Every roofing system is built to protect a building for several years, but Mother Nature often presents other plans. After a few years, a wide range of weather elements will take toll of your roof, making roof replacement a necessity. However, like other construction projects, roof replacements don’t come cheap. Fortunately, there are several ways of minimizing your re-roofing costs, and in this post, we will highlight the best 6 tips that can help you do that.
1. Familiarize yourself with the project
To avoid unnecessary rip-offs by roofing contractors, you need to do your due diligence about the project. Get a professional opinion of what the project entails and what you should expect in terms of budget, materials needed, and the project timeline among others. Take measurements of the entire roof so that you know how much square foot should be covered and the types of materials that will be needed.
Being familiar with these details will help your contractor provide you with realistic estimates. It also allows you to communicate with contractors better because you understand how the process works.
2. Compare Roofing contractors
Besides the cost of materials, another big component of any re-roofing project cost is labor. Like any other purchase process, comparing prices can help you save a few bucks. Ask for quotes from multiple roofing contractors and take note of what is exactly included in each quote. Go with the most affordable contractor but avoid the temptation of jumping for the lowest bid. If a contractor is offering a very low bid, do some background research on their reputation before accepting the bid. Sometimes, low bids may translate into low-quality work.
Check online reviews of the contractor that seems viable to ascertain whether they are worth doing business with.
3. Get an insurance coverage
Although normal wear and tear of your roof may not be covered by your homeowner’s insurance, some roof damage incidences can be claimed.
For instance, if a storm damages your roof and causes significant leaks, it is worth reviewing your policy to establish whether your provider will cover the replacement costs. Just be aware of potential deductibles that you may be required to meet to get a comprehensive picture of the re-roofing costs.
4. Schedule your re-roofing during the off-season
A bigger percentage of roofing contractors in Colorado are at the whim of seasonal projects. In the winter, for instance, work can get considerably scarce in some areas. And in summer, they may not have enough time to work through their projects fast enough. Scheduling your re-roofing project when many contractors are in high demand will work against your cost-cutting goals. To lower your costs, have your re-roofing done during later winter or spring to score off-season discounts. Some contractors may also ask you to allow them to work on your project at a later date, especially if they are currently swamped with work. If that happens, you can agree but ask if they can give you a discount. For instance, you can ask them to give you a 10-15% discount so that you can wait until they have slow months for your re-roofing project. Remember it never hurts to ask; if anything, the worst response you can get is a ‘no’.
5. Conduct regular inspections
Doing regular inspections can help detect issues that may eventually metamorphose into costlier problems. It is advisable to do roofing inspections after extreme weather events like a hailstorm, heavy rains, or high wind. Besides doing an inspection after extreme weather occurrences, Next Wave Roofing Colorado often asks their clients to check their roofing systems 2-3 times a year as time could also take a toll on your roof’s integrity.
6. Leverage overlays
Instead of removing your shingles to make your roof look new, you can simply add overlay shingles over your existing roof. Overlays cost less compared to complete replacement and require few labor hours. However, be careful if you decide to go the overlay root because some manufacturers may cancel your warranty because of it.
The Bottom line
Re-roofing projects can be expensive. However, you can always lower your costs by being a savvy consumer. Using the above tips, for instance, can go a long way in helping you minimize the costs of your future re-roofing projects.
