What To Expect During the Roofing Process

What You Can Expect When Your New Roof is Installed

• After you receive your estimate if you have any questions please contact Hart Roofing.
• If you decide that Hart Roofing is your preferred contractor please call the office and confirm exactly what work is to be completed. Sometimes a final decision varies from the original estimation. Follow up with an email or copy of signed contract emailed would be required. This ensures all information is recorded correctly.
• Provide Hart Roofing with a product selection and color choice.
• Your information will be added to the confirmation list and we will provide an approximate installation date. These dates are not firm as weather and product availability can alter the timeframe.
• When your ROOF installation date is nearing we will order materials. Our supplier will provide us with a delivery date. Our office will contact you by phone or email and advise you of the delivery date. IF YOU HAVE A FRONT DRIVEWAY PLEASE MAKE SURE THE DRIVEWAY IS CLEAR OF ALL VEHICLES.
• Depending on the driveway surface a waiver might be required. Asphalt and interlocking brick require the homeowner’s permission and a waiver for the truck to unload on the driveway. We always request a last delivery in the am or pm to lighten the weight of the truck.
• Weather permitting Hart Roofing usually arrives to INSTALL the roof within a few days of the delivery.

Roofline Terminology – The Anatomy of a Roof

At a first glance, a roof may just look like an array of shingles, tile, metal, or other materials. But what you see from the outside is only the roof’s skin. In addition to the outermost weatherproof layer, there’s actually more to a roof than what meets the eye. At Hart Roofing, we use our many years of expertise in the roofing industry to help homeowners like you understand the anatomy of a roof. Once you learn the anatomy of a roof, you’ll know exactly what you’ll be paying for when the time comes for a replacement.

Planning for Your Roof Installation

• Before the roofing crew arrives, you need to make sure your property is ready for the roof installation. Every home is unique and what you need to do to your property can differ.
• Our crew will arrive with a truck and dump trailer. The trailer will need to be parked as close as possible to the house. If you have a front drive please make sure all vehicles are removed. REMOVE all cars from the garage and park on the street to ensure the homeowner is not blocked in by equipment. Debris does fall during a roof installation and this can scratch a vehicle if it is left in the garage.
• Move patio furniture, toys, potted plants, solar lights, statues etc. approximately 15 ft away from the house. WE try and be as careful as we can but falling shingles can damage these items.
• Mark or protect especially valuable plants or trees.
• If you have a sprinkler system please mark the sprinkler heads or advise the crew.
• UNLOCK YOUR GATE.
• Cut your grass as it is much easier to clean up debris. Hart Roofing will use a magnetic sweeper upon completion of the job to clear any nails. We try our best but you might find the odd stray nail on your property.
• Low hanging tree limbs are major hazards for your roof and they will be just as bad once our new roof is installed. They can get in the way of your new roof installation making the area unsafe for our installers. Removal will help keep the roof safer and easier to install.
• Please let your direct neighbours know your roof is being installed. If you warn them ahead of time about the noise, disturbance and the possibility of a shingle or nail flying into their yard, they will be a lot more co-operative the day of your roof replacement. Also, ask them if they would unlock their gates for the roofing team. If they do, then a roofer can grab any stray shingles they spot in the neighbours yard.
• Have a plan for your kids and pets. Please make sure they are entertained inside while workers are on the property.
• Check your outside electrical outlet and make sure you have one that works. There are times we need to plug in tools and an air compressor.

How to Prepare Your Home for Roof Installation

• If your garage is built-in to the house, our roofers will be replacing its roof too. Often garages don’t have insulation, which normally would stop dust and shingle granules from dropping through the roof. Those granules have the potential to scratch paint. So, you should cover any precious items you have in the garage with a tarp. This might include car or motorcycle parts, collectibles, tools, etc.
• Ensure all windows are closed at the time of installation to protect from debris.
• The vibrations from hammering can knock decorations off walls, so you should take them down ahead of time. This might include mirrors, pictures, wreaths, loose shelving, etc. Be extra thorough on the top floor because it will move more.
• Protect fragile items. These same vibrations can potentially hurt your especially fragile items, such as china plates. Make sure glass, vases, dishes, and other breakables aren’t touching each other or the wall.

What is the Process of Installing a Roof?

• First step is to remove the old one. This is done with a shingle fork, starting at the top and working down. The shingle fork tears off the old shingles. Shingles are carried and thrown off the roof and deposited in the dump bin location.
• Once the old roof is removed, the crew will examine the entire roof deck looking for damage to roof deck, moist areas, mildew and rot. It will be determined if new decking needs to be installed. This is an additional cost listed on the estimate sheet.
• We then move on to inspect the flashing to determine if it should be replaced. If it is in good shape it stays in place. If worn out, new flashing will be installed in any of the following areas at an additional cost:
  • Chimney or valley
• Drip edge is critical to divert water from your home into the gutter. This is installed before the underlayment at the eaves edge.
• Ice and water shield is then installed at eaves edges and in valleys.
• Underlayment is a synthetic product that protects framing and sheathing from water and rot by shedding water.
• Next the shingles will be installed. The roofers will work from the bottom of the roof going upwards. They will get nailed just under the tar strip. This prevents nails from being visible once all shingles are installed.
• Vents are installed and shadow ridge capping is installed at the peak.
• Debris is collected. We go over the lawn and outlying areas with a magnetic sweeper.

What’s Next?

• Our residential roofing manager will conduct a final inspection within a week or two of installation.
• Your roof is covered by a 5 year workmanship warranty and a Limited Lifetime product warranty.
• Once we are assured the job is complete and passes inspection, we will invoice by email or postal delivery.
• Payment can be made by cheque, e-transfer or credit card. We do charge a fee to process credit cards due to the merchant cost we incur to process. And, due to daily limits an e-transfer may take 2 or 3 transactions.