The Pros of Installing an Overlay Roof on Your House Yourself

Several years ago our house was ready for a new roof. When we purchased the house in 1999, it was with the knowledge that the roof was original to the house and would in several years be ready for a new layer of shingles. After shopping around and comparing prices, my husband decided to tackle the job himself. As luck would have it, a friend of ours who lives in the neighborhood was in need of a new roof himself, so the two of them helped each each other to complete the jobs. Neither my husband or his friend are contractors and had no prior roofing experience. Both roofs turned out beautifully. This article will discuss the pros of installing an overlay roof on your house without needing to hire contractors to do the job.

Price. Much of the price of paying contractors to install roofing on your house is labor. By buying pallets of shingles from Home Depot or Lowe’s and doing the job yourself you will save a great deal of money. Expect to pay from three to five thousand dollars for a company to install an overlay roof on your Ranch, Cape or Colonial home. A the end of the project, it only cost us fifteen hundred dollars to install an overlay roof on our two story Colonial. This was quite a significant savings. If you can not seem to get together the entire cost of a new roof all at once to book a contractor, you can also buy pallets of shingles as your budget permits and begin the job when you have enough supplies.

The Job Will Get Done On Your Schedule, Not Someone Else’s. By taking on the job of installing an overlay roof on your house yourself, you will be able to get the job done when you want it done and not be dependent upon a contractor’s work load. If you have decided that the time has come for a new roof and you would like it completed within a certain period of time, you may be much better off tackling the job yourself rather than waiting a few weeks for the contractor you chose to be able to work your job into his schedule. You can work on weekends and Holidays to complete the roof in the time period you need, which is not an option you usually get with contractors without paying extra.

Pride In A Job Well Done. My husband was extremely proud of installing the overlay roof on our home. With no prior experience and only a book from the bookstore as a guide, he was able to give our home a beautiful new roof that not only kept us safe from the elements, but also looks beautiful and really complements the aesthetics of the house. If you decide to install your roof on your family home yourself, you will gain a strong sense of pride in your ability to take care of your family and your home with your own two hands.

Although extremely tedious work, installing an overlay roof is far simpler than a tear off and putting down an entire new roof. Basic common sense and an ability to follow instructions can make installing an overlay roof themselves a very real option for many homeowners. If you are afraid of heights or have structural damage or issues, then this may not be the best decision and hiring a contractor with many years of roofing experience is the more sensible choice.