At Ready Roof, over 90% of the roofs we replace are completed in one day. A professional Roofing Contractor should be able to handle this kind of work load. If your roof is exposed and left torn off for too long before it is waterproofed again, you could be dealing with a massive headache. That’s why it is so important to discuss the timeline of the project with your roofing contractor. Of course the size of the roof, amount of existing layers, plywood rot, and a handful of other unforeseeable damages all play a major role in how long a replacement takes. 

In most cases, for the majority of roofing contractors, removing and replacing a 3,000 square foot roof in a day is completely possible. 

Types of Additional Roof Features and Estimated Costs

Any additional features, such as chimneys or skylights, can add extra costs to your overall budget for a new roof.

Process of a roof replacement.

Factors That Impact Roof Replacement Timeline

1. Size of the roof

An enormous roof will take longer to replace than a smaller one and should be considered when estimating the time needed for the project. 

Generally, a roof of up to 3,000 square feet can be replaced in one day. But, simultaneously, a roof over 4,000 square feet will most likely bleed into a second day. If it takes longer than 2 days to complete, you should reconsider the contractor you’re hiring. 

2. Weather Conditions

Weather conditions can impact the timeline for replacing your roof as wet or windy weather can slow progress or even halt it altogether. Depending on the forecasted weather and location, it may take 2-4 days or longer to complete the job without any delays due to poor weather conditions.

3. Type of Material Used

The type of material being used will also impact how long it takes to replace your roof. For example, asphalt shingles are the most common material used for roofing and can take one to two days to install. Other materials like metal roofs will take longer. A tile or metal roof could take three to four days or more, depending on the project’s complexity.

3. Complexity of Design 

If your roof has a complicated design, such as multiple levels or many angles, this can add more complexity to the job and thus increase the time needed for completion. Another factor will be the roof pitch. A steeper roof pitch potentially takes longer.

For example,  a roof with multiple levels or angles could take up to four days or longer, depending on the project’s complexity.

4. Accessibility Issues

If your roof is difficult to access due to large shrubs, trees, fences, etc., that can also extend the time needed for completion. It is essential to make sure that these obstacles are removed before starting any roofing project so as not to cause any delays.

Overall, replacing a roof can take anywhere from one to four days or longer, depending on the size, type of material used, complexity of design, and accessibility issues.  Therefore, discussing your project with a qualified contractor beforehand is important to get accurate estimates of the cost and completion timeline. This will help ensure that you accurately understand what is involved in the process and can plan accordingly.

Permits: Types and Time Taken

To legally replace a roof or make some types of roof repairs, you must obtain the proper permits. Depending on where you live, this can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks, as each municipality has different regulations and requirements for roofing projects.

The exact type of permit needed for your project will depend on what is being done. Generally speaking, most jurisdictions require a building or construction permit, but additional licenses may be required depending on the work scope. These could include electrical or plumbing permits if those systems are being modified or replaced as part of the project.

Some regions may require you to obtain an occupancy or use permit before any work can begin. This permit is typically needed if the roofing work involves any building structure or use alterations.

Securing the proper permits before starting a roofing project can take several days to several weeks, depending on your local jurisdiction. Therefore, planning and ensuring all necessary paperwork has been filed with the appropriate authorities before attempting any significant modifications to your home is essential.

Once all of these steps have been taken, you can finally enjoy having a new roof that will protect and add value to your home for years. Replacing a roof may seem intimidating, but proper planning and preparation can be a relatively simple process. Knowing what materials are needed, how long each step

Insurance-Covered Roof Work Types and Time Spent

In some cases, the cost of replacing a roof may be covered by your insurance if certain conditions are met. Generally speaking, insurance companies will cover roof replacement when severe weather has caused damage that cannot be repaired.  This could include hail, wind, rain storms, or other natural disasters. 

However, it is essential to note that even when a replacement is covered under an insurance policy, certain types of work may have to be completed before coverage kicks in. Job types can include inspecting and assessing existing damage and removing and disposing of damaged materials. Depending on the extent of the damage, these steps can take several hours to multiple days, depending on what needs to be done.

Proper installation of hip and ridge cap.

How Long It Takes Insurance to Cover a Roof Repair or Installation

The time it takes for an insurance company to process a claim and provide coverage for a repair can also vary greatly. Generally speaking, the process will take anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on the situation’s complexity and any additional steps needed by either the homeowner or insurer.  It is important to remember that even when insurance does cover repairs, you may still incur some out-of-pocket expenses during the process.

Roof Replacement Process

1. Property Protection

We make sure everything is protected and secured before we begin any roofing work which includes:

  • Covering any outdoor furniture and moving anything that may be in the way of the project.

  • Tarp any landscaping including bush and/or gardens.

  • Review gutter protection to assure they are safe to begin project.

  • Move Equipter machine in place for easy collection when we start the shingle removal process.

2. Roof Removal

Removing a roof can be a daunting task, but with the right team, tools, and know-how, we make it look easy.

  • We begin by removing any shingles or other materials that are covering the roof. Be sure to wear protective clothing and gloves to avoid injury.

  • Once the roof is exposed, Ready Roof uses crowbars or pry bars to remove any nails or staples that are holding the roof down.

  • We carefully lift the roof off of the house, being careful not to damage the underlying structure.

  • Once the roof is removed, we dispose of it properly and safely.

Roof Removal with Ready Roof

3. Assess of Plywood / Replace Rotted Boards

If you have roofing boards that have rotted, it’s important to replace them with new plywood before continuing with your roofing project. Here’s how we do it:

  • Remove the old, rotted boards. You can use a pry bar or crowbar to carefully remove them.

  • Cut new plywood to fit the space where the old boards were. Make sure the new plywood is at least ½” thick.

  • Install the new plywood using roofing nails. Make sure the new plywood is secure before continuing.

4. Waterproofing /Ice and Water Shield / Underlayment

Underlayment is as important to a roof as the shingles are. Not only does underlayment act as a secondary layer of protection in the event that a shingle blows off, but it is what makes a roof “waterproof”.

The first layer of underlayment to be installed is Ice and water shield. By NY building code, this is required at all eaves to help prevent ice damming. Because the eaves are outside of the home’s interior, they do not get heat. This is why snow and ice typically builds up by the eave or gutter end of the roof. Ice and water shield is installed to help waterproof and prevent ice and water from freezing underneath shingles and melting through nail holes.

After Ice and water shield comes synthetic underlayment. Felt paper is still used in certain parts of the country, but reputable roofing contractors in Long Island install brand name underlayments. Usually the shingle manufacturer requires using their underlayment for a homeowner to receive a warranty.

Waterproofing new roof

5. Starter Shingle

After underlayment, comes the starter shingle. The starter shingles have one continuous bead of adhesive that acts as a bonding agent with the first row of architectural shingles. If this shingle is not installed, you would be able to go right above the gutter edge and yank the first course of shingles out with ease.

Starter shingles are a very crucial component to a roofing system that a lot of contractors do not include. It is common to see roofers simply flip a regular shingle upside down and use that as undercourse. This is exactly the kind of contractor you shouldn’t hire. Most manufacturers require using their starter shingle for a homeowner to receive a registered warranty.

6. New Shingle Installation

This process must be performed with surgeon-like-precision to ensure a long lasting, waterproof product. Nail placement and nailing patterns at this point, can make or break a roof. A proper installation of the shingles is truly what separates the professionals from the rest.

Notice the “stepped” pattern the shingles are installed by. This ensures that seams are not right on top of one another.

7. Ventilation

After shingles are installed and the roofers have worked their way up to the peaks, a ridge vent will be installed. It is important to note that not every roof needs a ridge vent. Proper ventilation is a science in and of itself that should be explained to you, the homeowner, in great detail. Other forms of ventilation can be:

  • Roof louvers
  • Attic fans
  • Gable vents
  • Soffit intake vents
  • Turbines
  • Solar fans
  • Solar turbines

Your roof’s ability to breath and ventilate is a very important component of a roofing replacement system. Without proper ventilation a brand new roof could start to fail within a couple of years. Here at Ready Roof, we replace 3-5 year old roofs that were installed wrong just as often as we replace 25-30 year old roofs that have never leaked a day.

Roof Replacement

8. Hip and Ridge Cap

The final piece of the puzzle. Hip and ridge caps are the pieces that, quite literally, cap the peaks of your roof. These are typically the first pieces to blow off in the event of a heavy wind storm as they are most susceptible to the elements.

Something we see all too often is subpar roofers that install shingles instead of hip and ridge cap. What likely happens in most of these instances is that they did not order enough and knew the homeowner was not going to go on the roof and inspect.

For the same reasons a shotty roofing contractor installs upside down shingles as starter, they install shingles for hip and ridge.

Shingles are made to lay perfectly flat. When they are bent, they crease and they crack. Now the most vulnerable part of your roof is open to the element because your contractor didn’t order enough material.

We encourage all homeowners to demand finished photos of the roof they paid for. It could save them money in the long run.

Shingles are made to lay perfectly flat.

Install A New Roof With Roof Ready Long Island

If you want an accurate timeline estimate for your roof replacement project, contact Roof Ready Long Island. We are Long Island’s leading roofing professionals and will happily provide you with a free estimate. Our experienced roofers have years of experience and knowledge in the industry and can give you an accurate timeline for your project. Give us a call today!

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