Need A New Roof On A Tight Budget? Consider Reroofing

If you need a new roof, but want to spend as little as possible, you should look into reroofing your home rather than tearing off the roof and replacing it. This saves you quite a bit of money, because the job goes a lot quicker, and you won't have to pay fees to haul off a bunch of old shingles. While reroofing might be the solution you need, you have to talk to a roofer to see if your home is suitable. Here are the things the roofing company like Better Contracting Services checks.

Number Of Existing Layers

If your home has been reroofed previously, then you won't be able to do it again. Local ordinances typically limit the number of layers you can put on your roof for safety reasons. As the layers build up, weight is increased on the rafters, and this could affect the structure of your home. Plus, additional layers are easier for the wind to rip off, so you wouldn't want to add more than two, even if it was allowed.

Condition Of The Deck

If your roof has been leaking for a while, there might be damage to the deck under the shingles. If it is rotting due to moisture or insect damage, then it is not a good idea to cover it. Instead, the roofer will need to remove the existing shingles, so the deck can be uncovered and repaired. Also, the type of wood used for the deck matters, too. If it is plywood, it might not be strong enough to hold an additional layer of shingles.

Condition Of The Shingles

Worn shingles don't matter too much, unless they are curled, buckled, or cracked. This causes them to be uneven, and will make the new shingles look uneven, too. Depending on the amount of damage, the roofer may have to rip off the damaged shingles and replace them before the second layer is applied. If this is needed over a large area of you roof, it would make more sense to rip off your old roof and start anew.

Presence Of Leaks

If you need to replace your roof because you have water leaking into your attic, then the roofer may decide it is better to tear off the old shingles to make sure the source of the leak is found. Simply placing new shingles on top of the old ones won't necessarily stop a water leak, because the leak could be coming from anywhere, including a vent in the roof or flashing. If the roofer can track down the leak and repair it, then reroofing may still be possible.

If you call different roofers for phone quotes on reroofing, just keep in mind, there is no way a contractor can tell if your home is suitable without climbing up on it and having a look around. The amount of damage that needs repaired before the new shingles are put on will affect the price, too. Still, your overall cost will be less than tearing off the old roof since you can eliminate some labor costs and disposal fees.

Share