How Long Does It Take To Install A New Roof?

Get The Details On How Long It Takes To Replace A Roof So You Can Plan Around All The Noise!

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What's The Timeline To Install A New Roof?

Over the years, your roof has been exposed to numerous elements, some of which will cause some damage to it. But, with any luck, most of the damage on your roof will only call for repairs. However, if the damage on your roof covers more than 30% of it, then it’s time for a new roof installation. Besides budget concerns, another common concern is how long it takes to complete a re-roofing. Homeowners need to know when they can regain control of their homes. In the same vein, time is an important factor for commercial buildings as employees and businesses might be disrupted by an active building site.

roofers finishing a roofing job on schedule

Let’s Talk Timelines…

It would be rather convenient to know just how much it would take to have your roof done. However, the best we can do as roofers is to provide a close estimate. This is typically one to three days. This is for an average-sized house, being re-roofed at optimal conditions.

Nonetheless, it’s important to note that replacing a roof is a complex process whose timelines are dependent on multiple factors.

Factors That Determine How Long A Roof Replacement Will Take

Let’s take a more detailed look at the different scenarios that determine how long a roof installation will take.

The Roofing Design And Materials

Some roofing materials have simple application processes, while others are more involved.

The most common roofing material is shingles, and these are fairly easy to install. Still, different shingle types have their unique qualities and installation processes.

This aside, different shingles are designed for different types of roof pitches.

This means that the installation period will be dependent on the individual shingle type’s installation process.

Here are some average installation timelines of different shingles:

  • Wooden shakes: three to four days
  • Concrete tiles and shingles: four to five days
  • Asphalt shingles: one to two days
  • Slate: three to four days
  • Metal: two to three days

The material type is not the only determining factor, however. The design you want your shingles laid in will also affect the timelines. For example, very intricate or complex designs will take more time to create than simpler designs. The former will therefore take longer than the estimates provided.

The methods used matter as well. Asphalt roofing shingles can be re-done in two ways: full tear off or layering. The layering method means placing new shingles on top of old ones. This is easy to do and takes little time.

Tear-off means removing the existing shingles before placing new ones. The latter undoubtedly takes a longer time.

The Weather

It would be great if you could get your new roof installed the right way during favorable weather. If your roof is old, you might be able to time the roofing project to be done during fair weather seasons.

Life is not perfect, unfortunately. For example, you will sometimes suffer extensive damage on your roof, requiring immediate repair during the harsh climate. If this is the case, you can expect the process to take longer.

For one, replacing a roof during very cold weather requires additional steps to ensure the roof is installed correctly. For example, asphalt shingles require extra care if an installation is done when surface and air temperatures are below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. This is because cold weather affects how shingles stick and seal.

Similarly, a wet, snow-covered, or icy roof poses additional hazards for workers. Again, this forces workers to progress at a slower pace.

Time Of Year

Aside from the elements, roofers can only be productive in good lighting. This explains why the month of March ramps up the years for roofers.

You get more natural light outside once the dreary winter months pass.

Since roofers prefer not to work in the dark, more hours of light allows workers to remain on the job much longer each day. This allows them to cover more ground and complete the job faster than they would in winter.

House Or Building Size

The larger a house or commercial property is, the more time it will typically take for a new installation to be complete. With a similar number of workers, it will take longer to roof a sprawling mansion than to roof an average-sized single-family unit.

An average home in the U.S spans 1,600 to 1,700 square feet. This can be re-shingles in 1-2 days. A house double this size will take about a 2-3 days or more.

Large commercial flat roof replacement can take a week or more depending on the size of it. Large warehouses typically take 2 or more weeks to completely re-roof depending on many different factors.

The Steepness Of The Roof

A steep roof makes it harder for workers to work on. It also poses a challenge when it comes to work materials and tool placement during the re-roofing.

Often, working on a steep roof requires the roofing company to install safety equipment like guard rails before work begins. This is not only an extra cost but takes extra time, as opposed to a low roof where the roofing can begin on day one.

On the other hand, a roof with a very shallow pitch can slow down runoff water. Therefore, installing a new roof on such houses requires a special roof underlayment to ensure water backups don’t penetrate the housing envelope.

Again, this takes time, lengthening the installation.

Roof Accessibility

Your chosen roofing company will require accessibility for its workers. This is both for laborers to come in and go and for materials to be brought to the work area.

Some homes have bushes, flowers, and other landscaping features that might make this difficult to do or slow down the pace.

Other properties share fences or sit next to other homes, warranting permission to the workspace from adjacent homeowners. This lack of or slowed down access to the job site often eats into the project time.

Structural Damage

If your roof’s foundation is intact, then re-shingling will take one to three days for an average-sized American house. However, it’s not uncommon for roofers to find damage to the roof’s deck once they begin stripping off the old roof. Unfortunately, such damage has to be fixed before installing the new roof, which lengthens the installation process. How much longer it will take will depend on how severe the damage is. The more damage there is, the longer it will take to get a new roof in place. Typically, older and poorly maintained homes will have more damaged roofs than recently-replaced roofs or well-maintained ones. If you are replacing a roof on a house whose roof is nearing or has exhausted its lifespan, expect the process to take longer. For roof maintenance tips, check out our article.

Factors That Determine How Long A Commercial Roof Replacement Will Take

The time taken in residential roof replacement can also be longer or shorter, dependent on the factors outlined above. Commercial roof replacements also have additional unique scenarios that determine how long an installation will take place.

The key ones are:

Historical Significance Of The Building

This goes for residential homes as well. Some old homes and commercial buildings are also historical landmarks. This means that their historical and structural integrity has to be maintained.

If you are to re-roof such a building, extra caution, effort, and care must be taken to ensure the desired result. Similarly, such buildings have special permit requirements.

Both these elements can lengthen the process of re-roofing.

Occupancy

A new roof installation might have to be undertaken in an occupied commercial building. As much as the roof has to be completed, care also has to be taken to ensure the comfort and safety of workers in the building.

At times, this might mean working on the roof after hours and on weekends. This might drag the project on for longer than it would when re-roofing an unoccupied commercial building.

Quality Is Better Than Speed

While you want your roof to be completed within the shortest timelines, you also want quality work.

Whether you are repairing a roof or installing a new one, you should get the best value for your money. This is exactly what we will deliver, no matter how big or small the project may be. Reach out to us today for the best roofing company in Denver.