When it’s time to make the decision to replace your roof, most homeowners will have a lot of questions.
Roof replacement isn’t cheap, so it’s natural to want to be sure it’s the best option for you. As such, many questions understandably relate to costs and being sure roof replacement is necessary.
Here are some common questions asked by homeowners who are considering roof replacement:
How do I really know it’s time to replace my roof?
Before having a formal assessment of the situation, if you notice more than one of the following, especially on older roofs, call a roof contractor immediately as these may indicate pending roof failure:
- Chimney Leaks
- Rotten Soffit or Fascia
- Stains on interior walls or ceilings
- Attic Leaks
- Missing, Cracked, Decaying or Curled Shingles
Excess roofing granules in the gutters or washing out of downspouts.
On newer roofs, most of these can be easily repaired, but if you are having more than one of these, especially more than 2, on an older or out-of warranty roof, you are possibly looking at a roof replacement. Having a roof contractor inspect and give you a formal analysis will tell you what the best course of action is.
How much does a roof replacement cost?
While we obviously can’t tell you how much it will cost without knowing what you want, how big the job is or what your budget is, we can tell you what the costs are based on.
The costs of roof replacement depend on the size, shape, slope, and the type of material you wish to install as different materials provide various levels of protection and service life.
Get an estimate from at least 3 local roof contractors when your ready for the actual costs.
Can I install the new roof over the old one or should I tear the old one off and start fresh?
In general, it’s not a good roofing practice. Especially versus starting from scratch, starting new is superior.
Sure, there could be some situations like installing asphalt shingles over an undamaged metal roof for additional strength or if one needs a stronger deck than usual. But installing a second layer over an old or failing layer to save a few bucks is asking for trouble.
In fact, depending on where you live, it may not be an option at all.
In the state of Georgia, roofing over an existing roof is not allowed by code. Georgia adopted the International Residential Building Code in January of 2012. The code states that you are not allowed to install a second layer of shingles when the building is located in an area subject to moderate or severe hail exposure, which all of Metro Atlanta is.
How long will it take to finish my roof?
On average, re-roofing a home, including tearing off the old roof, shouldn’t take more than a day or two, of course this depends on this size of your roof, availability of special order materials and the weather.
Commercial roofs don’t really have an average time, but we will provide an estimated time of completion after inspection.
In Metro Atlanta, Atlanta Roofing Specialists has been replacing residential and commercial roofs for 25 years! Call us at 770-419-2222 for your free roof estimate today!