Do You Need to Be Home During Your Roof Replacement?

Short answer: no, you do not need to be home. We do roof replacements all the time while homeowners are at work. But there are a few things worth knowing so the day goes smoothly whether you are there or not.

Why is it fine to be away?

Our crew works on the exterior of your home. We do not need to come inside for a standard roof replacement. The dumpster is in the driveway, the materials are staged in the yard or on the roof, and the crew accesses everything from outside. If we do not need to enter a gate or access a locked side yard, we can start and finish without bothering you at all.

Most of our customers are at work during the day, and that works perfectly for everyone. The crew can focus without interruption, and you come home to a new roof.

When is being home helpful?

The start of the job. If you can be home when the crew arrives, it gives the project manager a chance to do a quick walkthrough with you. We will confirm the plan, point out where the dumpster and materials will be staged, and answer any last-minute questions.

If we find decking damage. We do not know what is under the old shingles until they come off. If we find rotted or damaged decking, we need to replace it before moving forward. We will call you either way to let you know what we found and what it costs. But some homeowners prefer to see it themselves.

End of day walkthrough. Once the job is complete, we like to walk the homeowner through the finished work. We can show you what was done, answer questions, and make sure you are satisfied before we pack up. If you are not home, we will take photos and follow up with you directly.

What do you need to plan for regardless?

Pets. If you have a dog that stays in the yard during the day, plan to keep them inside or at a friend's house. The crew will be going in and out of the gate, there will be debris and nails on the ground before cleanup, and the noise can stress out animals. Cats tend to handle it better, but keeping them indoors is still a good idea.

Vehicles. Move your cars out of the driveway and away from the house before the crew arrives. The dumpster takes up space, and debris can fall. If you have a second person who leaves for work later, make sure their car is not going to be boxed in.

Garage access. Depending on where the dumpster is positioned, you may not be able to get in or out of the garage during the job. Plan ahead if you normally park there.

Working from home. If you work from home, tear-off morning is going to be loud. Really loud. If you have calls or meetings, plan to do those from somewhere else or schedule them for the afternoon once installation is underway, which is considerably quieter.

Kids. If you have kids, make sure they know to stay away from the work area. It is a construction site for the day, and there is real risk from falling debris, nails, and heavy materials being moved around.