Save money on materials and labor by getting your roof replaced during offseason months.
Roofing contractors work year-round, so whenever customers are ready for us to replace their roofs (weekends, holidays, etc.) we’ll be there for them. Most homeowners wait as long as they can to extend the life of their roof as much as possible.
Of course, the best time to replace your roof is when you have planned ahead and are not making a quick and rash decision. When any home or building owner is facing the need to repair or replace a roof, scheduling the work can be a hassle. Important questions arise, such as: What’s the best time of the year? Which company should I choose? Is the price going to be higher in the summer and fall? (Hint: it usually is.)
Peak roofing season vs. offseason
The busiest time of the year for most roofing companies is usually late summer through the fall months. Sometimes, it gets so busy that many homeowners will have to wait up to a month, and that’s if they can even find a reliable roofing company to replace their roof or do a roof repair.
The reason we prefer this time of the year is because the rainy season is over; the days have begun to cool down and the weather is much more predictable. Keeping your roof dry is our main concern. We do not want any sprinkle or rain shower to get into your home. This is difficult as the weather is so unpredictable, so we like to say, “Wait 5 minutes and the weather might change.”
Pricing is another problem when installing roofs during these months of the year. Unfortunately, since this is the busiest time of the year for most roofing contractors, roofing suppliers tend to wait until just before the busy season to increase their prices. This usually occurs on or after April 1, so after this date, you’ll normally see builders and roofing companies begin to raise their prices as well. For this reason we encourage homeowners to replace their roof during spring, summer, and even the winter months.
Roof replacement during the winter
One advantage to roofing in winter is that homeowners can pick from pretty much any roofing company to install their roof, as most are not too busy during this time of the year. When installing asphalt composite shingles, manufacturers do not change their warranties based on installation temperature. They offer the same exact warranty as a roof installed at any other time of the year.
Of course, new shingles need to undergo thermal sealing, which can take several days and even weeks in temperatures of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Another positive point is that roofing material prices will be cheaper in these months.
Roof replacement during the summer
Summer is one of the busiest times of the year for roofing companies. One downside to shingle installation during summer months is that shingles can get damaged much easier if a roofer is not careful with their nail gun, as nails can go through the shingles like butter. So they need to be careful to adjust the pressure in their nail guns and avoid human traffic on the roof as much as possible.
Of course, like we said, the best time of the year to replace your roof and get the best price from a reliable roofing company is really about planning ahead. If you know that the life of your roof is coming to an end, schedule the job early to secure a place on a roofer’s schedule (which most of the time we are about two or three weeks out) and even sign a contract to make sure you get current prices with no increases in materials and labor. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, try to schedule to replace your roof during the spring and early summer so companies will be able to fit you early in their schedule.
Call the Charleston area roofing experts at White House Roofing & Construction today!
Source: Angie’s List