage of water into the framework of the rafters which keeps it from rotting, these coatings extend the lifetime of your roof.

There are many more advantages to roof coating, and homeowners like you have many more questions about it. That’s why in this short report we will explore more aspects of roof coatings in greater detail.

Your Guide to a New Roof

Roof Repair - Feb 15,2011 - No Comment

Having a new roof installed is no joking matter. In fact, considering the expense, hassle and hard decision-making involved, it’s quite a serious matter – and one that deserves your attention and focus.

Apart from having to first decide whether or not to get a new roof, you’ll have to choose from the wide range of roof shingles available, plan suitable ventilation for your attic, watch out for things that could harm your roof, and more.

This little guide to a new roof was designed to help you find some valuable information to help you along this complex path.

Five Steps To A Reliable Roof Shingles Estimate

Roof Shingles - Dec 17,2010 - No Comment

Have you ever wondered about what goes into making a roof shingles estimate that’ll tell you exactly how many shingles you’ll require for a roofing job? It isn’t too complicated. You can take either of two routes to estimating your roof’s surface area, and then apply a simple formula to arrive at your roof shingles estimate.

Roof Shingles Estimate – Determine The Number of Shingles Needed

Roofing shingles come packed into bundles. You can order them by the bundle, or the square. Shingles are wrapped in plastic or paper and bundled into sizes that are convenient for a single person to carry comfortably. Heavier shingles will contain fewer shingles per bundle, and therefore require more bundles per square. Three bundles of 3-tab shingles typically can cover a square of roof.

When you start a roof shingles estimate, the first thing to do is determine how much of your roof needs to be covered with shingles. This can be estimated using the measurement method, or others like the sheet-count approach. More complex projects and re-roofing require different approaches.

Roof Shingles Estimate by Measurement Method

One surefire way to determine how many bundles of roof shingles you’ll need is to hop up on the top of your building and actually measure each and every plane. If the building is made of rectangular planes, this is a relatively straightforward task. You’ll simply have to measure the length and breadth, and then multiply them together. But with steep roofs, you will not be able to walk on them to carry out the measurements and must rely on more indirect approaches.

First, compute the floor area of your building. Add in a little extra for overhang of your roof. Using a pre-determined formula, and making allowance for the slope (pitch) of your roof, you can multiply the area by a “correction factor” that’s dependent upon the slope of the roof and arrive at a reasonably accurate measurement of the roof area.

Roof Shingles Estimate by Shingle Count Method

If the previous shingles are still intact and haven’t yet been stripped, then you can estimate the roof area through measurements of the eaves on each roof plane. You may even choose to estimate that by counting tabs along the eaves and edges, and keeping in mind that each tab is a foot long.

Once you’re done, count the numbers of rows of shingles from eaves to ridge. Each shingle is exposed for 5 inches, which means a 5 course layer will measure 5X5 inches, or just over 2 feet. Knowing the length and breadth through this computation, you can tell how much of the roof needs to be fixed or installed.

For more about roof shingles estimate, don’t miss the full report here.

Tag Archives: roof repair

How To Get Valuable Roof Repair Estimates

Roof Shingles Estimate – Determine The Number of Shingles Needed

Roof Shingles Estimate by Measurement Method

Roof Shingles Estimate by Shingle Count Method