In this down economy everybody is trying to save money, right? We have seen more and more people decide to repair their roofs instead of replacing their roof or getting a roof-over. This is a hard decision to make unless you just don’t have the money for a new roof, then the decision is easy because may be your only option.( see blog on financing your home improvements )
Roof repairs- How is it done you wonder? You may be surprised when you see the price of a roof repair from a reputable company. It can sometimes cost as much as 10% of a new roof. There are a couple of reasons for this. One is that time must be spent matching the color of your existing roof and then the materials must be picked up at a roofing supplier. When you get a new roof, you pick a color from a color pallet and the shingles are ordered by phone and delivered directly to the roof top. Second is that with a repair the roof must be carefully taken apart so not to damage the shingles that are not being replaced then the new shingles must be carefully tied into the existing shingles, once again without damaging the existing roof. With a new roof, the shingles are torn from the roof at lightning speed with a shovel designed for just that purpose and the new shingles are installed on a clean, newly papered roof with lightning fast nail guns. Third is that the trash from a repair must be loaded into a pickup truck and disposed of at a later time. With a new roof all the trash is tossed into a dumpster or dump truck and hauled off never to be seen again.
The positive side of your roof repair investment.Although it can be expensive, it can also be well worth it if your leak is stopped and you can put off getting a new roof for 4 or 5 years, that is, if the repair lasts that long. Never let anybody just squirt a bunch of caulk on your roof and call that a repair. It may stop the leak for a couple of months, but with old shingles caulk always comes loose, especially in changing weather (i.e. hot roof with cold rain or warm days with cold nights). If your roof is leaking it is most likely because it was installed improperly to start with or the shingles have seen better days and caulk won’t fix those problems.
Roof-over- Roof-overs have gotten a bad name in the past because so many have been installed improperly. If you do not take the time to start the first 3 rows of shingles properly the rest of the roof will not lay properly and 10 years down the road you will have leaks and shingles will start blowing off prematurely.
Re-roof-The absolute best way to go, when possible. When you pull all the shingles off and put all new shingles on you can’t go wrong, right? Unless your roofing contractor doesn’t weave your valleys or change your pipe collars or install proper ventilation so your shingles will actually last as long as the manufacturers warranty. Another thing to look out for are companies that use sub-contractors. Sub-contractors make the same amount of money whether they do your roof in 1 day or 5 days, so if there is a shortcut they can take, you can believe they will.
Regardless of what you decide you know in our area, Hampton Roads, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Portsmouth VA, we often get thunderstorms with heavy rains and high winds in the summertime. If a roof is not installed properly, it will leak, no question.
We are exterior repair and replacement contractors in Hampton Roads, VA and specialize in roofing, siding, windows, doors,decks and trim. We serve the cities of Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth and Suffolk. For a free estimate give us a call (757) 235-3320 or visit our website at www.sunsethomerepair.com .
Inspecting your own roof is fairly simple. Stand back far enough in your yard to see your roof. Depending on the pitch of the roof you may need to stand across the street or in your neighbors yard. You may also need a pair of binoculars to get a closer look at your shingles.
