Should You Stay Home During Your Roof Replacement?

One question just about every homeowner scheduling a roof replacement asks is, “should I stay home during roof replacement?” The answer is not as obvious as it might seem at first glance because so many components are involved.

If you are one of those homeowners wondering if you should vacate or stay during your roof replacement, here are a few things to consider.

It is Your Choice

Ultimately, the choice to stay or leave is up to you. Your contractor or roofer may have a preference, but your preference is the one that matters. If you decide to stay, you should ensure that neither you nor your family intrudes on the work being done, always adhere to safety procedures, and respect the work habits of those working on your roof.

The Case for Staying

Here is the logic behind staying while your roof replacement is in progress.

Staying Makes You Available

It is unlikely, but staying on the premises during the roof replacement ensures you are available if the roofers have any questions. Questions they might have would likely pertain to one of the following:

• Design decisions
• How you want to proceed with unanticipated challenges
• Scheduling issues
• Modifications in the initial work plan
• Unanticipated Expenses

If you stay on-premises, the crew chief might want to show you what progress is being made, but let them initiate a request to do so.

Replacement Takes Time

In the best-case scenario, your roof replacement will take a few days to complete, according to the estimate. Any unforeseen problems can add to the work needed to be done and increase the estimated total cost of replacement as well as the time it takes to do the replacement.

For example, if the roofers take off your existing shingles and find that some of the underlayment is rotted, the time it takes to correct the situation may extend the work period by several days. Additionally, if you change anything regarding the roof or its materials, supply chain issues can factor in and delay the replacement’s completion.

Questions and Concerns Get Addressed

If you have any questions or concerns while the work is in progress, your likelihood of getting them answered promptly increases if you are on the premises. You can gamble and show up when you get off work, but there is a chance the supervisor, and maybe even the crew, will have called it quits for the day.

Hotels Are Expensive

If you can visit family or stay with friends while your roof is getting worked on, your expenses will be minimal. If your roof replacement schedule requires you and your family to stay in a hotel, the expenses can add up quickly. If the stay requires multiple rooms, plus meals, you can expect to spend the equivalent of being on vacation.

Many people plan their vacations during a roof replacement for that very reason. Leaving the day the work starts and returning home the day before it is completed will at least let you and your family have fun, even if your bank account is reduced by several thousand dollars.

The Case for Vacating

There are many disadvantages to staying during a roof replacement as well.

It is Dirty

Dust, debris, dirt, mold, mildew, and animal-related stuff are all likely when the roofers tear off your old roof. Dust, debris, and dirt will be present even if they put the new roof over the old roof. The dust and dirt will work their way into at least your attic and likely through any open windows and doors. Staying in that environment means putting up with all that for the duration.

Replacement is Noisy

At any given moment, hammering, sawing, and workers communicating, sometimes loudly, will increase the noise level throughout the roofing project. The noise will be a possibility and likely from the first-moment work starts for the day through the last moment the last worker leaves. There is no way of avoiding that reality.

In addition to the tools working, your roofer will have at least one air compressor, which will kick in whenever its tanks run low on air. Using an air compressor means whenever roofers are working, a compressor will go off at least once every half hour or so. Larger compressors go off less but run longer because their tanks are bigger.

Safety Concerns

Just as noise is inevitable, it is also very likely that there will be more than one hazardous situation during the duration of the job. Lowering heavy materials, dropping tools and materials, etc., roofing is dangerous work. That means it is also dangerous for any onlookers.

If you stay home during work hours, you will likely have to stay inside. Staying inside ensures no falling debris strikes you. Additionally, there will be nails and staples on the ground around your home, which presents a puncture hazard for anyone walking around the house.

Weather Exposure

For at least part of your roofing job, your roof will be exposed to the weather. In cold weather, your home will be frigid, and in hot weather, your home will be a hot box. If you try to run temperature control, you only ensure that your energy bill will be higher than normal. Your roof will be tarped, but that does very little to hold the cold, heat, and humidity at bay.

Kids and Pets

Your kids and pets must be attentive and aware while workers are on your roof or equipment and materials are in your yard. The risk of your children or pets getting an injury is high, which means you will have to be on your toes whenever you go outside. You know neither is likely to happen if you are a parent or a pet owner.

Final Thoughts

The answer to “should i stay home during roof replacement” is up to you. Both approaches have pros and cons, and much of your decision likely will come down to your personality. The important thing is that once you decide, you remain as unobtrusive as possible so that your roofers can get their work done on time and under budget.