When your roof makes up almost 50% of the exterior of your home, it puts the importance of roof repair, maintenance and care into perspective. Not only does your roof add character and charm to the design of your home, it is a pretty key element of the building structure and you should make sure you put as much effort and care into maintaining your roof as you would the bathroom of your home. Before looking into a remodel or restoration, here are some considerations to make and some questions to ask yourself and any contractors who quote for the works.
Inspections
Regular inspections of your roof are important, at least annually, if not more. Checking for rust, mould, debris build up or cracks throughout your roof network is the first step for ensuring your roof stays in prime condition and could even lengthen the life of your roof. You can do this yourself, as long as you are doing so in a safe manner, however, it is always a good idea to have a professional inspect the roof from time to time or annually, just to make sure you haven’t missed anything.
Codes
Do you know what your Council Building Codes are? You will need to comply with these codes as well as any applicable National Building Codes. Your Local Council Authority will be able to provide this information for you. This way you can ensure you are on track or you can pass the information to your chosen contractor.
Your Local Building Codes will determine how many protective coats any other facets of the process are required to be compliant. Often there will also be heritage conditions imposed in some areas, which determine what colours your roof and exterior fascia can be.
Shop Around
Organisation is key to every project. Research is the best way to ensure you are not only completing the works to the different code requirements, but the internet is a great place for design research as well. There are also dozens of remodelling checklists to read through to make sure you cover all the needed steps. Assisting in planning and ensuring your project is a success.
Gathering information can only assist you in the decision making process, allow you to learn the common terms and what they mean. You will also find resources on selecting the right contractors, so take the time to organise your information and make sure you are well informed before work begins.
See your roof as an annual investment
Roofs are an expensive item to fix, restore or replace. Regular checks keep the costs from escalating too far, however the best way to look at a roof, is to look at the cost over the life span of the roof. For example a $10,000 restoration over the life span of the average COLORBOND® Steel Roof of about 50 years, doesn’t look so bad. That $10,000 may also add time to the lifespan of your roof.
Should you DIY?
One of the most common questions we here is “Can I do this myself?”
Whilst you can try, you are not covered under the manufacturer’s warranty, you may void your home insurance policy, you could also injure yourself, and there is no guarantee on the quality of workmanship. All of these are covered when hiring a professional, so weigh up the pros and cons when it comes to save a buck or two. Is it worth the future headache?
Sometimes a roof cannot be restored, and your money would be better used replacing the COLORBOND® roof on your home. GT Roofing Adelaide specialises in roofing restoration, replacements, repairs and roof extensions and works with COLORBOND® Steel and BlueScope Steel throughout the Adelaide area and across South Australia. For an obligation free chat, please call George on 0434 640 550 or complete our contact form and we will get in touch shortly.