A common question that lingers in the minds of homeowners looking for roof replacement is, ‘how long does it take to replace a roof on average?’ Well, the answer to the question is subjective. It depends on the dexterity and experience of the roof replacement agency you have chosen, along with a couple of other factors. However, the fact remains that there is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to determining the timespan that professionals will take to replace your residence’s roof.
However, in optimal conditions, it may take an average of 1-3 days for a new roof to be placed atop your house. In case you live in a small, residential home with a moderately pitched roof, the chances are that roof replacement can be done in a single day, provided that there are no unavoidable circumstances such as bad weather, delay in material delivery, etc. It is noteworthy that roofing a new home begins with a replacement crew taking off the house’s old roof to ensure that there is no damage to sub-roofing. Nevertheless, let us look at some of the factors that affect the time to replace a residential roof.
Top eight factors determining roof replacement time
Multiple factors can take the average roof replacement time from one to 3 days to several weeks.
1. Weather
If the roofing of your house is done during precarious weather conditions, the roof replacement crew will have to undertake additional steps that require more time. Freezing weather can affect the way the asphalt shingles stick and seal, and extra care is required in handling or installing asphalt shingles when the surface temperatures are at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Likewise, snow-covered, wet, or icy roofs are hazardous for the roofing crews too. Therefore, it is imperative not to replace your house’s roof during snow or rain; weather conditions are directly proportional to more roofing time.
2. The Structure of the Roof
The material of the roof also determines the timeframe needed for replacement. Likewise, the shingles’ design and placement pattern also veritably impact the period of the roof replacement. Needless to say, complex or intricate designs will have a longer installation time than a traditional horizon pattern. The most common roofing material in Canada – shingles – come in different variants, and all of their installation time is different.
2.1 Asphalt Shingles
Adept and experienced roof replacing crews typically need one to three days for asphalt shingles roofing
2.2 Wooden Shingle
six to eight days on average
2.3 Slate tiles
six to seven days
2.4 Concrete Tiles
eight to nine days
3. Size of the House
The larger the house, the longer it will take to replace its roof. It requires no rocket science to grasp that replacing a small one-room cabin will be much faster than that of a sprawling mansion with multiple rooms. It is noteworthy to remember that in the roofing industry, the cost of replacement is based on per square foot, and 100 square feet is known as a ‘roofing square.’ Make sure to consult a roof replacement company about all the nitty-gritty of their pricing and its reasoning.
4. Availability of Material
Houses located in remote or isolated regions may require more extended time periods for replacement, owing to difficulties in the arrangement and delivery of roofing materials. Likewise, if your home is difficult to access, for instance, in case it is at the end of a 200 feet long unpaved and narrow driveaway, it will become challenging for a loaded truck with bulky roofing materials to reach your doorstep. As such, the entire roofing process might become longer and more expensive.
5. Accessibility of the Roof
Another veritable factor that determines the duration of roof replacement is how easy it is to access your home’s roof. At times, certain homes have lots of landscaping and rows of thick bushes, making it difficult to access the roof. Likewise, dense urban areas with tight-knit buildings can also make it challenging for equipment to get in and out of the area. As such, the time taken for roofing will heighten.
6. The Steepness of the Roof
In case your house has a steep roof, it becomes difficult for the workers to walk on it, and the materials and other tools also slide off, thereby increasing the roof replacement process. Contrarily, a roof with a shallow pitch will need a special underlayment so that water backups cannot seep into the housing envelope, and the roofing time shoots up. Therefore, it is essential to remember that roofing professionals utilize the Reef Slope to measure the steepness of a roof and work accordingly.
7. Older Roofs Are More Challenging to Replace
The older the roof of your house, the longer will be roof replacement time. As such, it is essential to opt for regular roof maintenance and replace it before the hassles of leaks begin. Many a time, homeowners tend to assume that their home’s roof is in fine shape and do not opt for maintenance until there is a prominent and visible problem. This is a wrong approach and can, in fact, burn a hole in their pocket as faulty and dishevelled roofs are much more expensive to replace. Likewise, the time that it takes to repair an unkempt roof is also much longer.
8. Structural Damage
If only the shingles of your roof need replacement, the process is reasonably quick. However, if there are structural damages to the roof deck or other elements beneath the shingles, the process can become much longer due to additional repairs.
So, there we have it, the various factors that affect the average time taken to replace a house’s roof. It is essential to opt for a roof-replacing agency that knows what it is doing and is transparent in its communication. Likewise, as a homeowner, you must regularly maintain the roof to keep catastrophic repairs at bay and ensure that replacement costs are minimal.
