Understanding timelines is of natural importance for many homeowners when dealing with home upkeep projects, and a roof tear-off is no exception. What does the typical roof tear-off timeline look like, and which key factors may influence this timeline?
At The Roof Doctor, we’re here to offer the very best expert roof tear-off services available around Salt Lake City, Sandy, West Jordan, West Valley City, Tooele and nearby parts of Utah. We work with clients from start to finish on roof tear-offs, including providing and updating your roof tear-off timeline. Here are some general averages to be aware of for these timelines, plus some of the key factors that may influence them.
Value of a Full Roof Tear-Off
For many issues of significant roof damage, you may be considering your choices between tearing the roof off and attempting to layer in new shingles. And in many cases, particularly when discussing long-term value, a roof tear-off is going to be the better option. This is for a few reasons:
- Quality: While re-roofing or layering can provide temporary fixes for certain issues, a full tear-off will always provide higher quality and longer-lasting results.
- Future safety: In addition, roofs with multiple layers are often more prone to leaks and other issues down the line compared to those that are fully replaced.
- Resale value: If you’re planning on selling your home in the future, a new roof from a complete tear-off will increase the resale value and attractiveness of your property.
General Average Timelines
While these can vary somewhat based on factors we’ll go over in a bit, here are the general averages for a few stages of roof tear-off timelines:
Pre-Removal Steps
One area that can vary significantly here is pre-removal work that needs to be done. In some cases, this will require things like landscape protection and the removal of any satellite dishes or other rooftop features. If you have a chimney or skylights, there may be additional work to prepare for the tear-off process.
This may take just an hour or two, or it could take closer to a full day or even multiple days depending on the volume of actions necessary.
Removal of Prior Roof
Generally speaking, the process of removing the prior roof from your property should take between one and two days for most residential roofs. There may be some outliers here, such as particularly large or complex roofs, but most of the time this should be a relatively quick process.
Installation
The installation portion of the roof tear-off timeline is often a bit longer than removal, taking between two and five days on average for most residential properties. Again, there are factors that could impact this – larger homes or those with unique design elements might take longer – but this is usually about what you can expect in terms of timing.
Cleanup
Once your new roof is installed and sealed up, the final cleanup will generally only take a few hours at most. This includes getting rid of any remaining debris from both the prior roof and the installation itself.
For each of these stages, weather will be a key factor. While your roofing contractor will try to work around any days with heavy rain or high winds, there may still be delays due to inclement conditions. It’s important to keep this in mind and be prepared for potential delays when planning for a roof replacement project.
Factors Impacting Roof Tear-Off Timeline
Here are several factors that can impact your roof tear-off timeline:
Size of Roof
As you may have guessed, one of the single largest factors impacting the length of time needed for a roof tear-off is the size of your roof. The larger the roof, the longer it will generally take to complete the tear-off process. This is because there is more surface area to cover and more materials to remove.
Type of Roofing Material
Different roofing materials have different levels of difficulty when it comes to removal. For example, asphalt shingles are relatively easy to remove compared to other types of roofing materials such as metal or tile. Depending on what type of material your current roof is made from, this could impact the timeline for your tear-off.
Number of Layers
Another factor that can affect your tear-off timeline is the number of layers on your current roof. If you have multiple layers of shingles or other materials, it will take longer to remove them all and prepare the surface for a new roof. It’s important to note that building codes typically limit the number of layers allowed on a roof, so if you have more than one layer currently, it may be necessary to completely tear off the old roof before installing a new one.
Crew Size
Because the tear-off process can be physically demanding and time-consuming, the size of the crew working on your roof can also impact the timeline. A larger crew with more experienced workers may be able to complete a tear-off job faster than a smaller crew or less experienced workers. It’s important to discuss crew size and experience with your roofing contractor to ensure that they have enough resources to complete the job efficiently.
Weather Conditions
Another factor that is out of your control but can still affect the tear-off timeline is weather conditions. Inclement weather such as rain, high winds, or extreme temperatures can slow down or even halt work on your roof. If there is a threat of bad weather, it may be necessary for the job to be rescheduled.
At The Roof Doctor, we’re proud to offer the best expert roof tear-off services available around SLC, Sandy, West Jordan, West Valley City and nearby parts of Utah. Contact us today for a free estimate!
