If you’re looking for great roofing contractors Ann Arbor MI, then Roof Pros should be your first stop.
With a dedicated team of professionals and years of experience aiding them in completing a great job in a short amount of time for your maximum convenience. Taking on a task such as this on your own can prove quite challenging. And the best approach when you detected roof damage is to call the pros to solve the problem immediately. If you don’t, you might end up with mold inside your home, structural damage and even damaged furniture. This all adds up to a huge bill in the end, so preventive care is the best approach.
Head on over to the Roof Pros website to get more info on their services and even get some helpful tips and tricks regarding your roof maintenance or detecting potential problems. If you’re considering calling them but holding back due to not knowing how much it’ll cost, you can easily get in touch with these roofing contractors Ann Arbor MI for a free quote on the services you need.
So don’t wait – if you noticed some roof damage, get it fixed and enjoy a problem-free year ahead. For great prices and amazing services, head on over to A2 Roofing Michigan!
10 Considerations for Your New Roof in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Building a new roof, in Ann Arbor Michigan or elsewhere, is never a simple proposition. This is a significant project in both the time and the money it takes to complete, and you have to make sure you get it right. That’s especially important as we enter the cold season, where your roof will quite literally be the barrier between you and the cold.
Because it’s not simple, you have to approach the process the right way. That means not just understanding what materials are right for the replacement, but also when the right time to hire a contractor might be–and how you can make sure that you actually hire professionals you can trust to get the job done right.
It’s not simple, but it’s also far from impossible. All you have to do is break it into a few, simple steps that you can take one by one to make sure you’re not missing any important pieces of the puzzle. That starts with these 10 considerations for your new roof in Ann Arbor, MI.
1) How old is Your Roof?
No roof lasts forever. That unfortunate truth is important to remember as you begin to consider whether a new roof is actually necessary. Even if you don’t have major problems in your current structure, the mere age of it may invite those problems sooner or later. It’s always more advantageous to act early when that happens.
Generally speaking, you should begin to look into replacing your asphalt roof by the time it reaches 20 years of age. When it gets to 25, that question becomes more urgent. If you’ve reached a 30-year age span, you’re lucky it hasn’t prompted major leaks yet. In that case, quick action becomes necessary.
The age of your current roof, in other words, should determine the urgency with which you get a new roof. Sooner is always better, but given the complexity of the process, timing your decision with that age is your best choice for both money and efficiency.
2) Do You Need to Repair or Replace?
Beyond the age of your roof, it’s also important to consider whether you even need to replace your roof entirely. Especially for younger structures, repairs may be the better choice. It all depends on the overall condition, and return on investment you get when you make the decision to hire a roofing contractor.
The general question you should ask yourself is whether any problem you find (like a leak or worn shingles) is isolated to one area of the roof or the entire structure. An isolated problem, like a damaged flashing or missing shingle, is easy to fix. Full replacement becomes more important when that problem spreads.
Of course, you’re never on your own. Instead, you can always work with a qualified roofing contractor to make this type of choice. Ask for a free evaluation of your roof and, if you’re not satisfied with the answer, get a second opinion. That way, you can feel comfortable whether you choose to repair or replace your roof.
3) What Materials Should You Consider?
If you’re like most homeowners in Michigan and around the United States, chances are you have a roof made up of asphalt shingles. That tends to be the best compromise between affordability and durability, which is why so many experts around the country recommend it.
But that isn’t your only choice. You can choose anything from metal roofing and wood shingles, which last longer but are more expensive, to the aesthetically pleasing clay tiles. Plastic shingles are a rarely used alternative, while natural slate will truly drive the price up.
Which of these options you choose is ultimately up to you. However, it’s important to note that there is a reason for asphalt shingles to be the most popular variety for homeowners across the United States. Chances are you’ll end up here, but at least ask the question whether it will definitely be the right material before you make a decision.
4) When is the Best Season for a New Roof in Ann Arbor, MI?
Even if you think you need a new roof, and you know the right material for it, your decision time is not over. Now, you have to ask yourself the next question: how urgent is that replacement? How important is it to get the new roof in place as soon as possible? Can you wait a little bit?
If the problem is major, you don’t have much of a choice. But if it isn’t, it may actually behoove you to wait until Spring or early Summer. When the cold Ann Arbor snows and storms begin to slow down and warm days begin to emerge, replacing your roof becomes easier to stomach and organize.
Late spring is also the time when roofing contractors don’t tend to be too booked out. As a result, you increase your chances of working with qualified professionals without having to wait a year or more until it’s actually your turn for the roof replacement.
5) When Can Your Family Work With the New Roof Construction?
The typical Ann Arbor, MI winters are only a part of the timing consideration you should take into account as you plan for a new roof. Just as important is whether (and how) your family can manage the stressors that come with such a major home improvement project.
The right roofing professionals will be considerate. They’ll minimize any times they have to walk through your house, try to work during hours where they don’t disturb your daily flow, and try to get the job done quickly. Still, it’s impossible to do a project as large as this without any kind of disturbance.
You probably don’t want this project to take place during a major family event or holiday. Instead, try to plan for the new roof to be built during days and weeks where you’re at work and the house is empty during the day. As long as you trust the professionals working on your home, that always tends to be the best choice.
6) What About Removal of Your Old Roof?
Even when it’s damaged or broken, you still have to make sure that you know exactly what will happen to the old roof before the new roof can be installed. It obviously won’t magically go away; instead, you have to make sure that you take care of this removal process before anything can happen.
Again, the more you can streamline this process, the better. Your first question to any roofing contractor should be whether roof removal is included in the job. If it is not, you might be able to find better, more credible contractors. Ideally, that removal should be complete, including disposal of any old materials as part of the process.
Of course, if you’re comfortable with the process, you might think that you’re able to save some money by removing the roof yourself. While that could be the case, always check with your roofers first.
First, you may not save any money if removal is included in the price. Second, the experts may want to make sure that the removal is done in a specific way to account for the new structure to be put in place.
7) How Much Do You Need to Know About Roofing Ventilation?
When it comes to new roofs, ventilation is an often-overlooked piece of the overall puzzle. Without it, your roof doesn’t really stand a chance. Ice dams will form, moisture will seep through, and the insulation will break down sooner or later. In other words, this is a must for any new roof.
The better question here is how much of an expert you need to be about ventilation going into the roofing process. Should you be able to understand exactly what types of vents work best in Michigan, how much they cost, and when they will be installed for maximum efficiency in the overall process?
The answer, once again, depends on the contractors you work with. Most credible companies will be happy to walk you through the nuances of ventilation. If the contractor presents you with choices that don’t come with much background, that’s a more concerning situation. The more you can trust your contractor to get this piece of the puzzle right, the better.
8) How Can You Make Sure You Can Afford Your New Roof?
While it might be a necessary expense depending on the state of your structure, a new roof is still a major expense that will hit your checking or savings account hard. The average cost of a new roof in Michigan ranges between $5,000 and $11,000, depending on its overall size and the materials you choose for the job.
Most homeowners cannot afford that kind of expense out of pocket. But even when going the financing route, you have to make sure that you can actually afford your new roof. The more you know about pricing beforehand, the better you can inform yourself about these financing options to make sure you’re on the right track.
One option is to choose a roofing contractor that also offers financing. That takes the guesswork out of the equation, and can actually lead to lower rates than directly loaning money from the bank. Ask your contractor whether this is an option and what their recommendations are. It’s in their best interests to help you out and gain both your trust and your business.
9) How Involved Should You Be in the Roof Replacement Process?
Make no mistake: the contractor you hire will do the work in placing a new roof for your Ann Arbor, Michigan home. Still, you might ask yourself just how you can and should be involved in making sure that this work gets done right. It’s a natural question to ask, and one that deserves further consideration.
Your involvement is absolutely crucial as it relates to the beginning stages. We’ll dive into the details of hiring the right contractor below, and the same also extends to the time when that hiring process is done. Try to understand as much as possible about your roof and what it will take to get it replaced entirely.
After that, your involvement should move to an as-needed basis. You now no longer need to be on the roof with the contractors doing the work. You should check in periodically to see how it’s going, but can otherwise take a more passive approach. At the same time, it’s never a bad idea to make yourself available to contractors should they have any question or need clarification on anything as they complete the work.
10) Are You Working with a Reliable Contractor?
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, you absolutely have to make sure that you work with a contractor who’s worth their salt and can reliably build that new roof your home needs so desperately. That means looking for a few key items as you research potential roofing companies:
- Is the contractor local to Ann Arbor, and able to complete your project?
- Is the contractor licensed and insured to remove any liability on your end?
- Does the contractor have good reviews on sites like Better Business Bureau and HomeAdvisor from other customers who’ve been satisfied with their work in the past?
In addition to these questions, your gut feeling also matters. Simply put, you have to feel comfortable with the contactor, and be able to trust what they say. A free evaluation is a great start to not just get a quote on the roof, but a feel for the contractor and your comfort level in working with them.
Building your new roof is a complex process, but with just a few considerations, you can make sure you get it right. From taking the age of your roof into account to hiring the right contractor, these questions allow you to feel comfortable that you’re making the right decision for your home. That starts with a conversation. Contact us to learn about our company, and how we can help you keep your family and home safe.
