Having a new roof installed can be a big endeavor, but can be a great exterior upgrade for your home when it comes to both looks and function. One thing you shouldn’t overlook is preparing your home, family, and neighborhood for this large undertaking. While most single dwelling homes can have a new roof installed quickly, this still can lead to disruptions and accidents if you aren’t careful. You can ensure that your roofing project moves along quickly and keep inadvertent mistakes or issues for occurring with a few simple preparations on your end. Here are seven things you can do to get your home ready for an upcoming roofing project.

1. Prepare the Interior of Your Home

While work to your home might involve the exterior spaces of your home, this still could affect the interior of your home. Roof replacement can possibly expose your ceilings, and vibrations from work can lead to dust and debris making a mess within your home. Shaking and shifting will occur, and it is a good idea to cover up large furnishings and items as an added precaution. Taking mirrors and large artwork off of your walls will keep these from falling and becoming damaged during roof work as well.

2. Set Up a Space for Workers

Depending on where you live, there might be ample parking and exterior workspaces for roofers. If not, try to be courteous and give these needs some thought and planning before workers arrive. Clear out a workspace that your roofing lead lets you know will work, and either leave your driveway for workers or ensure that spaces in front of your home will be clear during the times roofers will be by. This might involve city permits or saving spaces overnight, so be sure to plan ahead.

3. Safeguard Your Home’s Exterior

Setting up a workspace for movers is important, but safeguarding your yard should be a priority as well. It is a good idea to start by moving toys, bikes, and any yard equipment that might be left out to the garage or against the house. This will protect your items, and ensure that no one gets hurt by accidentally stepping on or tripping over things left in your yard. While workers might have direct access from their vehicles to driveways with roof access, there is a chance they might need to access other areas of your roof from your yard. Taking a few extra minutes to clear away items and do a quick spot check of your exterior will make the roofing process safer for your yard, home, and workers.

4. Keep Kids Safe

Having strangers doing work at your home might be exciting and nerve wracking to kids. Be sure to explain to your younger children some details on the work being done and make sure they don’t get in the way of workers or play in active workspaces. If your roofing job will be over multiple days, keep an eye on kids to makes sure they don’t try to access workspaces set up for roofing professionals as well. If your child is really curious, take a few minutes to introduce them to the lead of the project at the beginning or end of a work day if they have questions for workers. Depending on the intensity and swiftness of a roofing job, it might be a good idea for your family to clear out for a few days as much as possible and let workers get down to business.

5. Don’t Forget About Pets

Just like kids, your pets might become nervous or curious when it comes to work being done at your home. Keep shy cats inside, and be sure to either gate off or leash overly curious dogs. If you won’t be home while roof work is being completed, remember that there might be banging and noises that can stress out your pets. If roofers will be coming in and out of your home, keeping pets out of main areas of the home can deter unwanted escapes or interfering with work being done. If you think that your pets might become overly stressed, it might be a good idea to board or have pets stay with friends or family until your project is complete.

6. Give Neighbors a Head’s Up

If homes in your neighborhood are close to one another, it can be hard to ignore construction going on at other people’s homes. If roofers will be starting early, working late, or doing work on the weekends, it is a common courtesy to let your neighbors know about the work you are getting done and how long you anticipate the project to go on for. Even if work will be done well within normal hours for common construction, your neighbors won’t be as put out by noises, additional people in the area, and possibly parking spots being taken during the day if they are warned.

7. Protect Your Home from Burglars

If the interior or garage area of your home will be accessed by workers during a roofing project, your home might be a target for opportunities looking for a home that would be easy to access for theft. Don’t leave your purse or keys in your foyer where this would be easy for a passerby to slip in unnoticed. Roofers aren’t going to know who are friends and family and wouldn’t necessarily notice a skilled intruder. If you do have valuables in your home, you might want to bring these to a family member’s home for a few days.

Having a new roof installed can be a great way to keep your home safe and update the exterior of your home. While roofers are professionals, there are still a few things that you can do as a homeowner to get your family and home ready for major construction. This can help ensure that a large roofing project goes swiftly and as planned. If you are in need of roof repair or replacement, contact us to help you identify your needs and get going on improving your home’s look and structure.