How Long does Roofing Take for a New Home Construction?
If you are building a new home or even planning some home renovations, your roof is a major undertaking. After framing, the roof is the next big step to protect your construction job. You may be wondering how long does roofing take for your new home construction.
The answer is not very easy and most professional roofers will tell you that a new roof could take anywhere from a single day to a full week, depending on a wide variety of things. In the following article, we will look at several important factors that can affect your roof installation or roof replacement timeline and help you plan accordingly.
How long does roofing take? Here are some factors.
The Roofing Company You Choose
There are many parts of a home renovation or new construction that you can do yourself but your roofing job is something that really needs a professional touch. Finding a skilled roofing service or a quality roofing contractor should be the first thing you do when you start a new roofing project. Ask around about different roofing companies in your area to find one with a good reputation. Your insurance agent or local roofing supply store can also put you in touch with recommended roofers. An experienced crew that knows how long does roofing take and what they are doing can have the average roof finished quickly and with minimal waste.
When deciding on a roofer, it’s a good idea to consider the following questions.
- Do they have good reviews or a reputable website?
- Do they offer no-obligation quotes?
- Are they licensed?
- Do they carry insurance and what does it cover?
- Do they guarantee their work or offer a warranty?
- Can you contact them after the job if you have any issues?
Accessibility to the Roof
An often overlooked factor that affects the time it takes to roof a home is the accessibility of the site. You will want to make sure the roof crew can easily get close to the house and be able to work in an unobstructive environment. Does your landscaping allow the crews to get close for handing supplies up and down? Will delivery trucks be able to get close to the house to drop off supplies? Is the driveway far away and cause the crews to take longer bringing supplies to the site?
All of these things could slow down a job and affect how long does roofing take so, you will want to make sure the roof is as accessible as possible.
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Replacement or New Construction Roofs
New construction roofing projects are pretty straightforward and quick. Replacement roofs have their own time contributing factors. For example, if you are building a new home, a small roof will usually take less time than say, replacing a large existing roof.
If you are looking to replace your roof, the project will be more involved and could take more time. When considering a roof replacement, this is definitely one time where fastest is not always the best.
If your replacement requires the complete removal of the existing roof, that will need to be done carefully to avoid structural damage so you don’t want someone that rushes through the process. However, if you only need a repair to a portion of the roof, the job will obviously take less than the long time a full replacement would take.
Size and Shape of The Roof
There are many roof types and each one comes with their own material and construction needs. The shape and size of a roof can affect the length of project time as well.
If you are early in your new home planning you could look for house plans with uncomplicated roof designs to save time. A simple roof between 1,000 – 2,000 square feet could take just a couple of days. A flat, sheet metal, smaller roof will be pretty quick compared to the longer time it would take to put up a large, multi-angled roof.
If you need a large roof built with several angles, gables, hips, valleys, or a steep pitch, the installation time could stretch closer to 3-6 days. Same goes for roof replacements, larger size and more complexity will add time. Also keep in mind you can save money by having a more simple roof!
Materials
Just as with size and shape, different roofing materials make a difference to a timeline as well. Two things to consider with materials are:
- Can I get it quickly?
- Does this material require special skill or time?
Most common roofing materials are usually kept in stock but depending on supply chain issues, some materials could be harder to find or take longer to obtain. For example asphalt shingles are likely to be in stock locally but if you are looking for a specific color of architectural single, you may have to special order. There are also types of materials you could choose for the roof that while stylish, the attachment process may be more complex and need more time.
An example would be metal or steel sheets. Sheets are large and can be put on faster than wood shakes for instance. The shakes would be smaller, need more materials and take more time to cover the same area as large sheets of metal. Along those lines, something like slate tiles would need more time, careful handling and attention than your average shingle roof.
Weather and Season Obstacles
An obvious obstacle in any building project is the weather. Weather conditions are one of the most unpredictable and crucial factors that can absolutely make or break the best laid plans. Extreme weather such as high winds and rain could make dangerous working conditions for roofers. Hot summer days may have the crew working in the early morning and late afternoon to avoid high mid day temperatures. Winter months may provide fewer work days since the weather is often icy. Withstanding any harsh weather and as long as the elements cooperate, the crews can move at a pretty steady pace.
Another factor to keep in mind when planning your project that can affect how long does roofing take is the season, not for weather, but for daylight. Spring is usually when construction crews get ramped up because of longer work days. The winter months have less daylight hours in general so waiting till spring means more time to work.
Summary for How Long Does Roofing Take
In any roof replacement project or new roof construction there are many crucial factors that can have an effect how long does roofing take and completion time. Some of the decisions that can save you time and money are:
- Find a reputable roofer that can answer how long does roofing take
- Make sure the roof is unobstructed and accessible.
- Start your project during a season of more good weather days than bad and more daylight hours.
- Choose your material carefully. Expect more time with more uncommon or complex materials.
- If you are building a new roof, be mindful of the size and shape and how it can increase building time.
Get this New Home Construction Workbook
This all-in-one digital download contains over 40 printable worksheets specially designed to help homeowners through every step of the construction process all the way to moving.