Can You Live in Your Home While Redoing Your Roof?

Brick home Front View

A roof replacement is a major project. That leaves many homeowners wondering about the logistics: can you live in a house while the roof is replaced, or do you need to relocate?

When to Stay in the Home

Budget is a big consideration for many homeowners. When you’re paying for a new roof, you don’t want to pay extra housing or dining expenses during the job. Rest assured, you can definitely stay in the home during a roof replacement. However, there are some things to prepare for.

Roofing work is noisy. If you’re trying to work from home or have a young infant with a strict nap schedule, the noise may be too much. Roofers can’t do the job without making that noise, so decide if you can withstand it before you commit to staying.

Roofing work is also messy. Even if you have a dumpster on site, there will likely be mess, dust, and debris. The roofers may tidy the job site at the end of the day, but it will be messier than your usual. If you’ll worry about a child or pet hurting themselves on a loose nail, you’re probably better staying offsite.

When to Leave

Every roofing contractor does their best to estimate the time frame when bidding, but delays can occur. Whether related to materials for weather, job delays can drag roofing work out for longer than you anticipated. If you’re on the fence about staying or leaving, here’s why to consider going.

Roofers tend to work long hours, sometimes on weekends. It may not be a 9-to-5 job. The complexity of the job should be considered as well: if you’re having a new garage roof put on, the job will be faster than if you’re reroofing the house, replacing the gutters, and adding a skylight. While your may be able to put up with a crew for a couple of days, can you handle it for a week or longer?

Many families decide to stay with friends or relatives while getting roof work. This allows the crew to work in peace while ensuring the job won’t disrupt your family and your routines.

These decisions are ultimately a case by case basis, so you’ll need to decide what is right for you. To talk about your roofing needs with a licensed roofer, contact us now.