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DIY Roofing Vs. Hiring a Professional

Deciding you need to replace your home’s roof is easier than determining if you should do it yourself or hire a professional roofing company.  Even if you consider yourself pretty handy around the house, it may not be wise to forgo the expense of hiring a professional roofer in order to do it yourself. There are many reasons to carefully consider the pros and cons of a DIY roofing project.  It involves much more than just a trip to the home improvement store and slapping on some shingles.  Roof replacement is a complex, time consuming, and dangerous undertaking that can end up costing you more in the long run than if you chose to hire a professional roofer.

Here are some pros and cons to consider regarding DIY roof installation vs. hiring a professional roofer:

Pros of DIY Roofing:

If you have the right skills, tools, and physical stamina to do the job, it can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars. You can do the work according to you and your family’s schedule and not have to worry about conflicts with a contractor’s schedule.

Cons of DIY Roofing:

Roof replacement by yourself is a long-term commitment. Considering the amount of time required to do the work, it may make more sense to hire a professional roofer.   Plus, if you work full time, you can forget about weekend golf outings or trips to the beach until you get the job done.  You may want to reconsider now whether saving the money is worth sacrificing your precious free time with family.

It’s dangerous. You need to consider if you have a fear of heights and/or whether you can carry heavy materials up and down a ladder.  Are you comfortable and steady on your feet?  Falls from roofs result in thousands of serious injuries and deaths each year.  Plus, there’s the risk that comes from roofing in rain or other inclement weather that could be better left to the professionals.

Tools can be expensive. You may think you’ll save money on labor, but, if you don’t already have the right tools, you may end up spending a hefty chunk of your budget to purchase the right gear and equipment for the job.  Plus, you may never use these specialized tools again once the roofing work is complete.

It requires physical strength and endurance. Roofing involves a great deal of physical labor:  climbing up a ladder with heavy gear and shingles and the grueling work of tearing off the old shingles.  It also means doing all of this physically demanding work for hours under the hot sun which presents risks for dehydration and even heat stroke.  Professionals are trained and equipped for such intense challenges.

A warranty won’t cover damage caused by improper application or installation.  If your mistake results in a leak, you will have to hire a contractor to fix it.

If you decide to hire a professional roofer, contact our trained, licensed, insured, and professional Bealing Roofing and Exteriors team today for a free roof replacement estimate!