Should I might be the better question here. Should I DIY my roof? Well … ehh, it depends. 🤔 Listen, we bought an absolute skunk of a house in 2022. We understand not only the desire but the need to save money where you can. After absolutely gutting the place, we realized it would need new plumbing, new electric, drywall (thank you floor to ceiling paneling), a roof, new siding, the list goes on. With a two year old and a baby on the way we needed to get this house back together again … FAST! There is only so much HGTV and Youtube can teach you before you’re back to square one. As a family who knows how to roof, professionally, we were able to save ourselves a good chunk of money on an integral part of the renovation. But we still had to hire out the other big ticket items. It really would be a money saver if your spouse was a certified electrician, plumber, roofer, drywaller, and beef rancher — but alas. Saving money on the front end by Youtube-ing how to update plumbing and rewire a house had some serious potential to cost us … well the entire house on the backend if the pipes burst from using Elmer’s glue or if there was an electrical fire from getting distracted by a 2 year old while sorting through all the fancy new wires.
Anyways, back to the question at hand. The one you actually asked about. Should I DIY my roof? Even if you are a proficient handyman, tearing off and replacing a roof is a large task. It is the kind of task that once you start, you better be ready to finish. Especially when replacing a roof in Montana. You need to have the man power and materials to get what you have torn off dried back in before a 2 o’clock shower comes that wasn’t and still isn’t on the radar. Thanks Google. Depending on the shingles you choose (looking at you Home Depot) you may void all warranties by installing them yourself or by mix matching the different elements of the roof. For example, CertainTeed has an industry leading warranty on their shingles BUT ONLY IF they are installed by a certified roofer. Not just a professional roofer with a license, certified by their own company standards.
Here’s a list of things to consider before you go rogue and start tearing shingles off your house:
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Maybe tearing off a roof is something you are capable of. You’ve got 7 grandsons and a dump trailer, well hey safety aside you might be on to something. It is possible to save money by doing the tear off yourself, but we wouldn’t recommend it. A roof never looks as scary from the ground. Even some of the most seasoned mountain men we know develop a higher pitched voice on a roof.
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Many shingle manufactures require a licensed roofing professional to install their products in order to honor their warranty.
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Detail work like installing flashing and keeping penetrations water tight can be difficult for a professional, taking this on yourself can cause some serious water issues.
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Time. As we’ve mentioned above, you want to get your roof covered back up as quickly as possible. A good crew can tear off a roof and replace it in a day or two. A homeowner who is not used to the intensity of the work may not be so lucky.
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Saving money on the front end by doing it yourself and buying shingles from Home Depot has serious potential to cost you a lot more money than biting the bullet of hiring a professional.
There are many pros and cons when considering a DIY project. A roof is perhaps one of the items you have to put on the professional side of the to do list, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing! Call us for a free and reasonable estimate. We understand money doesn’t grow on trees and we’d love to earn your business.
Oh and yes, we did get our house together in time for the baby. Babies don’t care about siding, right?
Have Questions? We’d Love to Help!
Have a leaking roof or another problem with your roof that needs repairs? If you’re in the Kalispell area, reach out to Fly Roofing for all your roofing needs. Whether it’s a completely new roof, or storm damage repair, we’ll get the job done.
To get in touch with us, head over to our contact page. Or, call us at 406-203-2482!
We’re looking forward to hearing from you!