The garden and exterior are some of the most important parts of your home’s exterior. This is because they make up a significant portion of your home’s curb appeal, prompting homeowners to do their best to protect their investment. However, they could get damaged during the course of a roof installation project. In this post, the top residential roofing and installation contractor, De Palma Construction, shares some tips to protect your garden and exterior during a roof installation project.

Take Note of Your Roof’s Condition Before Installation

Gently nudge your roofing contractor of things that they need to watch out for before the roof replacement job. These include things such as your decking, swimming pool, bathtubs, and vegetable gardens. They should also take extra precautions so as not to damage your plants and siding as well. They can protect these valuable fixtures by laying down tarps or coverings for an added layer of protection.

Keep Roofing Materials Away From the Grass

Make sure that your roof repair contractors supply a trash bin and place it on the driveway where refuse roofing materials can be placed. Your roof installation contractor should lay down protective plywood sheets on the driveway before setting your new roofing materials to protect it from dirt, scrapes, and dents. This also prevents your landscaping from getting damaged or tarnished as well.

Protect Your Garden and Grass

Simple materials like tarpaulins can go a long way in protecting your garden and grass. To protect your potted plants, you can place tarps over the lumber leaning on the walls as well. Fortunately, your shrubs and trees are strong enough to handle debris, so they don’t have to be covered. Don’t forget to remove the tarps after the job is done so that the plants can breathe.

Protect Your Windows 

Your windows will be one of the most damage-prone parts of your home’s exterior during a roof replacement. This is because of the materials and debris that may fall off during the duration of the job. Other tools or hardware can also fall off the roof and damage the frames if they’re not careful. Make sure that your hired contractor has secured your windows with wooden boards especially while they remove the old roofing materials.

Trim Grass Before the Renovation Starts 

This is one of the best ways to keep your exterior nice and tidy as it makes it easier to spot smaller debris such as nails and dispose of them. Of course, most commercial roofing companies use drop cloths and tarps to protect your landscaping and grass. However, they’ll only cover the immediate perimeter of your home which is about 5-10 feet. Some debris and other objects could still fall further into your yard, so it’s still important to cut your grass the day before installation. Having your grass cut can also make the clean-up process quicker and more thorough.

Keep the Area Clean

Your roofing contractor should have all the tools and equipment necessary to keep the site clean during the duration of the project. This should include brooms, garbage bins, rakes, and other disposal aids. We strongly suggest getting a magnetic sweeper to have an easier time cleaning up. This can be used to tidy up an area and catch small nails and other forms of metal debris.

Warn Your Neighbors Ahead of Time

Before having a roof repair or roof replacement project, you’ll need to inform your neighbors beforehand about your project for the sake of respect and courtesy. Keep in mind that a roof replacement project can be noisy and dirty, which will disrupt your neighbors’ daily life, especially if they aren’t warned beforehand. The debris can also fall onto their property, depending on how close they are to your home, and as well as the weather. As such, it’s important to notify them ahead of time of the things that can happen during the roofing job.

Prepare Outdoor Power Outlets

Your contractors working on your roof will need convenient access to your home’s electrical outlets, so make sure that you bring out the ones that they can use. If your garage utilizes a different circuit, we strongly suggest letting them use the power outlets to prevent overloading when they use roofing equipment. This can be done by using extension cords from the garage, or your home’s interior if you don’t have any exterior outlets. 

Inspect Your Home’s Surroundings

It’s important to inspect your home’s surroundings before having a residential roofing job. This can be simply done by walking around your home’s exterior vicinity, and checking out the landscaping before the project starts. You and your contractor should take note of the damage you’ve spotted while walking by taking pictures or videos so that you have proof after the job has been completed. This will be especially helpful for insurance claims, and this allows you to be aware of the damage that you didn’t even know existed before the roof replacement project started.

Inspect Your Home’s Landscape

It’s important to check your landscape before starting the roofing job. This allows you to avoid costly repairs and accidents during the job. In turn, this protects your shrubs, bushes, and garden from damage when your roof is being replaced. They can be covered by tarps so that they’re protected from falling debris and other hazardous materials. Don’t forget to protect other parts of your home’s exterior, like the children’s play area, pools, and jacuzzis. Protect your potted plants and flowers by setting tarps on them as well, and pay attention to local weather conditions so that you can adapt accordingly.

De Palma Construction is a trusted company established in 1999. We offer a range of residential and commercial roofing services as well as siding and gutter installation. Our team is composed of trained and experienced professionals who work hard to deliver excellent results and customer satisfaction. Additionally, we only use quality materials that can last for several years and provide you with the best bang for your buck. To learn more about our services, call us at (717) 638-1131 or fill out our contact form.