Roof repairs vary widely, even between similar houses. Many homeowners do not understand the variation, and the lack of understanding can complicate home repair quotes and negotiations. Below are examples of these little-known factors.
Permits
Some roof repairs require building permits, which local governments issue at a fee. Your roof's repair may require a permit if:
- It involves structural roof work
- It is relatively expensive
- It covers a big area of the roof
- It involves a code update
Ultimately, your local building department is the ultimate authority on where the roof work requires a permit. If you require a permit, your roofing contractor will get the permit and add its cost to their fees.
Roof Features
Examples of roof penetrations or installations include vents, skylights, chimneys, and solar panels. The penetrations or installations increase the complexity of roof repair in several ways. For example, the roofers must not damage the installations when working around them.
In addition, the roofers must seal the joints around the roofs if the damages affect those areas. The extra work increases the labor hours, increasing the roof repair fee. The number and size of the installations determine the influence on the repair fee.
Roof Accessibility
Roofing contractors struggle to go up and down inaccessible roofs or get materials and equipment on or off the roof. Some roofs are so inaccessible that they are even dangerous to operate on. The difficulties and danger mean roofing contractors must use extra resources to access such roofs.
For example, your roof might be inaccessible if:
- You have delicate landscaping around the house
- The space between the house and the fence is constrained
- The house has multiple stories
The roofing contractors must account for the extra resources in their charges.
Dump Fees
You will also need money to eliminate the debris the repair might generate. Extensive repairs, such as those that require extensive roof replacement, generate a lot of debris. The usual method of dealing with roof repair debris is to load it onto a dump truck and take them to a dumpsite. Most contractors offer the service at a fee.
Furnish your roofing contractors with all relevant details to get an accurate roof repair quote. You can also negotiate with your contractor for a discount, especially if you can handle some of the work and reduce the contractor's scope of work.
For more information, contact a company like Reitzel Home Improvement.
Very few roofers would say their job is easy. In fact, many describe the work as downright tough! But that does not mean that roofers do not enjoy or value the work that they do. Many workers get satisfaction from working with their hands, and they really enjoy creating a roof from simple materials. They also like the logistical challenges, such as figuring out how to get shingles up on a tall roof, or how to most safely repair a damage gutter. If you'd like to learn more about roofing as a profession, then you've arrived at the right blog.