So your house needs a roof. You are handy with tools and wondering if DIY roof installation is the way to go.
On the other hand, part of you also feels that it is a job better left to the professionals. If you find yourself in this situation, you need to know that you are not alone. Many DIY enthusiasts often wonder if roofing is something they could get done themselves.To make it easier for you to decide, we have put together a guide that compares the pros and cons of DIY and professional installation.
DO IT YOURSELF – PROS
Money Saver You can probably save some money. This is definitely the most important reason why many people decide to install a roof all by themselves. When you do it on your own, you can cut corners wherever you need, choose the type of materials you want to use, and get it done at your leisure.
A contractor, on the other hand, is likely to charge you more money. Moreover, most contractors choose to work only with certain kinds of roofing materials and might not agree with your choice of materials. The total cost of the project is also likely to go up depending on the number of days it takes him to finish the job and the number of workers employed to get it done.
Sense of Accomplishment As a DIY enthusiast, you know that nothing can match the feeling when you successfully complete a project on your own, especially if it is something as complicated and labor-intensive as roofing. This again is the reason why many people love to try their hands at installing and repairing roofs.
DO IT YOURSELF – CONS
Safety Hazards Have you ever been on the roof long enough to find out if you are comfortable staying up there for any length of time? Climbing up on the roof and staying there for a few minutes is completely different from tearing off old shingles or installing new ones. Depending on the height and angle of your roof, you could feel dizzy and disoriented after some time, at which point a gust of wind is all it takes to knock you off the roof.
Even professionals with years of experience work on a roof only if they have harnesses and all the other safety gear in place. If you do not have any kind of safety equipment, roofing becomes a very, very risky business.
Labor Intensive Cleaning up old shingles and installing new ones is labor intensive, to say the least. It can tire you out in no time even in the best of conditions. If you have experienced the cold winters of Adams, Cumberland, and York County area, you do not need anyone to tell you that exerting yourself in cold weather can be taxing on your joints.
As you start your work, your body is likely to ache like never before, because you will be using muscles you have never used before. You will have to walk over the roof, pick up and install shingles, and do lots more, all of which is extremely difficult if you are not accustomed to it.
You could opt for hired help to assist you in the roofing job, but you need to make sure they can coordinate with you. Otherwise, they might slow down the whole process. And if the work goes on for a few days, you might end up spending a lot more money than you had initially planned, in which case you might as well have hired a roofing contractor to save yourself a few days of back breaking labor.
Requires Technical Know-How Laying shingles requires a great deal of technical know-how. There are so many minor details involved in the process that a novice would never know. Not to mention the fact that the whole process needs to be completed as quickly as possible to minimize exposure to the elements. To complete a task as complicated as roof installation in a short period of time requires lots of knowledge, training, experience, and a team of workers who can coordinate with each other well.
Additional Costs Not everyone is likely to have all the tools and equipment required for a roofing job. For instance, you might have to rent a dumpster. You are likely to need pneumatic nail guns and a compressor. You might have to install a drip edge, apron and vents. All of these might cost you a lot of money and end up stretching your initial budget considerably.
PROFESSIONAL ROOFING INSTALLATION
Better, Faster Work A team of professionals can do a top-notch roofing job and get it done much faster than any DIY enthusiast. For instance, here at DePalma Construction we only take a day to complete most of our re-roofing jobs.
Workmanship Guarantee A professionally completed project is generally guaranteed against workmanship defects. We at DePalma Construction offer an extensive workmanship guarantee, under which we fix any problems arising out of poor workmanship at no cost to you.
No Risk of Property Damage When you install a roof, even the tiniest of mistakes could result in property damage. You could damage your lawn and shrubbery by carelessly tossing the shingles around; you could drop a shingle right onto your siding, fence, stairs, or deck and end up damaging it inadvertently.
Professional contractors, on the other hand, take some precautionary measures to avoid property damage. We use the Equipter RB4000 to eliminate the risk of property damage during roof installation.
We can place it as close to your home as possible, lift it all the way up to the roof, dump the debris directly into it, and drive it away. You will not find broken shingles, and debris scattered all around, which is usually the case with a DIY project or when you hire inexperienced contractors in the Adams, Cumberland, and York County area.
DIY vs. Professional Roofing Installation – Which is the Better Choice for You? Roofing, simply put, is a task better left to professionals. It is way too labor intensive and risky and requires a good deal of technical expertise and experience. The money you spend in hiring a reliable roofing contractor is well worth it, as you will have a solid roof that will last for years to come.
DePalma Construction has been in the roofing business for close to two decades, and we have served a large number of individuals and businesses in the Lancaster, Cumberland, and York Counties. We guarantee top-notch workmanship, fast completion, and third party inspection of shingles for assured quality. So, if you need to install, repair, or replace your roof, give us a contact us today!
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